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What Causes Dry Mouth, Excessive Fatigue And Sleepiness After Taking Doxepin?

Posted on Sat, 29 Jul 2017

Question: Thanks. My internist yesterday prescribed Doxepin HCL 100 mg. Seems like a very high dosage to me. I have trouble sleeping at night and have been taking Xanac (2 per night, .25 mg. I think). Took one doxepin last night. Today have had a very dry mouth, which I have had anyway, but it's been worse.) And I've been very sleepy, which I have been before. I'm tempted to take too long a nap in the afternoon and fall asleep in my chair around 10, then get up, go to bed and can't sleep. I'll be 77 the end of August. My health is generally good. I do have osteoporosis--but never a fracture, and I've had angiosarcoma of the breast 26 years go, with no reoccurence. Can you help? How much will the help cost?

Answered by Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Ideal dosage of doxepin for insomnia is 3-6 mg

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for trusting HealthcareMagic,

Dry mouth, excessive fatigue, and sleepiness are mostly the side effects of Doxepin.

100 mg doxepin is much more than recommended dose for treatment of insomnia. Doxepin at higher doses of 75-150 mg is used in the treatment of anxiety/depression.

Doxepin at lower doses of 3-6 mg is ideal dose for treatment of insomnia, especially for people having problems with sleep maintenance.

Doxepin at lower doses will not cause side effects you are experiencing now.
Doxepin can be started at 3 mg at bed time initially and can be treated with 6 mg at bed time if needed.

Please be advised to follow up with your treating physician to for reconsideration of dose.

Hope this answers your question
Please feel free to address further questions here

Regards
Dr.Lekshmi

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee