Lofepraminehydrochloride
Lofepramine70mg/5mloralsuspensionsugarfree
Whenusedindepression
Lofepraminehydrochloride(Lohfeprameenhi
drohclorride)isamedicinewhichisusedin
depression.
Yourmedicine
Lofepraminehydrochlorideisusedtotreat
depression.ItisthoughtthatLofepramine
hydrochlorideincreasestheactivityandlevelsof
certainchemicalsinthebrain.Thiscanimprove
symptomsofdepression.
IfyouaretakingLofepraminehydrochloride,oryou
careforsomeonewhoistakingLofepramine
hydrochlorideandareworriedabouthow
Lofepraminehydrochlorideisaffectingyouor
someoneyoucarefor,youshouldcontactyour
prescriber,amentalhealthprofessionalorcall111
assoonaspossible.
Itisimportantthatyoudiscusswithyourprescriber
howlongitwilltakebeforeyoucanexpecttofeel
anybenefitsfromtakingLofepraminehydrochloride.
Donotshareyourmedicinewithotherpeople.It
maynotbesuitableforthemandmayharmthem.
Thepharmacylabelonyourmedicinetellsyouhow
muchmedicineyoushouldtake.Italsotellsyou
howoftenyoushouldtakeyourmedicine.Thisis
thedosethatyouandyourprescriberhaveagreed
youshouldtake.Youshouldnotchangethedoseof
yourmedicineunlessyouaretoldtodosobyyour
prescriber.
Ifyoufeelthatthemedicineismakingyouunwellor
youdonotthinkitisworking,thentalktoyour
prescriber.
Whentotakeyourmedicine
Somemedicinesworkbestiftheyaretakenata
specifictimeofday.Gettingthemostbenefitfrom
yourmedicinecanalsobeaffectedbywhatyoueat,
whenyoueatandthetimesatwhichyoutakeother
medicines.
SpecificinformationonwhentotakeLofepramine
hydrochloridecanbefoundinthePatient
InformationLeafletthatcomeswiththismedicineor
onthemedicinelabel.Youcanalsoaskyourdoctor
orpharmacistforinformationaboutwhentotake
yourmedicine.
Howtotakeyourmedicine
Somemedicineshavespecificinstructionsabout
howtotakethem.Thisisbecausetheyworkbetter
whentakencorrectly.Theseinstructionscaninclude
gettingtherightdoseandspecialinstructionsfor
preparingthemedicine.
Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides
SpecificinformationonhowtotakeLofepramine
hydrochloridecanbefoundinthePatient surethatthemedicineisoutofthesightandreach
InformationLeafletthatcomeswiththismedicineor
onthemedicinelabel.Alternatively,youcanrequest
informationabouthowtotakeyourmedicinefrom
yourdoctororpharmacist.
Ifyouarehavingproblemstakingthisformof
Lofepraminehydrochloride,youshouldtalktoyour
prescriberorpharmacist.Theymaybeabletogive
youadviceonotherwaystotakeyourmedicineor
otherpreparationsthatareeasierforyoutotake.
Takingtoomuchofyourmedicine
Takingextradosesofsomemedicinescanbe
harmful.Insomecasesevenoneextradosecan Whetherthismedicineissuitableforyou
causeyouproblems.Ifyoutakeextradosesofyour
medicine,youmustgetmedicaladviceimmediately.
Youmayneedatesttoassesstheeffectoftaking
extradoses.Thisisbecausetheeffectsoftaking isimportantthatthepersonprescribingthis
toomuchmedicineareverycomplexsoitisvery
importantthatyouseekmedicaladvice.
Contactyourprescriber,pharmacist,specialistclinic
orcall111foradvice.
Makesureyoutakeallofyourmedicinecontainers
withyouifyouareadvisedtogotohospital.
Stoppingyourmedicine
Ifyouarenothavinganyproblemstakingthis
medicinethendonotstoptakingit,evenifyoufeel
better,unlessadvisedtodosobyyourprescriber.If,
however,youfindthatthismedicineiscausingyou
problemsthenyoushouldtalktoyourprescriber
aboutyourconcerns.
Ifyourmedicalteamdecidesthatitisbestthatyou
donottakethismedicineanymore,theymay
advisethatyoudonotstopLofepramine
hydrochlorideabruptly.Thisisbecause,insome
instances,stoppingLofepraminehydrochloride
abruptlycancausewithdrawalsymptomsorcause
youroriginalconditiontoreturn.Intheseinstances,
reducingthedoseofLofepraminehydrochloride
graduallyovertimemayreducethechancesof
havingtheseproblems.
Ifyouareinanydoubt,contactyourprescriber,
pharmacist,specialistclinicorcall111.
