Epalon is used to relieve mental depression, including anxiety that sometimes occurs with depression.
Epalon is available only with your doctor's prescription.
Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although this use is not included in product labeling, Epalon is used in certain patients with the following medical condition:
Chronic neurogenic pain (a certain type of pain that is continuing)
Epalon indications
An indication is a term used for the list of condition or symptom or illness for which the medicine is prescribed or used by the patient. For example, acetaminophen or paracetamol is used for fever by the patient, or the doctor prescribes it for a headache or body pains. Now fever, headache and body pains are the indications of paracetamol. A patient should be aware of the indications of medications used for common conditions because they can be taken over the counter in the pharmacy meaning without prescription by the Physician.
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Epalon hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the treatment of depressive illness in patients with depressive neurosis (dysthymic disorder) and manic depressive illness, depressed type (major depressive disorder). Epalon is also effective for the relief of anxiety associated with depression.
How should I use Epalon?
Use Epalon as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
Epalon comes with an extra patient information sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it carefully. Read it again each time you get Epalon refilled.
Take Epalon by mouth with or without food.
Do not suddenly stop taking Epalon without checking with your doctor. You may have an increased risk of side effects. If you need to stop Epalon, your doctor may need to gradually lower your dose.
Continue to use Epalon even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses.
If you miss a dose of Epalon, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Epalon.
Uses of Epalon in details
There are specific as well as general uses of a drug or medicine. A medicine can be used to prevent a disease, treat a disease over a period or cure a disease. It can also be used to treat the particular symptom of the disease. The drug use depends on the form the patient takes it. It may be more useful in injection form or sometimes in tablet form. The drug can be used for a single troubling symptom or a life-threatening condition. While some medications can be stopped after few days, some drugs need to be continued for prolonged period to get the benefit from it.
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This medication is used to treat various types of depression and related anxiety. It may help improve mood and feelings of well-being. This medication belongs to a class of medications called tetracyclic antidepressants. It works by affecting the balance of certain natural chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the brain.
How to use Epalon
Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start taking Epalon and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth, usually 1 to 3 times daily or as directed by your doctor. If you take it only once a day, take it at bedtime to reduce daytime sleepiness. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment.
To reduce your risk of side effects (such as drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness), your doctor may direct you to start this medication at a low dose and gradually increase your dose. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully.
Take this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time(s) each day. Do not increase your dose or use this drug more often or for longer than prescribed. Your condition will not improve any faster, and your risk of side effects will increase.
It is important to continue taking this medication even if you feel well. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor. Some conditions may become worse when this drug is suddenly stopped. Also, you may experience symptoms such as mood swings, headache, and tiredness. To prevent these symptoms while you are stopping treatment with this drug, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Report any new or worsening symptoms right away.
This medication may not work right away. You may see some benefit within a week. However, it may take up to 3 weeks before you feel the full effect.
Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens (such as your feelings of sadness get worse, or you have thoughts of suicide).
Epalon description
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Epalon is a tetracyclic antidepressant with similar pharmacological properties to tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Similar to TCAs, Epalon inhibits neuronal norepinephrine reuptake, possesses some anticholinergic activity, and does not affect monoamine oxidase activity. It differs from TCAs in that it does not appear to block serotonin reuptake. Epalon may be used to treat depressive affective disorders, including dysthymic disorder (depressive neurosis) and major depressive disorder. Epalon is effective at reducing symptoms of anxiety associated with depression.
Epalon dosage
Epalon Dosage
Generic name: Epalon hydrochloride
Dosage form: Tablets USP
The information at Drugs.com is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.
A single daily dose is an alternative to divided daily doses. Therapeutic effects are sometimes seen within 3 to 7 days, although as long as 2 to 3 weeks are usually necessary.
Initial Adult Dosage
An initial dosage of 75 mg daily is suggested for outpatients with mild-to-moderate depression. However, in some patients, particularly the elderly, an initial dosage of 25 mg daily may be used. Because of the long half-life of Epalon, the initial dosage should be maintained for two weeks. The dosage may then be increased gradually in 25-mg increments as required and tolerated. In most outpatients a maximum dose of 150 mg daily will result in therapeutic efficacy. It is recommended that this dose not be exceeded except in the most severely depressed patients. In such patients, dosage may be gradually increased to a maximum of 225 mg.
More severely depressed, hospitalized patients should be given an initial daily dose of 100 mg to 150 mg which may be gradually increased as required and tolerated. Most hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe depression respond to a daily dose of 150 mg although dosages as high as 225 mg may be required in some cases. Daily dosage of 225 mg should not be exceeded.
Elderly Patients
In general, lower dosages are recommended for patients over 60 years of age. Dosages of 50 mg to 75 mg daily are usually satisfactory as maintenance therapy for elderly patients who do not tolerate higher amounts.
Maintenance
Dosage during prolonged maintenance therapy should be kept at the lowest effective level. Dosage may be reduced to levels of 75 mg to 150 mg daily during such periods, with subsequent adjustment depending on therapeutic response.
