Drug Interactions
Your healthcare professionals (e.g., doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first. This drug should not be used with the following medications because very serious, possibly fatal interactions may occur: arbutamine, disopyramide, sibutramine, MAO inhibitors (e.g., isocarboxazid, linezolid, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine). Avoid taking MAO inhibitors within 2 weeks before, during and after treatment with this medication. In some cases a serious, possibly fatal drug interaction may occur. If you are currently using any of these medications listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting desipramine. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: anticholinergics (e.g., atropine, belladonna alkaloids, scopolamine, drugs for Parkinson's disease such as benztropine), inhaled bronchodilators (e.g., albuterol, salmeterol), certain drugs for high blood pressure (e.g., clonidine, guanadrel, guanethidine, reserpine), digoxin, nasal decongestants (e.g., epinephrine, phenylephrine), levodopa, lithium, stimulants (e.g., amphetamine, epinephrine, methylphenidate), thyroid supplements, valproic acid, drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove desipramine from your body (e.g., alcohol, barbiturates such as phenobarbital, cimetidine, cisapride, haloperidol, certain drugs for heart rhythm such as flecainide/propafenone, halofantrine, HIV protease inhibitors such as amprenavir/fosprenavir, phenothiazines such as thioridazine, pimozide, certain anti-seizure drugs such as carbamazepine/phenytoin, antidepressants such as duloxetine/fluvoxamine/paroxetine/sertraline/trazodone, St. John's wort, terbinafine). If you have been taking fluoxetine, wait at least 5 weeks after your last dose before starting this medication. Cigarette smoking decreases blood levels of this medication. Tell your doctor if you smoke or if you have recently stopped smoking. Many drugs besides desipramine may affect the heart rhythm (QT prolongation in the EKG), including amiodarone, dofetilide, pimozide, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, sparfloxacin, macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), among others. Therefore, before using desipramine, report all medications you are currently using to your doctor or pharmacist. Also report the use of drugs which might increase seizure risk (decrease seizure threshold) when combined with this medication such as bupropion, isoniazid (INH), theophylline, or tramadol, among others. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you also take drugs that cause drowsiness such as: certain antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine), anti-anxiety drugs (e.g., diazepam), anti-seizure drugs (e.g., levetiracetam), drugs for motion sickness (e.g., meclizine). Check the labels on all your medicines (e.g., cough-and-cold products) because they may contain drowsiness-containing ingredients or decongestants that could increase your heart rate or blood pressure. Ask your pharmacist about the safe use of those products. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.