BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuDoxepin overdoseDoxepin hydrochloride overdoseDoxepin is a type of medicine called a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA). It is prescribed to treat depression and anxiety. Doxepin overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine, either by accident or on purpose. Toxic level of a TCA can build up in the body if the TCA and other medicines interact. This interaction can affect how well the body can break down the TCA.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with overdoses, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Doxepin Where Found These medicines contain doxepin:Silenor Sinequan ZonalonOther medicines may also contain doxepin. Symptoms Below are symptoms of an overdose of doxepin in different parts of the body:AIRWAYS AND LUNGSSlow breathing Difficulty breathing BLADDER AND KIDNEYSHard to start urinating Hard to empty bladder EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBlurred vision Ringing in the ears HEART AND BLOODIrregular heartbeat (may be fatal) Irregular heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Low blood pressure ShockShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...Read Article Now Book Mark Article MOUTH, STOMACH, AND INTESTINAL TRACTConstipation Dry mouth Nausea and vomiting Unpleasant taste in mouth NERVOUS SYSTEMAgitation, confusion AgitationAgitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness, decreased alertness, coma ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Headache Muscle rigidity, lack of coordination Lack of coordinationUncoordinated movement is due to a muscle control problem that causes an inability to coordinate movements. It leads to a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fr...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Restlessness SeizuresSeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article SKINVery sensitive to sunlight Home Care Get medical help right away. DO NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the medicine and the strength of the medicine, if known Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Local poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated. The person may receive:Activated charcoal Blood and urine tests Breathing support, including oxygen and a tube through the mouth into the lungs Chest x-ray CT scan of the brain ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Intravenous fluids (given through a vein) Laxative Medicine to treat symptoms Sodium bicarbonate, to counteract the effects of TCA overdose Catheter (thin, flexible tube) into the bladder if the person cannot urinate on their own Outlook (Prognosis) How well a person does depends on the amount of medicine they swallowed and how quickly the treatment is received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.Tricyclic depressant overdoses are very toxic and difficult to treat. Many people have died from TCA overdose, even with aggressive medical treatment.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Doxepin. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:1084.Levine MD, Ruha AM. Antidepressants. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 141.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 4/1/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Doxepin overdoseDoxepin hydrochloride overdoseDoxepin is a type of medicine called a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA). It is prescribed to treat depression and anxiety. Doxepin overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine, either by accident or on purpose. Toxic level of a TCA can build up in the body if the TCA and other medicines interact. This interaction can affect how well the body can break down the TCA.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with overdoses, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Doxepin Where Found These medicines contain doxepin:Silenor Sinequan ZonalonOther medicines may also contain doxepin. Symptoms Below are symptoms of an overdose of doxepin in different parts of the body:AIRWAYS AND LUNGSSlow breathing Difficulty breathing BLADDER AND KIDNEYSHard to start urinating Hard to empty bladder EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBlurred vision Ringing in the ears HEART AND BLOODIrregular heartbeat (may be fatal) Irregular heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Low blood pressure ShockShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...Read Article Now Book Mark Article MOUTH, STOMACH, AND INTESTINAL TRACTConstipation Dry mouth Nausea and vomiting Unpleasant taste in mouth NERVOUS SYSTEMAgitation, confusion AgitationAgitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness, decreased alertness, coma ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Headache Muscle rigidity, lack of coordination Lack of coordinationUncoordinated movement is due to a muscle control problem that causes an inability to coordinate movements. It leads to a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fr...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Restlessness SeizuresSeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article SKINVery sensitive to sunlight Home Care Get medical help right away. DO NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the medicine and the strength of the medicine, if known Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Local poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated. The person may receive:Activated charcoal Blood and urine tests Breathing support, including oxygen and a tube through the mouth into the lungs Chest x-ray CT scan of the brain ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Intravenous fluids (given through a vein) Laxative Medicine to treat symptoms Sodium bicarbonate, to counteract the effects of TCA overdose Catheter (thin, flexible tube) into the bladder if the person cannot urinate on their own Outlook (Prognosis) How well a person does depends on the amount of medicine they swallowed and how quickly the treatment is received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.Tricyclic depressant overdoses are very toxic and difficult to treat. Many people have died from TCA overdose, even with aggressive medical treatment.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Doxepin. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:1084.Levine MD, Ruha AM. Antidepressants. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 141.