What you should know about

What you should know about

Allegron

Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to take your medicine. It does not contain all the information about your medicine that you may need to know, so please ash your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. This leaflet only applies to Allegron.

Your medicine is called Allegron. Its active ingredient is nortriptyline hydrochloride BP.

The tablets are orange or white with ‘DISTA’ on them. They have a line across them to show you where to break them.

Each orange tablet has 25 milligrams of nortriptyline hydrochloride in it and each white tablet has 10 milligrams. The tablets also contain the ingredients starch, magnesium stearate, lactose, calcium phosphate, glycerine and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose. The orange tablets are coloured

Allegron is one of a group of medicines called ‘tricyclic antidepressants’ that relieve the symptoms of depression.

Allegron is made by Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Kingsclere Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 2XA. The product licence is held by Dista Products Limited, Dextra Court, Chapel Hill, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 2SY

Why Allegron?

Allegron is normally used to treat depression, but it is also used to help stop children bed-wetting.

Before taking your medicine

Make sure it is safe for you to take Allegron. If Allegron is given to children, they must be at least 6 years old and it must only be given to help them stop bed-wetting.
If you answer YES to any of the following questions, or you are not sure, tell your doctor or pharmacist. (If the tablets are for a child, please answer the questions for that child.)

Have you ever had a rash or any other allergic reaction to Allegron or to any other tricyclic antidepressant?

Have you recently had a heart attack or do you have other heart problems such as palpitations or irregular heart beats?

Have you ever had problems with your liver?

Have you ever had mania or schizophrenia?

Are you breast-feeding?

Are you pregnant, or could you be?

Do you have a thyroid problem?

Have you ever had epilepsy?

Are you taking, or have you recently been taking, any medicines known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors ( MAOls )? MAOls include phenelzine such as Nardil, tranylcypromine such as Parnate or Parstelin and isocarboxazid such as Marplan. If you are taking any MAOI or have stopped taking it within the last 2 weeks, you must not take Allegron

Are you taking any medicine for your heart or for high blood pressure?

Do you ever use cough or cold remedies? Do not take them while you are on Allegron until you have discussed this with your doctor.

Are you taking cimetidine, such as Tagamet?

Are you taking any other medicines including other antidepressants or medicine for bowel complaints, breathing difficulties, bronchitis, glaucoma or prostate trouble?

Are you diabetic?

Antidepressants may not make you feel better for the first two weeks or more, so carry on taking the tablets. Tell your doctor if you feel worse than you did before you started taking Allegron.

Antidepressants may affect your ability to drive or to operate machinery safely. Do not drive or use machinery unless you are sure your judgement and co-ordination are not affected.

If you are having an operation under general anaesthetic, discuss this with your GP. You may need to stop taking Allegron several days before the operation. If your GP tells you to carry on taking Allegron, make sure the doctors treating you in hospital know that you are on Allegron.

Do not drink alcohol while you are on Allegron. You may get more drunk or feel more depressed.

Taking your medicine

Follow your doctor’s instructions. Check the label for how many tablets to take and how often to take them.

Usual doses

Adults: The dose you will start on is 20-40 milligrams a day, and you will take it in 2, 3 or 4 doses. You will usually be told to step up your dose gradually until you are taking 75 to 100 milligrams a day.

If you are elderly or a teenager, you will usually be told to take one 10 milligram tablet 3 times a day.

Once you feel better, you may be told to carry on taking Allegron but to take a lower dose.

Do not take more than six 25 milligram tablets a day (150 milligrams).

If your doctor tells you to take more than four 25 milligram tablets a day, he or she may arrange for you to have regular blood tests.

Antidepressants may not make you feel benefit for the first two weeks or more, so keep taking the Allegron tablets until your doctor tells you to stop. Do not stop without telling your doctor first

Do not suddenly stop taking the tablets. Your doctor will tell you how to cut them down gradually.

Children: This depends on the child s age and weight Give your child the tablets half an hour before bedtime.

Children should not take Allegron for longer than three months.

If you are not sure how many tablets to take, or how many to give to a child, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Swallow the tablets with water.

Do not take more tablets than your doctor tells you to. If you ever take too many, or If a child has taken more than they are supposed to, go to the nearest hospital casualty department or tell your doctor at once. An overdose can be very dangerous.

If you miss a dose, take one as soon as you can If you have missed several doses, tell your doctor.

While taking your medicine

Allegron, like other antidepressants, may cause side-effects.

You may have a dry mouth, feel sick, or have constipation or indigestion. You may get headaches, or feel sweaty, dizzy or sleepy. You may feel confused, or shake, have blurred vision or problems urinating. Tell your doctor if you have any of these and they worry you.

If you suddenly stop taking the tablets, you may not be able to sleep and may feel irritable or sweaty.

A few patients have had a rash which may be itchy or get worse in the sunlight. Some patients have had other allergic reactions. Other occasional side-effects include palpitations or more serious heart problems, numbness, clumsiness, anxiety or agitation, strange body movements or liver problems, including jaundice. Occasionally you may get stomach pains, changes in blood counts, which will show up as bruising or a very tired feeling, and changes in blood sugar levels. Sexual performance may also be affected

If you have these or any other ill-effects, tell your doctor. He or she has more information and will tell you what to do.

How to store your medicine

Do not take the tablets after the ‘Use Before’ date.

Keep your tablets at room temperature in a dry safe place with the lid tightly closed. Keep them where children cannot see or reach them. Your tablets could harm them.

If your doctor tells you to stop taking the tablets, please take them back to the pharmacist to be disposed of safely. Only keep the tablets if your doctor tells you to.

Remember: This medicine is for you. Only a doctor can prescribe it for you. Never give it to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.

Allegron is a registered trademark of Dista Products Limited.

Date of Leaflet Preparation: October 1993