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Evidence Based
Updated on:
27.08.2025
5 min read
The medicines listed on this website are only there to give you knowledge. Just because they are on the list doesn’t mean that anyone will be given them; in the end, treatment decisions are up to the healthcare workers. The medicines on this list are not all of them. Doctors may recommend other drugs, even ones that don’t contain stimulants, depending on the patient’s specific health needs and circumstances.
Depression is a mental illness that lasts for at least 14 days and is characterized by poor mood and disinterest in everyday activities. Lethargy, depression, self-neglect, and alterations in food and sleeping habits are other symptoms. Suicidal thoughts can occur under severe situations.
Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2015 to 2020 indicate that 10% of American people experience the condition each year. Thankfully, depression may be properly treated and managed. The course of treatment consists of either medicine, therapy, or a mix of the two. This article will look at how Vivactil can be used to treat this condition.
Protriptyline is its generic name, while Vivactil is its commercial name. The medication is still accessible in generic form, although the brand name Vivactil has been discontinued. It belongs to the family of medications known as tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). The medication prevents the brain from reabsorbing serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmitters. It prevents the neurotransmitters that control mood and emotions, such as dopamine and serotonin, from being reabsorbed.
Vivactil is excreted from the body through urine after a half-life of around 54 to 92 hours. Protriptyline is an FDA-approved drug, although it is not advised as a first-line therapy for depression. To learn more about the potentially serious side effects , one should speak with a doctor before taking it.
Vivactil is used to treat mental health conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression. Because it doesn’t have the sedative effects of most TACs, the drug is also used to treat narcolepsy, headaches, anxiety disorders , and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Protriptyline is sometimes used to treat eating problems and enuresis.
Oral pills containing 5 mg and 10 mg of protriptyline are available. Ten milligrams is the minimal dosage that was initially prescribed. The dosage is administered in three to four split dosages each day, increasing progressively from 15 mg to 40 mg. The recommended daily dosage of protriptyline is no more than 60 mg.
It takes around four weeks for the drug to start working as intended. To prevent serious side effects , a patient should follow their doctor’s instructions.
Only when all other antidepressants have failed is Vivactil recommended due to its serious negative effects. Among the adverse consequences are:
1.Effects on the heart. Like the majority of TCAs, Vivactil may raise your risk of cardiac problems like:
2.impacts on the central nervous system and sexuality, including:
3.Discomforts in the stomach like:
4.Hypersensitive reactions, like:
5.impacts on the mind. The following mental disorders can result from using protriptyline:
A patient should get medical help right away if they encounter any serious side effects. The doctor could recommend a different medication or change the dose of the therapy.
Patients should not use protriptyline if they have certain contraindications. Before using Vivactil, a person with any of the following conditions should consult a professional:
Protriptyline produces withdrawal symptoms, much like any other medicine. Among them are:
A patient should wean off of the medication according to the clinician’s directions for safety. Only with a doctor’s consent should the dose be changed or stopped. Abruptly stopping medication might result in severe withdrawal symptoms that call for expert assistance. For this reason, to acquire a safe withdrawal plan and prevent severe withdrawal symptoms, one may think about seeing a doctor.
The FDA-approved tricyclic antidepressant Vivactil is an effective therapy for depression. However, because Vivactil has serious adverse effects, doctors only prescribe it for depression after other antidepressants have failed. Patients should adhere to their doctor’s advice to avoid serious responses.
Because of its delayed effectiveness, Vivactil can be overused and, in the event that it is misused, can result in an overdose. A patient should only change their dosage with their doctor’s permission to prevent overdosing. The patient needs prompt professional assistance if they experience extreme unfavorable side effects or withdrawal symptoms.