Doxepin (Topical)

Brand Names : Zonalon

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For topical doxepin, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to doxepin. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Doxepin has not been studied in pregnant women. However, doxepin has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding - Doxepin passes into the breast milk. Oral doxepin has been shown to cause unwanted effects in the breast-fed baby. Therefore, it may be necessary for you to use another medicine or to stop breast-feeding during treatment with topical doxepin. Be sure you have discussed the risk and benefits of the medicine with your doctor.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of doxepin in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of doxepin in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are using topical doxepin, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Alcohol or
• Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that cause drowsiness) or
• Tricyclic antidepressants (medicines for depression) - Drinking alcohol or using these medicines with topical doxepin may cause increased CNS depressant effects such as drowsiness

• Cimetidine (e.g., Tagamet)

• Debrisoquine (e.g., Declinax)

• Dextromethorphan (e.g., Benylin DM)

• Medicines that correct heart rhythm problems, (encainide [e.g., Enkaid], flecainide [e.g., Tambocor], propafenone [e.g., Rythmol], quinidine [e.g., Cardioquin]) - Using these medicines with topical doxepin may increase the chance of side effects

• Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (furazolidone [e.g., Furoxone], isocarboxazid [e.g., Marplan], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane], selegiline [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate]) - Using topical doxepin while you are taking or within 2 weeks of taking MAO inhibitors may cause sudden high body temperature, excitability, severe convulsions, and even death; however, sometimes some of these medicines may be used together under close supervision by your doctor

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of topical doxepin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Glaucoma or
• Urinary tract blockage or difficult urination - Using topical doxepin may make these conditions worse