Lookingafteryourmedicine
Theinstructionsonhowyoushouldkeepyour
medicineareonthepharmacylabel.Itisagood
ideatokeepyourmedicineintheoriginalcontainer.
Thiswillhelptokeepyourmedicineinthebest
conditionandalsoallowyoutocheckthe
instructions.Donottakethemedicineifthe
packagingappearstohavebeentamperedwithorif
themedicineshowsanysignsofdamage.Make
ofchildren.
Specificinformationonhowtolookafter
Lofepraminehydrochloridecanbefoundinthe
PatientInformationLeafletthatcomeswiththis
medicineoronthemedicinelabel.Alternatively,you
canrequestinformationabouthowtolookafteryour
medicinefromyourdoctororpharmacist.
Youmustnottakethemedicineaftertheexpirydate
shownonthepackaging.Ifyouhaveanyunused
medicine,returnittoyourpharmacistwhowill
disposeofitsafely.
allforsomeonewhoisundertheageof18years.
Lofepraminehydrochlorideisnotsuitablefor
everyoneandsomepeopleshouldneveruseit.
Otherpeopleshouldonlyuseitwithspecialcare.It
medicineknowsyourfullmedicalhistory.
Yourprescribermayonlyprescribethismedicine
withspecialcareormaynotprescribeitatallifyou:
areelderly
areallergicorsensitivetoorhavehada
reactiontoanyoftheingredientsinthe
medicine
haveliverproblems
havekidneyproblems
haveheartarrhythmias anytimeitappearsthatLofepraminehydrochloride
haveheartblock
arerecoveringfromarecentheartattack prescriberiscontactedimmediately.
havehyperthyroidism
haveporphyria
aretakingmonoamineoxidaseinhibitorsor
havetakenthemwithinthelasttwoweeks
havecardiovascularproblems
haveorhavehadepilepsy
arehavingelectroconvulsivetherapy
haveorhavehadmania
haveconstipation
areconfinedtoyourbedduetoillness
haveatumouroftheadrenalgland
havehighbloodpressure
havecirculationproblems
haveaffectivedisorders
haveriskfactorsfordevelopingparalyticileus
aresufferingfromalcoholpoisoning,drug
poisoningordeliria
haveorhavehadthoughtsofcommitting
suicide
haveriskfactorsfordevelopingheart
problems
havenarrowangleglaucoma
haveraisedpressureintheeye
Page1of3
areabouttohaveaprocedureundergeneral
orlocalanaesthesia
havetumoursoftheadrenalmedulla
areallergicorsensitivetoorhavehadabad
reactiontodibenzazepinesinthepast
haveorhavehadprostateproblemswith
urinaryretention
havehadconvulsionsrecentlyorareatrisk
ofhavingconvulsions
aresufferingwithdrawalfromalcoholor
drugs
haveorhavebloodproblems
Furthermoretheprescribermayonlyprescribethis
medicinewithspecialcareormaynotprescribeitat
Aspartoftheprocessofassessingsuitabilityto
takethismedicineaprescribermayalsoarrange
tests:
todeterminewhetherornotthemedicineis
suitableandwhetheritmustbeprescribed
withextracare
tocheckthatthismedicineishavingthe
desiredeffect
tocheckthatthismedicineisnothavingany
undesiredeffects
OvertimeitispossiblethatLofepramine
hydrochloridecanbecomeunsuitableforsome
people,ortheymaybecomeunsuitableforit.Ifat
hasbecomeunsuitable,itisimportantthatthe
Sideeffects
Amedicineisonlymadeavailabletothepublicifthe
clinicaltrialshaveshownthatthebenefitsoftaking
themedicineoutweightherisks.
Onceamedicinehasbeenlicensed,informationon
themedicine'seffects,bothintendedand
unintended,iscontinuouslyrecordedandupdated.
Somesideeffectsmaybeseriouswhileothersmay
onlybeamildinconvenience.
Everyone'sreactiontoamedicineisdifferent.Itis
difficulttopredictwhichsideeffectsyouwillhave
fromtakingaparticularmedicine,orwhetheryou
willhaveanysideeffectsatall.Theimportantthing
istotellyourprescriberorpharmacistifyouare
havingproblemswithyourmedicine.
