Ludiomil general information
What is Ludiomil used for?
Depression is a common mental health illness that affects many people. The cause may not be apparent when depression strikes. However, it can often be linked to a significant event such as trauma, abuse, a chronic health condition, loss of a loved one, redundancy, and many other life-changing events. Hormonal changes such as happen in menopausal women, exhaustion, and fatigue can also trigger depression. However, other forms of depression can develop without any known cause. Ludiomil tablets 25mg are an antidepressant medication used to treat depression and other mood disorders, including anxiety, dysphoria, and extreme apathy.
Major depression
Depression can range in severity from mild to very severe. Major Depressive Disorder is the correct medical name for severe depression because it is not a short term illness but can last months or even years. Symptoms of depression include feelings of sadness and feeling down all the time, loss of interest in usual activities, disturbed sleep, change in appetite, extreme tiredness and fatigue, feelings of self-loathing, worthlessness or guilt, difficulty thinking or concentrating. In severe cases, depression may cause recurrent thoughts of suicide. Major Depressive Disorder is a serious illness and needs medical attention. Depression is known to be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. These chemicals, known as neurotransmitters, are produced by nerve cells (neurons) in the brain, acting as chemical messengers that allow nerve cells to communicate with each other. An imbalance in neurotransmitters that regulate mood contribute to the development of depression. In particular, serotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine).
Other forms of depressive mood disorders and their causes
A mood disorder is a mental health disorder that disrupts emotional stability. Symptoms are similar to depression, but a mood disorder may have additional symptoms or a different cause. Ludiomil tablets 25mg are used to treat various forms of depressive mood disorders, including the following.
- Endogenous depression is an atypical form of depression with no apparent external cause due to biological or cognitive factors.
- Involutional melancholia is a form of depression that usually develops later in life. Additional symptoms include paranoia, anxiety, and extreme concern with physical health symptoms.
- Reactive depression is triggered by a specific event, such as following a traumatic event.
- Exhaustion depression is related to feelings of constant fatigue.
- Psychotic or psychogenic depression is severe depressive neurosis. Psychotic features like hallucinations or delusions, mutism (inability to speak), or stupor (unresponsiveness) are additional to symptoms of major depressive disorder.
- Dysthymic disorder or dysthymia (also known as persistent depressive disorder or depressive neurosis) is a form of chronic depression. It is often associated with a personality disorder and with milder symptoms of depression.
- Masked depression is where other symptoms mask the underlying depression, such as physical pain or behavioural changes.
- Menopausal depression is related to hormone changes in menopausal women.
- Somatogenic depression is caused by a medical condition.
- Depression with psychosomatic and somatic symptoms may be triggered by chronic stress that causes physical symptoms.
Generalised anxiety disorder
We all feel anxious and stressed at times. It usually relates to a stressful event or a significant change in our life, or when something goes wrong. Most of us can manage those feelings of anxiety, and they pass. Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition where constant feelings of anxiety can take over your life and interfere with your function. Symptoms of GAD include uncontrollable, extreme worry and anxiety over many aspects of your life, such as health, work, money, and relationships. This chronic anxiety of several factors at the same time can continue for many months. GAD is thought to be associated with low serotonin levels, and noradrenaline also plays a role in anxiety.
Dysphoria
Dysphoria is a mental health disorder caused by a profound sense of unease or dissatisfaction with who you are. Dysphoria can take various forms and is associated with depression and anxiety. Body dysphoria relates to an obsessive focus on perceived flaws and defects in your body. Gender dysphoria is related to feelings that your physical sexual identity does not represent your gender identity, which is your experience of who you are.
Apathy
Apathy is being unresponsive to external stimuli. It is characterised by a lack of feeling, emotion, excitement, and self-motivation. Apathy can also be a symptom of dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder), depression, or other medical conditions. Ludiomil tablets 25mg help treat apathy, particularly in the elderly.
How does Ludiomil work?
Ludiomil tablets 25mg contain maprotiline, a tetracyclic antidepressant that is used to treat various forms of depression and mood disorders. Maprotiline in Ludiomil tablets 25mg is a noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor with antidepressant, anxiolytic and sedative properties. Although it shares some properties with tetracyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline, maprotiline is structurally different and has a different mechanism of action.
Nerve cells communicate by releasing neurotransmitters like serotonin and noradrenaline into the synapse, which is the gap between nerve cells. This stimulates the next nerve to release more neurotransmitters, so the signal is transmitted down a nerve pathway. Once the message has been passed on, the first nerve cell (pre-synaptic) takes up the remaining neurotransmitter from the synapse. The receiving nerve cell (post-synaptic) is no longer stimulated. This completes the signal pathway at that point in the chain. If neurotransmitter levels are low, the signal transmitted is weak and is rapidly lost due to reuptake from the synapse.
Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in regulating mood. A lack of serotonin in the brain means that the nerve pathways that control mood cannot be maintained, which generates feelings of anxiety, low mood, sadness, despair, and panic instead of well-being. Noradrenaline is another neurotransmitter that plays a role in depression and anxiety. Stimulation of the noradrenergic nerve pathway is particularly important in regulating anxiety.
Maprotiline in Ludiomil tablets 25mg works primarily by increasing the amount of noradrenaline in the brain, with a weak effect on serotonin.
Histamine is a chemical that plays a role in the immune response but also acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. This can cause increased anxiety and reduce sleep. Maprotiline in Ludiomil tablets 25mg is a potent antihistamine, which explains the sedative effect that helps reduce anxiety.
Unlike amitriptyline Maprotiline has lower alpha adrenergic blocking action and minimal anticholinergic effect, which may contribute to reduced side effects.
What does Ludiomil contain?
Ludiomil tablets 25mg contains the active ingredient maprotiline, a tetracyclic antidepressant that is used to treat various forms of depression and mood disorders. They also contain silica-aerogel, calcium phosphate, lactose, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, iron oxide yellow, polysorbate 80, titanium dioxide, talc, maize starch, iron oxide red.
What are the side effects of Ludiomil?
Most medications have some side effects, but they are not experienced by everyone. Some side effects are commonly experienced when taking Ludiomil tablets 25mg, but others are not so common, and you should discuss any problems or concerns with your primary care physician.
Common side effects when taking Ludiomil include dry mouth, gastrointestinal disturbances like nausea, vomiting and constipation, fatigue, sedation, memory impairment, mental dullness, skin rash, photosensitivity, blurred vision, light-headedness, particularly when getting up from a sitting or lying position (orthostatic hypotension), difficulty urinating, muscle weakness, erectile dysfunction, sweating (hyperhidrosis), hot flushes, increased appetite and weight gain, restlessness, anxiety, agitation, disorder, insomnia, nightmare, sleepiness, dizziness, headache, tremor, muscle twitching (myoclonus), rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), palpitations, paraesthesia (tingling or numbness in toes or fingers).
When should Ludiomil not be used?
Have a talk with your primary healthcare physician before taking Ludiomil tablets 25mg so that you have a full understanding of what this medicine is for and how to use it. There are some reasons for not taking a medication; these are called contraindications, and for Ludiomil you should consider the following before taking Ludiomil:
- Have you ever had an unusual reaction or an allergy when taking Ludiomil or any tricyclics like amitriptyline?
- Are you pregnant or breastfeeding?
- Do you have any problems with your kidneys or your liver?
- Do you have other psychiatric or mental health disorders?
- Do you have seizures?
- Have you had a recent heart attack or have other heart problems, especially irregular heartbeat?
- Do you have narrow-angle glaucoma?
- Do you have difficulty in passing urine, nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting), or chronic constipation?
- Do you use alcohol to excess?
- Are taking any monoamine oxidase inhibitor medications (such as phenelzine, tranylcypromine and moclobemide) as these can cause serious reactions if taken with Ludiomil or within 14 days?
What medications interact with Ludiomil?
Some medicines interact with Ludiomil tablets 25mg and may affect the way it works, or are affected by Ludiomil or increase side effects; you should discuss possible interactions with your primary care physician. These may include antiarrhythmics like quinidine, antipsychotics like phenothiazine and risperidone, anticholinergics for Parkinson's disease, benzodiazepines for anxiety, other antidepressants like the SSRI fluoxetine, the anticonvulsant carbamazepine, the antiepileptic phenytoin, the antiinfective rifampicin, phenobarbital for epilepsy or anxiety, cimetidine for stomach ulcers, reserpine and clonidine for high blood pressure, barbiturates, sympathomimetics like adrenaline for emergencies, methylphenidate for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anticoagulants like warfarin.
If other medications may interact with Ludiomil, your doctor will discuss these with you.
How should Ludiomil be taken and for how long?
You should take your Ludiomil tablets 25mg swallowed whole with a glass of water with or without food usually once to three times daily, at the same times each day. Your doctor may increase your dose, depending on what you are being treated for and how well you are responding to treatment. You should continue take your Ludiomil tablets 25mg regularly for as long as recommended by your doctor, which may be for several weeks or months, depending on your condition and your doctor’s recommendations.
It may take four to six weeks to feel any real improvement and then you should continue to take your Ludiomil tablets 25mg even if you feel well to ensure that the benefits last. If your doctor recommends that you stop taking Ludiomil tablets 25mg you should not stop suddenly but reduce your dose gradually to avoid possible worsening of your condition and to reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms.
Missed dose of Ludiomil
If you miss a dose of Ludiomil tablets 25mg take it as soon as you remember, unless it is time to take the next dose, then skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose.
How should Ludiomil be stored?
You should store your Ludiomil tablets 25mg below 25°C in a cool dry place.