Pregnancy
Treatment with imipramine during pregnancy has so far not been observed to have a fruit damaging effect. Nevertheless, imipramine should only be used in the first trimester of pregnancy if there is a compelling medical indication. If use in the last trimester of pregnancy is unavoidable, the newborn baby should be monitored during the first month of life for withdrawal symptoms such as colic, cyanosis and restlessness, which in newborns is difficult to distinguish from other causes shortly after birth.
Breastfeeding
If breastfeeding is carried out during treatment with imipramine, the child must be monitored for signs of imipramine action and breastfed at the first sign. Imipramine use may reduce the child’s ability to actively participate in traffic or the responsibility to operate heavy machinery. This is particularly true at the start of treatment, when changing preparations, or when taking medication in parallel with other medications. For this reason, the use of electrical tools, machines and vehicles during this period is strongly discouraged!
Interactions
The following interactions are known for imipramine:
- Strengthened effect of alcohol when taken at the same time
- Increased imipramine effect with simultaneous intake of Fluoxetine or Fluvoxamine
- Increased effect of vasoconstrictive active ingredients when taken simultaneously
- Severe side effects when taking other antidepressants at the same time (14-day break! )
- Attenuation of the effects of antihypertensives while taking them at the same time
- Increased effect of antiarrhythmics when taken simultaneously
- Increased imipramine effect with simultaneous use of neuroleptics
- Enhanced imipramine effect with simultaneous intake of cimetidine
- Reduction of the effectiveness of imipramine when taking antiepileptic drugs
- Effect reduction of imipramine in nicotine consumption
- Reduction of the effectiveness of imipramine when taking the contraceptive pill
- Strengthening the effect of anticoagulant drugs with simultaneous imipramine intake
Imipramine and alcohol
The following side effects have been observed under treatment with imipramine:
- Tiredness
- Drowsiness
- Unrest
- Insomnia
- Dry mouth
- Swindle
- Hypotension (low blood pressure)
- Tachycardia (too fast heartbeat)
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Accommodation disorders (blurred vision)
- Mydriasis (pupil dilation)
- Urinary retention
- Constipation