Thefrequencyofthesesideeffectsisunknown
abnormallaboratorytestresults
allergicreactions
bleedingfromtheskin
bloodandbonemarrowproblems
Lastupdated25Apr14
Copyright2010Datapharm
Lofepraminehydrochloride
Lofepramine70mg/5mloralsuspensionsugarfree
Whenusedindepression
breastenlargementinmen
changesinbloodsugarlevels
confusion
constipation
convulsions
coordinationproblems
delirium
diarrhoea
drymouth
ECGchanges
endocrineproblems
eyeoreyesightproblemsincludingblurred
visionorenlargementofthepupil
facialoedema
fasterheartrate
feelingagitated
feelingdizzy
feelingdrowsy
galactorrhoea
generalfeelingofbeingunwell
hallucinations
headaches
heartproblemsorworseningofheart
problems
inflammationofthemucousmembranes
jaundice
liverproblems
lossoftaste
loweredbloodpressure
maniaormanialikebehaviour
metabolicproblemssometypesof
metabolicproblemsmayleadtoareduced
levelofsodiumintheblood.Youoryour
carermustseekmedicaladviceifyoufeel
drowsy,confusedorhaveconvulsions
nausea
nightmares
paraesthesiae
photosensitivityskinreaction
precipitationofglaucoma
psychiatricproblemssuchasuncovering
symptomsofdepressionorsuicidal
tendenciesyouoryourcarershouldseek
immediatemedicaladviceifyou:get
thoughtsofcommittingsuicide,attemptto
commitsuicide,becomedepressed,engage
inselfharmingbehaviourorifthereisan
unusualchangeinyourbehaviour
psychosisorpsychoticlikebehaviour
sexualdysfunction
skinrashorrashes
sleepingproblems
sweating
testicularproblemssuchaspain
tinnitus
tremors
Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides
urinaryhesitation beperiden medicinesthatdecreasethelevelsof
urinaryretention diltiazem potassiumintheblood
vomiting verapamil IfyouaretakingLofepraminehydrochlorideandone
withdrawalsymptomscanoccurwhenthis rifampicin oftheabovemedicinesortypesofmedicines,make
medicineisstoppedabruptly.Theseinclude sotalol sureyourprescriberknowsaboutit.
feelingirritable,excessivesweatingor cimetidine
difficultysleeping clonidine Complementarypreparationsandvitamins
worseningofpsychosisorpsychoticlike altretamine Medicinescaninteractwithcomplementary
behaviour disulfiram preparationsandvitamins.Ingeneral,thereisnot
Thefollowingsideeffectshavebeenreportedin alprazolam muchinformationavailableaboutinteractions
peoplewhohavehadmedicinessimilarto ritonavir betweenmedicinesandcomplementary
Lofepraminehydrochloride.Thefrequencyofthese adrenaline preparationsorvitamins.
sideeffectsinpeoplewhotakeLofepramine ephedrine
isoprenaline Ifyouareplanningtotakeorarealreadytakingany
hydrochlorideisnotknown complementarypreparationsandvitaminsyou
noradrenaline
bonefracturesthesemayoccurinelderly phenylpropanolamine shouldaskyourprescriberwhetherthereareany
patients guanethidine knowninteractionswithLofepraminehydrochloride.
Ifyoufeelunwellorifyouhaveconcernsabouta betanidine Yourprescribercanadvisewhetheritisappropriate
sideeffect,youwillneedtoseekadvice.Ifyoufeel amethyldopa foryoutotakecombinationsthatareknownto
veryill,getmedicalhelpstraightaway.Contactyour phenylephedrine interact.Theycanalsodiscusswithyouthe
prescriber,pharmacist,nurseorcall111. reserpine possibleeffectthatthecomplementarypreparations
Takingothermedicines Thefollowingtypesofmedicinemayinteractwith andvitaminsmayhaveonyourcondition.
Lofepraminehydrochloride:
Ifyouaretakingmorethanonemedicinetheymay Ifyouexperienceanyunusualeffectswhiletaking
interactwitheachother.Attimesyourprescriber monoamineoxidaseinhibitors thismedicineincombinationwithcomplementary
maydecidetousemedicinesthatinteract,inother sympathomimetics preparationsandvitamins,youshouldtellyour
casesthismaynotbeappropriate. medicineswhichdepresstheCNS prescriber.
medicinesthatareusedtotreatthyroid Drivingandoperatingmachinery
Thedecisiontousemedicinesthatinteractdepends problems
onyourspecificcircumstances.Yourprescribermay Whentakinganymedicineyoushouldbeawarethat
adrenergicblockingagents
decidetousemedicinesthatinteract,ifitisbelieved anaesthetics itmightinterferewithyourabilitytodriveoroperate
thatthebenefitsoftakingthemedicinestogether machinerysafely.
barbiturates
outweightherisks.Insuchcases,itmaybe selectiveserotoninreuptakeinhibitors
necessarytoalteryourdoseormonitoryoumore InthecaseofLofepraminehydrochloride:
medicinesthatprolongtheQTcinterval
closely. thismedicinecouldaffectyourabilitytodrive
antipsychotics
oroperatemachinery
Tellyourprescriberthenamesofallthemedicines anticholinergicagents
thatyouaretakingsothattheycanconsiderall antiparkinsonianagents Youshouldseehowthismedicineaffectsyou
beforeyoujudgewhetheryouaresafetodriveor
possibleinteractions.Thisincludesallthemedicines antihistamines
whichhavebeenprescribedbyyourGP,hospital analgesics operatemachinery.Ifyouareinanydoubtabout
whetheryoushoulddriveoroperatemachinery,talk
doctor,dentist,nurse,healthvisitor,midwifeor calciumchannelblockers
pharmacist.Youmustalsotellyourprescriberabout diuretics toyourprescriber.
