Elavil vs. Pamelor

• Are Elavil and Pamelor the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Elavil?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Pamelor?
• What Is Elavil?
• What Is Pamelor?
• What Drugs Interact with Elavil?
• What Drugs Interact with Pamelor?
• How Should Elavil Be Taken?
• How Should Pamelor Be Taken?

Elavil (amitryptiline) and Pamelor (nortriptyline HCl) are tricyclic antidepressants used to treat depression.

Elavil is also used to treat mood disorders, nerve pain, eating disorder, anxiety, and panic disorders.

The brand name Elavil is no longer available in the U.S. It is available as a generic.

Side effects of Pamelor and Elavil that are similar include blurred vision, urinary retention, dry mouth, constipation, weight changes, dizziness, and unpleasant taste in mouth or changes in taste.

Side effects of Pamelor that are different from Elavil include fast heart rate, tingly feeling, weakness, lack of coordination, nausea, ringing in your ears, breast swelling (in men or women), decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm.

Side effects of Elavil that are different from Pamelor include drowsiness, headache, or increased hunger.

Both Pamelor and Elavil may interact with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (alcohol, antihistamines, sleeping pills, narcotics, muscle relaxers, or medicines for anxiety or seizures), antidepressants, cimetidine, terbinafine, allergy or cough-and-cold products that contain decongestants or ingredients that cause drowsiness, or heart rhythm medications.

Pamelor may also interact with reserpine, St. John's wort, medications to treat mental illness, bladder or urinary medicines, bronchodilators, medications for Parkinson's disease; medications to treat excess stomach acid, stomach ulcer, motion sickness, or irritable bowel syndrome; decongestants, diet pills, stimulants.

Elavil may also interact with arbutamine, disulfiram, thyroid supplements, other drugs that can cause bleeding/bruising (antiplatelet drugs, aspirin and other NSAIDs, blood thinners), anticholinergics, drugs to treat high blood pressure, MAO inhibitors, cisapride, pimozide, macrolide antibiotics, isoniazid, phenothiazines, or theophylline.

Do not stop using Pamelor or Elavil suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Common side effects of Elavil include:

• drowsiness,
• dry mouth,
• dizziness,
• blurred vision,
• constipation,
• weight gain,
• trouble urinating,
• headache,
• increased hunger, and
• changes in taste.

Common side effects of Pamelor include:

• fast heart rate,
• blurred vision,
• urinary retention,
• dry mouth,
• constipation,
• weight gain or loss,
• dizziness upon standing (orthostatic hypotension),
• tingly feeling,
• weakness,
• lack of coordination,
• unpleasant taste,
• nausea,
• ringing in your ears,
• breast swelling (in men or women),
• decreased sex drive,
• impotence, or
• difficulty having an orgasm.

Elavil (amitryptiline) is a tricyclic antidepressant used to treat depression and mood disorders. Elavil may also be used to treat other conditions including nerve pain, eating disorder, anxiety, and panic disorder. The brand name Elavil is no longer available in the U.S.

Pamelor (nortriptyline HCl) is an antidepressant that is used to treat mental/mood problems such as depression.

Elavil may also interact with MAO inhibitors, arbutamine, disulfiram, thyroid supplements, other drugs that can cause bleeding/bruising (antiplatelet drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], blood thinners), anticholinergic drugs, and certain drugs for high blood pressure.

Pamelor may interact with narcotic pain medicines.

Pamelor may also interact with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, or medicines for anxiety, depression, or seizures), bupropion, cimetidine, reserpine, St. John's wort, terbinafine, other antidepressant or medication to treat mental illness, bladder or urinary medicines, bronchodilators, cold or allergy medicines that contain an antihistamine, medications for Parkinson's disease; medications to treat excess stomach acid, stomach ulcer, motion sickness, or irritable bowel syndrome; decongestants, diet pills, stimulants, or heart rhythm medications.

Do not stop using Pamelor suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Elavil is taken by mouth in tablet form. The medication may take up to four weeks to take full effect.

Pamelor is administered orally in the form of capsules or liquid. Lower than usual dosages are recommended for elderly patients and adolescents.