selegiline (transdermal)

Brand name(s):

selegiline, Emsam

What is the most important information I should know about selegiline transdermal?

There are many other medicines that can cause serious medical problems if you take them while using selegiline. Tell your doctor about all other prescription and over-the-counter medications you use, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.

While using selegiline 9-mg or 12-mg patches, do not drink alcohol or eat foods that are high in tyramine, listed in the "What should I avoid while using selegiline?" section of this leaflet. Eating tyramine while you are using selegiline can raise your blood pressure to dangerous levels and cause life-threatening symptoms.

You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start using an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

What is selegiline transdermal?

Selegiline prevents the breakdown of chemicals in the brain that are often imbalanced in people with depression.

Selegiline transdermal is used to treat major depressive disorder in adults.

Selegiline may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before using selegiline transdermal?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to selegiline, if you have an adrenal gland tumor (also called pheochromocytoma), or if you plan to have any type of surgery. Do not use selegiline if you have taken any of the following drugs within the past 14 days:

buspirone (BuSpar);
carbamazepine (Tegretol) or oxcarbazepine (Trileptal);
cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril);
dextromethorphan (cough medicine);
meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet), or tramadol (Ultram, Ultracet);
mirtazapine (Remeron);
diet pills, ADHD medications, or cold medicines that contain dextromethorphan, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylephrine;
St. John's wort;
antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban), citalopram (Celexa), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), protriptyline (Vivactil), sertraline (Zoloft), venlafaxine (Effexor), or trimipramine (Surmontil); or
other MAO inhibitors such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), or oral selegiline (Eldepryl).

After you stop using selegiline, you must wait at least 14 days before taking any of the medications listed above.You must wait at least 5 weeks after stopping fluoxetine (Prozac) before you can start using selegiline transdermal.

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

heart disease, high or low blood pressure;
seizures or epilepsy; or
a personal or family history of bipolar disorder (manic depression) or suicide attempt.

You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start using an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Tell your doctor if you have worsening symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several weeks of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed.

Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether selegiline passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Page: 1 2 3 Next >

Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our Terms and Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.