What Is Protriptyline Used For?

What is protriptyline used for? The prescription drug is mainly used for treating depression in adults. It is not approved for use in children or teenagers under the age of 18, as it has not been adequately studied in these age groups. Sometimes, protriptyline is used for "off-label" reasons as well, such as the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bulimia, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia.

Protriptyline (Vivactil)

What Is Protriptyline Used For? -- An Overview

Protriptyline hydrochloride (Vivactil^®) is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of depression (also known as major depression or clinical depression).

Depression is more than just "feeling sad." Common symptoms of depression include:

Changes in sleep (sleeping too much or not enough)
Eating too much or too little (and weight gain or weight loss)
Having little interest in things that you used to enjoy
Physical pain
Feeling hopeless or worthless
Suicidal thoughts.

Protriptyline has been proven in large clinical trials to help adults with depression. However, keep in mind that many antidepressants (including protriptyline) can take several weeks to begin working, although there is some evidence that protriptyline may work more quickly than other antidepressants. Sometimes, other people will notice an improvement in your depression symptoms before you do. Often, the physical symptoms (such as pain or changes in sleep) will improve first -- sometimes very quickly. It can take as long as a few weeks before significant changes in mood occur, so it is important to give protriptyline a chance to work before becoming discouraged.

Counseling and therapy (see Psychotherapy for Depression) are often used along with antidepressant medication to treat depression. Ask your healthcare provider if either of these would be good options for you (see Depression Treatment).

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