Antidepressants, Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) Inhibitor (Systemic)

Proper Use of This Medicine

Sometimes this medicine must be taken for several weeks before you begin to feel better. Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits, especially during the first few months of treatment, to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects .

Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor . Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

MAO inhibitors may be taken with or without food or on a full or empty stomach. However, if your doctor tells you to take the medicine a certain way, take it exactly as directed.

Dosing - The dose of MAO inhibitors will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label . The following information includes only the average doses of phenelzine and tranylcypromine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of tablets that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using an MAO inhibitor .

For isocarboxazid
• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For treatment of depression:
    • Adults - To start, 10 milligrams (mg) twice a day. Your doctor may increase your dose gradually as needed. However, the dose usually is not more than 60 mg a day.
    • Children younger than 16 years of age - Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.

For phenelzine
• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For treatment of depression:
    • Adults - Dose is based on your body weight. To start, the usual dose is 1 milligram (mg) per kilogram (kg) of body weight (0.45 mg per pound) a day. Your doctor may decrease or increase your dose as needed. However, the dose usually is not more than 90 mg a day.
    • Children younger than 16 years of age - Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.
    • Older adults - To start, 15 mg in the morning. Your doctor may increase your dose gradually as needed. However, the dose usually is not more than 60 mg a day.

For tranylcypromine
• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For treatment of depression:
    • Adults - To start, 30 milligrams (mg) a day. Your doctor may increase your dose gradually as needed. However, the dose usually is not more than 60 mg a day.
    • Children younger than 16 years of age - Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.
    • Older adults - To start, 2.5 to 5 mg a day. The doctor may increase your dose as needed. However, the dose usually is not more than 45 mg a day.

Missed dose - If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is within 2 hours of your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage - To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.