May interact with the following: alcoholic beverages, barbiturates, and other CNS depressants (response may be exaggerated), adrenergic neuron blocking drugs (Epalon may diminish or abolish the antihypertensive effects of these drugs), beta-blockers subject to substantial biotransformation, such as propranolol (concomitant use may increase the plasma concentrations of Epalon), sympathomimetic drugs such as noradrenaline, adrenaline, and methylphenidate (Epalon may potentiate the cardiovascular effects of these drugs), and Epalon may also potentiate the effects of anticholinergic drugs (atropine, biperiden) and levodopa. Drugs that activate hepatic microsomal enzymes, such as barbiturates, phenytoin, oral contraceptives and carbamazepine, may accelerate the metabolism of Epalon resulting in decreased antidepressant efficacy. Concomitant administration of phenytoin and Epalon may increase serum phenytoin levels resulting in manifestation of the latters side-effects. Concomitant treatment with Epalon and major tranquilizers may result in increased plasma levels of Epalon, a lowered convulsion threshold, and seizures. The combination of Epalon and benzodiazepines may cause increased sedation. Epalon should not be administered for a period of at least 14 days after the discontinuation of treatment with MAO-inhibitors due to the potential of severe interactions. Concurrent use of parenteral magnesium sulfate and Epalon may result in serious potentiation of CNS depressant effects.
The following adverse reactions have been noted with Epalon and are generally similar to those observed with tricyclic antidepressants.
Cardiovascular: Rare occurrences of hypotension, hypertension, tachycardia, palpitation, arrhythmia, heart block, and syncope have been reported with Epalon.
Psychiatric: Nervousness (6%), anxiety (3%), insomnia (2%), and agitation (2%); rarely, confusional states (especially in the elderly), hallucinations, disorientation, delusions, restlessness, nightmares, hypomania, mania, exacerbation of psychosis, decrease in memory, and feelings of unreality.
Endocrine: Rare instances of increased or decreased libido, impotence, and elevation or depression of blood sugar levels.
Other: Weakness and fatigue (4%) and headache (4%); rarely, altered liver function, jaundice, weight loss or gain, excessive perspiration, flushing, urinary frequency, increased salivation, nasal congestion and alopecia.
Note: Although there have been only isolated reports of the following adverse reactions with Epalon, its pharmacologic similarity to tricyclic antidepressants requires that each reaction be considered when administering Epalon.
— Bone marrow depression, including agranulocytosis, eosinophilia, purpura, and thrombocytopenia, myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral neuropathy, sublingual adenitis, black tongue, stomatitis, paralytic ileus, gynecomastia in the male, breast enlargement and galactorrhea in the female, and testicular swelling.
Postintroduction Reports
Voluntary reports of adverse events temporally associated with Epalon that have been received since market introduction and that may have no casual relationship with the drug include the following: interstitial pneumonitis which were in some cases associated with eosinophilia and increased liver enzymes, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.
Epalon is contraindicated in patients with known or suspected convulsive disorders, since it is known to lower the seizure threshold. It is also contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to the drug, and in those with existing severe hepatic or renal damage or a history of severe blood dyscrasias. Patients with narrow angle glaucoma, or with urinary retention (i.e., due to prostatic disease) should not receive Epalon because of its anticholinergic properties. Epalon is contraindicated during the acute recovery phase following myocardial infarction in the presence of acute congestive heart failure, and in patients with conduction defects. Epalon should not be given in conjunction with, or within 14 days of treatment with a MAO inhibitor. Combined therapy of this type could lead to the appearance of serious interactions such as hyperpyrexia, tremors, generalized clonic convulsions, delirium and possible death. Epalon should not be employed, or should be withdrawn, in cases of acute poisoning with alcohol, hypnotics, analgesics or psychotropic drugs. Maptrotiline should not be used by children.
The results of a survey conducted on ndrugs.com for Epalon are given in detail below. The results of the survey conducted are based on the impressions and views of the website users and consumers taking Epalon. We implore you to kindly base your medical condition or therapeutic choices on the result or test conducted by a physician or licensed medical practitioners.
User reports
Consumer reported useful
No survey data has been collected yet
1 consumer reported price estimates
Was the price you paid to purchase the drug reasonable? Did you feel it was expensive? The below mentioned numbers have been reported by ndrugs.com website users about whether the Epalon drug is expensive or inexpensive. There is a mixed opinion among users. The rating about the cost of the drug depends on factors like which brand drug the patient purchased, how effective it was for the price paid, the country or place the drug is marketed, and the economic condition of the patient. The users who feel the drug is expensive can look for an alternative brand drug or a generic drug to save the cost.
Users
%
Not expensive
1
100.0%
1 consumer reported time for results
To what extent do I have to use Epalon before I begin to see changes in my health conditions? As part of the reports released by ndrugs.com website users, it takes 1 month and a few days before you notice an improvement in your health conditions. Please note, it doesn't mean you will start to notice such health improvement in the same time frame as other users. There are many factors to consider, and we implore you to visit your doctor to know how long before you can see improvements in your health while taking Epalon. To get the time effectiveness of using Epalon drug by other patients, please click here.
Users
%
1 month
1
100.0%
2 consumers reported age
Users
%
46-60
1
50.0%
30-45
1
50.0%
Consumer reviews
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