medicineswhichyouhaveboughtoverthecounter digitalisglycosides Diet
withoutprescriptions. nitrates
oralcontraceptives Medicinescaninteractwithcertainfoods.Insome
Thefollowingmedicinesmayinteractwith cases,thismaybeharmfulandyourprescribermay
antiepileptics
Lofepraminehydrochloride: adviseyoutoavoidcertainfoods.
oestrogens
warfarin progestogens InthecaseofLofepraminehydrochloride:
amiodarone
phenothiazines therearenospecificfoodsthatyoumust
terfenadine anticoagulants
fluvoxamine excludefromyourdietwhentaking
macrolides Lofepraminehydrochloride
fluoxetine antimalarials
disopyramide Alcohol
antihypertensives
procainamide vasodilators Alcoholcaninteractwithcertainmedicines.
propafenone
betablockers
quinidine InthecaseofLofepraminehydrochloride:
thyroidhormonetherapy
atropine antibiotics thismedicinemayinteractwithalcohol
Page2of3 Lastupdated25Apr14
Copyright2010Datapharm
Lofepraminehydrochloride
Lofepramine70mg/5mloralsuspensionsugarfree
Whenusedindepression
Youshouldseekadvicefromyourprescriberasto Weareunabletolistalloftheingredientsforyour
whetheryoumaydrinkalcoholwhiletakingthis medicinehere.Forafulllist,youshouldrefertothe
medicine. patientinformationleafletthatcomeswiththis
Familyplanningandpregnancy medicine.Youshouldcheckthatyouareableto
taketheingredientsofyourmedicine,especiallyif
Mostmedicines,insomeway,canaffectthe youhaveanyallergies.Youshouldalsocheck
developmentofababyinthewomb.Theeffecton whetheranyoftheseingredientsareknowntohave
thebabydiffersbetweenmedicinesandalso sideeffects.
dependsonthestageofpregnancythatyouhave
reachedwhenyoutakethemedicine. Ifyouarenotabletotakeanyoftheingredientsin
yourmedicine,talktoyourprescriberorpharmacist
InthecaseofLofepraminehydrochloride: toseeiftheycansuggestanalternativemedicine.If
youshouldonlytakethismedicineduring youhavereactedbadlytoLofepramine
pregnancyifyourdoctorthinksthatyouneed hydrochloridebefore,donottakeLofepramine
it hydrochloride.Talktoyourprescriber,pharmacistor
ifyoutakethismedicineduringthelastthree nurseassoonaspossible.
monthsofpregnancy,yourbabymayhave
someproblems,suchaswithdrawal
symptomsfromLofepraminehydrochloride,
afterbirth
Youneedtodiscussyourspecificcircumstances
withyourdoctortoweighuptheoverallrisksand
benefitsoftakingthismedicine.Youandyourdoctor
canmakeadecisionaboutwhetheryouaregoingto
takethismedicineduringpregnancy.
Ifthedecisionisthatyoushouldnothave
Lofepraminehydrochloride,thenyoushoulddiscuss
whetherthereisanalternativemedicinethatyou
couldtakeduringpregnancy.
Breastfeeding
Certainmedicinescanpassintobreastmilkand
mayreachyourbabythroughbreastfeeding.
InthecaseofLofepraminehydrochloride:
youshouldonlytakethismedicinewhile
breastfeedingifyourdoctorthinksyouneed
it
Beforeyouhaveyourbabyyoushoulddiscuss
breastfeedingwithyourdoctorormidwife.Theywill
helpyoudecidewhatisbestforyouandyourbaby
basedonthebenefitsandrisksassociatedwiththis
medicine.Youshouldonlybreastfeedyourbaby
whiletakingthismedicineontheadviceofyour
doctorormidwife.
Ingredientsofyourmedicine
Medicinescontainactiveingredients.Theymayalso
containother,additionalingredientsthathelpensure
thestability,safetyandeffectivenessofthe
medicine.Theyarealsoaddedtoimprovethe
medicine'stasteandappearanceandtomakeit
easiertotake.Somemaybeusedtoprolongthelife
ofthemedicine.
Thismedicinecontainslofepraminehydrochloride.

Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides Page3of3 Lastupdated25Apr14

Copyright2010Datapharm