 is a prescription medication used to treat adults who have difficulty staying asleep.Silenor belongs to the group of drugs called hypnotics. It is believed to work by altering chemical signals in the brain.This medication comes in tablet form and is usually taken once daily at bedtime.Common side effects of Silenor include sleepiness, nausea and upset stomach.This medication may cause drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Silenor affects you. "Pin It")
Silenor Overview
Silenor (generic: doxepin) is a prescription medication used to treat adults who have difficulty staying asleep.
Silenor belongs to the group of drugs called hypnotics. It is believed to work by altering chemical signals in the brain.
This medication comes in tablet form and is usually taken once daily at bedtime.
Common side effects of Silenor include sleepiness, nausea and upset stomach.
This medication may cause drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Silenor affects you.
Uses of Silenor
Silenor is a prescription medication used to treat adults who have difficulty staying asleep.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Side Effects of Silenor
Silenor can cause serious side effects including:
- See "Drug Precautions"
The most common side effect of Silenor is drowsiness or tiredness.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
These are not all the possible side effects of Silenor. For more information ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
Silenor Interactions
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.
Silenor and other medicines may affect each other causing side effects. Silenor may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affects how Silenor works. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:
- a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI).
- cimetidine (Tagamet) or other medicines that can affect certain liver enzymes
- certain allergy medicines (antihistamines) or other medicines that can make you sleepy or affect your breathing
- the diabetes medicine tolazamide
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if your medicine is one that is listed above.
Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist each time you get a new medicine.
Silenor Precautions
After taking Silenor, you may get up out of bed while not being fully awake and do an activity that you do not know you are doing. The next morning, you may not remember that you did anything during the night. You have a higher chance for doing these activities if you drink alcohol or take other medicines that make you sleepy with Silenor. Reported activities include:
- driving a car ("sleep-driving")
- making and eating food
- talking on the phone
- having sex
- sleep-walking
Call your healthcare provider right away if you find out that you have done any of the above activities after taking Silenor.
- 1. Take Silenor exactly as prescribed
- Do not take more Silenor than prescribed.
- Take Silenor 30 minutes before bedtime. After taking Silenor, you should only do activities needed to get ready for bed.
- 2. Do not take Silenor:
- with alcohol
- if you take other medicines that can make you sleepy. Talk to your healthcare provider about all of your medicines. Your healthcare provider will tell you if you can take Silenor with your other medicines
- if you cannot get a full night of sleep before you must be active again.
Do not take Silenor if you:
- take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medicine or have taken an MAOI in the last 14 days (2 weeks). Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure if your medicine is an MAOI.
- have an eye problem called narrow angle glaucoma that is not being treated
- have trouble urinating
- are allergic to any of the ingredients in Silenor.
While taking Silenor, avoid the following:
- You should not drink alcohol while taking Silenor. Alcohol can increase your chances of getting serious side effects with Silenor.
- You should not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities after Silenor.
Silenor Food Interactions
Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Silenor there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Silenor.
Inform MD
Before you take Silenor, tell your healthcare provider if you:
- See "Drug Precautions"
- have a history of depression, mental illness, or suicidal thoughts
- have severe sleep apnea
- have kidney or liver problems
- have a history of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction
- have a history of glaucoma or urinary retention
- have any other medical conditions
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Silenor will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Silenor can pass into your milk and may harm your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you take Silenor. You should not breast-feed while taking Silenor.
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.
Silenor and Pregnancy
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Silenor will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Silenor and Lactation
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Silenor can pass into your milk and may harm your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you take Silenor. You should not breast-feed while taking Silenor.
Silenor Usage
- Take Silenor exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it.
- Your doctor will tell you how many Silenor to take and when to take them.
- Your doctor may change your dose if needed.
- Take Silenor within 30 minutes of bedtime. After taking Silenor, you should confine your activities to those necessary to prepare for bed.
- Do not take Silenor within 3 hours of a meal. Silenor may not work as well, or may make you sleepy the next day if taken with or right after a meal.
- Do not take Silenor unless you are able to get a full night of sleep before you must be active again.
- Call your doctor if your sleep problems get worse or do not get better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem.
- If you take too much Silenor, call your doctor or get medical help right away.
Silenor Dosage
Take Silenor exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.
The dose of Silenor should be individualized.
Dosing in Adults
The recommended dose of Silenor for adults is 6 mg once daily. A 3 mg once daily dose may be appropriate for some patients, if clinically indicated.
Dosing in the Elderly
The recommended starting dose of Silenor in elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) is 3 mg once daily. The daily dose can be increased to 6 mg, if clinically indicated.
Silenor Overdose
If you take too much Silenor, call your local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.
Forms of Silenor
Silenor is available in 3 mg and 6 mg tablets.
Active Ingredient: doxepin hydrochloride
Inactive Ingredients: Microcrystalline cellulose, colloidal silicon dioxide, and magnesium stearate. The 3 mg tablet also contains FD&C Blue No. 1. The 6 mg tablet also contains FD&C Yellow No. 10 and FD&C Blue No. 1.
Other Requirements
- Store Silenor between 68° and 77° F (20º to 25ºC).
- Keep Silenor in a tightly closed container, and away from light. Safely throw away medicine that is out of date or no longer needed.
- Keep Silenor and all medicines out of the reach of children.
