Tryptizol ®: What It Is, What It Is For And Side Effects

The use of Tryptizol ® must be ordered and supervised by a doctor. This drug can potentially cause significant side effects and interactions, so it should be cautiously used. Tryptizol ® is the trade name of an antidepressant medication whose active ingredient is amitriptyline. It works by preventing noradrenaline and serotonin from being reuptake, which aids in a sense of well-being. This drug is also used as an analgesic on some occasions. Currently, there is a high consumption of antidepressants. While these medications are a great help, it has also become common for them to be taken excessively. Hence the importance of knowing its characteristics and possible risks.

What is Tryptizol ®?

Tryptizol ® is a drug that belongs to the family of tricyclic antidepressants. It comes in film-coated tablets, which are round, biconvex, and yellow. It is usually found in packs of 24 or 60 pills. The active substance in Tryptizol ® is amitriptyline. This substance prevents the reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline in the nerve endings. Thanks to this, these neurotransmitters’ levels increase, affecting mood. Both serotonin and norepinephrine are associated with motivation, reduced stress, and anxiety. Serotonin has even been called the happiness hormone. On the other hand, Tryptizol ® also has analgesic effects.

What is Tryptizol® used for?

Tryptizol ® is almost always used as an antidepressant and an analgesic. Most commonly, it is used in the treatment of conditions such as the following:

• Major depressive episodes in adults.
• Chronic headaches and migraines.
• Neuropathic pain, such as that caused by diabetic neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, and fibromyalgia.
• Urinary incontinence in children if it is not associated with organic causes.

On some occasions, Tryptizol ® is also used to treat sleep disorders. Likewise, it may be prescribed for people with bipolar disorder, but it may alter the manic phase. It is also used for schizophrenia, although it may aggravate some symptoms.

What are the side effects of Tryptizol ®?

Some people who use Tryptizol ® may gain or lose weight from taking the medication. Common side effects are as follows:

• Headache
• Drowsiness or sleepiness with slow speech.
• Dizziness when standing up.
• Nausea, constipation, or diarrhea.
• Dry mouth and nasal congestion.
• Sweating.
• Trembling in the hands or other parts of the body.

Slightly less common are the following effects: sexual dysfunction, tingling or numbness in the arms and legs, changes in the sense of taste, low blood sodium concentration, and feeling thirsty. And much less frequent are seizures, increased blood pressure, skin rash, urticaria, secretion of breast milk without lactation, and glaucoma. In the worst-case scenario, 1 in 1,000 people may experience delusions and hallucinations, abnormal heart rhythm, increased sensitivity to sunlight, and fever. Paranoia and hepatitis are also rare reactions.

Contraindications of Tryptizol ®

Tryptizol ® should not be taken during pregnancy or lactation. There is a possibility that the active substance reaches the baby through the placenta or breast milk. The use of this drug is not recommended in the following cases:

• Having recently suffered a myocardial infarction.
• If monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were taken in the last 14 days.
• In the case of severe liver disease.
• Being sensitive or allergic to lactose.

It is not advisable to drink alcohol during treatment with Tryptizol ®. This can increase the sedative effect. People who drive or work with machines should use this drug cautiously.

Interaction of Tryptizol ® with other drugs

Some drugs can interact with Tryptizol ® and cause serious side effects. In addition to the MAOIs, which have already been outlined in the previous section, the doctor should be informed if one or several of the following drugs are being used:

• Adrenaline, ephedrine, isoprenaline, norepinephrine, phenylephrine, and phenylpropanolamine.
• Anticholinergic drugs.
• Tramadol.
• Other antidepressants.
• Ritonavir.
• Rifampicin.
• phenytoin and carbamazepine.
• St. John’s wort ( Hypericum perforatum ).
• Methadone.

Likewise, the patient must inform that they are taking Tryptizol ® if they are going to undergo surgery or any dental procedure that requires anesthesia.

Always with a prescription

It is important to emphasize that Tryptizol ® should only be used under strict prescription and medical supervision. As we have seen, it can have significant side effects and risky interactions. This article is merely informative. We invite you to a health professional to treat your case.