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Pertofran
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 Desipramine hydrochloride <CB n=2> Geigy
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Information for Patients
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What you need to know about Pertofran tablets 25mg 
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Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to take your tablets. It contains important information about your tablets.
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What's in your medicine
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Pertofran tablets contain desipramine hydrochloride. This is one of a group of medicines called antidepressants. Each tablet contains 25mg of desipramine hydrochloride. The tablets also contain the following inactive ingredients:
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Lactose, sucrose, maize starch, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, glycerine, cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, polyethylene glycol, silicon dioxide, povidone, titanium dioxide, talc, red iron oxide, yellow iron oxide.
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Pertofran tablets come in blister packs containing 84 tablets.
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Made by: Ciba-Geigy Limited, Stein, Switzerland.
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Product Licence Holder: Ciba-Geigy plc, Hulley Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire.
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What this medicine is used for
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Pertofran is used to treat the symptoms of depression.
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Before taking your medicine
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Are you allergic to any antidepressants?
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Do you suffer from any serious heart, liver or kidney disease?
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Do you suffer from glaucoma (increased eye pressure) or difficulty in passing water?
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Do you suffer from any mental illness other than depression?
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Have you had a heart attack within the past three months?
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Are you taking or have you recently taken any other medicines for depression (particularly monoamine oxidase inhibitors [MAOls]?
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If the answer to any of these questions is YES, do not take the tablets without talking to your doctor again.
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Do you suffer from epilepsy (fits)?
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Do you have an overactive thyroid gland?
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Have you been troubled by severe constipation over a long period of time?
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Are you taking medicines for high blood pressure?
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Are you taking any other medicines (including cold remedies) which your doctor does not know about?
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Are you pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breast feeding?
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If the answer to any of these questions is YES, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
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Other special warnings
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Whilst you are taking Pertofran, your doctor may want to carry out a number of tests from time to time. This is quite usual and nothing to worry about. You should also have regular dental check-ups whilst taking Pertofran.
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Tell your doctor if you are planning to have an operation of any kind.
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If you feel dizzy or sleepy when you start to take these tablets, do not drive or work machinery until these effects wear off. 
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Be careful when drinking alcohol - it may affect you more than usual.
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Pertofran is not suitable for children.
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These tablets also contain sucrose (sugar) and lactose and may be unsuitable for some people.
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Taking your medicine
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It is important to take your tablets at the right times. You must take them as instructed by your doctor. The usual starting dose is one tablet taken three times a day. This can then be increased by your doctor as necessary. Elderly patients often need a lower dose - your doctor will advise you about this. If you are not sure how many tablets to take, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
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Swallow your tablets whole with a drink of water.
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Keep taking your tablets until your doctor tells you to stop. Do not stop because you do not feel any better. These tablets may take up to four weeks to work.
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If you forget to take a dose, take the next dose at the usual time. DO NOT take a double dose.
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If you accidentally take too many Pertofran tablets, tell your doctor at once or contact your nearest hospital casualty department.
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After taking your medicine
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These tablets sometimes cause unwanted effects in some people, particularly elderly patients. If you get any of the following, tell your doctor:
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Skin rash or itching.
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Dizziness when you stand up.
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Any yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
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Persistent sore throat or high temperature.
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Other effects which may occur include:
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Headache or mild blurring of vision.
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Dry mouth or upset stomach.
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Weight gain, constipation or difficulty in passing water.
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Shakiness of the hands, increased sweating or hot flushes.
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Feeling agitated or slightly confused.
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Unusually fast heart beat or palpitations.
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Sleepiness.
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These effects are often mild and may wear off after a few days' treatment. If they are severe or last for more than a few days, tell your doctor Also, if your tablets upset you in any other way, tell your doctor.
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Storing your medicine
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The expiry date for these tablets is given on the carton. Do not take the tablets after this date.
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Keep your tablets in a dry place out of reach of children. Return any unused tablets to your pharmacist.
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REMEMBER: this medicine is for you. Only a doctor can prescribe it for you. Never give it to someone else. It may harm them even if they have the same symptoms as you.
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The information in this leaflet applies only to Pertofran. This leaflet does not contain the complete information about your tablets. If you have any questions or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
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Supplied by Geigy Pharmaceuticals, Horsham, West Sussex.
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Date: October 1994Copyright Ciba-Geigy plc
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