Silenor Helps Treat the Following Conditions:

Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleep condition characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. Insomnia can be acute (brief episodes occurring due to specific life events) or chronic (occurring at least three times a week for more than three months). Patients with insomnia experience unpleasant symptoms – like tiredness, lack of concentration, and irritability – during the day.

Silenor Active Ingredient

Silenor contains the active ingredient doxepin hydrochloride, which belongs to a class of drugs known as tricyclic antidepressants.

The precise mechanism of action of doxepin hydrochloride is not known, although the drug is thought to work by blocking histamine receptors (proteins which have a role in modulating the body’s internal clock).

Generic Silenor Alternative 

Generic alternatives to Silenor are not yet available on this website.

General Drug Information

What is Silenor and What Is It Used For?

Silenor is prescribed to patients who suffer from insomnia. The medication can help patients sleep longer and reduce waking throughout the night.

Usage and Application

Before sourcing Silenor online, please read the medication guide provided by your doctor or pharmacist. Dosage depends on a patient’s age, medical condition, and response to treatment. Patients should not take more than 6 milligrams of Silenor per day.

Most patients are directed to take one oral dose of Silenor on an empty stomach within 30 minutes of going to bed. The medication should be taken at least three hours after a meal. Taking Silenor sooner will delay its effect.

On any given evening, patients should not use Silenor unless they can spend the next seven to eight hours resting.

It is important to use Silenor regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take Silenor at the same time each day.

Contact your doctor if your condition fails to improve or worsens.

Considerations Before Taking Silenor

Before starting treatment, patients should tell their doctor if they are allergic to doxepin hydrochloride, or to any other tricyclic antidepressants (e.g. amoxapine). Silenor may contain inactive ingredients which can cause allergic reactions.

It is important to discuss a patient’s medical history, especially of urinary retention. Personal or family history of angle-closure glaucoma should also be mentioned.

Silenor may cause drowsiness. Alcohol and marijuana can exacerbate this effect. Patients should not drive, use machinery, or do anything that requires alertness until they are in condition to do so safely. Avoid alcoholic beverages and discuss marijuana use with your doctor.

Before surgery or certain dental procedures, patients should tell their doctor or dentist about all prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and herbal products they are taking.

During pregnancy, Silenor should only be used when clearly needed. Women should discuss the risks and benefits with their doctor.

Silenor passes into breast milk and may have a negative effect on nursing infants. Using this medication while breastfeeding is not recommended. Mothers should consult their doctor before breastfeeding.

Delayed and Omitted Doses

Patients who miss a dose of Silenor should take it as soon as they remember (provided it is still their bedtime and they have trouble sleeping). Patients who remember the following day should skip the missed dose and proceed as usual that evening. Patients should not double their dose to catch up.

Other Medications and Silenor

Drug interactions may change the way Silenor works, increasing the risk of side effects. Before starting treatment, patients need to discuss the full list of medications and supplements they are taking with their doctor. Patients should not change their dose or stop taking this medication unless their physician advises them to do so.

Some medications – like the heartburn drug Tagamet (cimetidine) – may interact negatively with Silenor.

It is important that patients avoid taking MAOIs while using Silenor. Doing so can cause a serious and possibly fatal drug interaction. Examples of MAOIs include isocarboxazid, linezolid (Zyvox), methylene blue, moclobemide (Manerix), phenelzine (Nardil), procarbazine (Matulane), rasagiline (Azilect), safinamide (Xadago), selegiline, and tranylcypromine (Parnate).

Most MAO inhibitors should not be taken for two weeks before – or two weeks after – Silenor treatment. Patients should ask their doctor when to start or stop taking Silenor.

Silenor causes drowsiness, so patients should inform their doctor if they use other products with the same effect. Examples include:

• opioid pain or cough relievers (e.g. codeine, hydrocodone)
• other drugs for sleep or anxiety (e.g. alprazolam, lorazepam, zolpidem)
• muscle relaxants (e.g. carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine)
• antihistamines (e.g. cetirizine, diphenhydramine).

Patients should check the labels of all allergy and cough-and-cold products for ingredients that cause drowsiness, and discuss the safe use of such products with their pharmacist. Alcohol or marijuana also cause drowsiness.

Adverse Reactions

Many patients are able to take Silenor safely without serious side effects.

Common side effects include drowsiness and nausea. Please alert your physician should these effects persist or worsen.

Though uncommon, Silenor may cause sleepwalking. There are rare cases of patients who have gotten out of bed and driven vehicles without being fully aware. Others have eaten food, made phone calls, or had sex while not fully awake. Oftentimes, patients cannot remember such events.

Sleepwalking can be dangerous for the patient and others around them. Patients who discover that they have engaged in such behavior should alert their doctor immediately. Risk of sleepwalking is higher in Silenor patients people who drink alcohol or use other medications which cause drowsiness.

Higher doses of Silenor are prescribed to patients with depression and other mental disorders. In such patients, Silenor has important benefits such as preventing suicidal thoughts. However, a small number of people who take antidepressants may experience worsening depression, suicidal thoughts, and other mental problems. The risk is higher in people younger than 25.

All patients – especially those younger than 25 – should discuss the risk and benefits of Silenor treatment with their doctor. This applies to patients who do not have depression and are taking Silenor for insomnia.

All patients should monitor for worsening depression and/or unusual mood changes including suicidal thoughts, new or worsening anxiety, panic attacks, irritability, hostility, anger, impulsive actions, severe restlessness, and rapid speech. Patients should be especially watchful for these symptoms around the time Silenor is first started or if the dose is changed.

Serious side effects include widened pupils, as well as pain, swelling, and redness of the eyes. Vision changes – like seeing rainbows around lights at night and blurred vision – are also possible.

Serious allergic reactions to Silenor are rare, yet patients should be aware of allergic symptoms such as rash, itching, and swelling (especially of the face, tongue, and throat), severe dizziness, and trouble breathing. Patients should seek immediate medical assistance in the event of such symptoms.

This is not a complete list of side effects. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you notice other effects not mentioned above.

How to Store Silenor

Silenor should be stored at room temperature, away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep away from children and pets.

Unwanted medication should be disposed of properly and should not be poured into drains or flushed down the toilet. Patients should consult a pharmacist or their local waste disposal company to find out more about safe disposal methods.