Doxepin Dosage: An Overview
The dose of
doxepin hydrochloride (
Sinequan®,
Silenor®) that your healthcare provider prescribes will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
- Your age
- The medical condition being treated
- Other medical conditions you may have
- Other medications you may currently be taking.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
Doxepin Dosing for Depression or Anxiety
For
depression or
anxiety treatment, the recommended starting doxepin dose is 75 per day, either split up into smaller doses throughout the day or all at once before bedtime. Your healthcare provider may decide to lower your dose if side effects occur or increase your dose if symptoms are not adequately controlled. The maximum doxepin dose is 300 mg total per day.
Some people (especially those with mild
anxiety or depression symptoms) may be able to take lower doses (such as doxepin 25 mg or 50 mg per day).
Doxepin Dosing for Insomnia
Only low-dose doxepin tablets (Silenor) are approved for
insomnia treatment. The recommended starting dosage for
insomnia in adults is Silenor 6 mg, taken within 30 minutes of bedtime. If necessary, your healthcare provider may decrease your dosage to 3 mg.
The standard dose of Silenor for elderly individuals (age 65 and older), who may be more sensitive to the effects of the drug, is 3 mg within 30 minutes of bedtime (with a dosage increase to 6 mg, if necessary). Also, people with liver problems should generally be started at the 3-mg dose.
For people taking
cimetidine (
Tagamet®), the maximum recommended dosage is Silenor 3 mg, since cimetidine increases the level of Silenor in the blood.
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