Medical Questions » Medicines Questions » Question No. 636
| Question: | I have been put on a medicine called Phenelzine by my doctor, and I am told I have to stay on a strict diet, and mustn' t stop the tablets. Can you tell me somethinq about these please? |
| Answer: | Phenelzine (also known as Nardil) is a very effective medication for the treatment of depression and phobias (abnormal fears). It is not usually the first medication to be tried, but is used in patients who do not respond to other types of treatment.
The main reason for this is the reaction it has with a wide range of foods and medicines. These include cheese, liver, raisins, sour cream, fermented foods (eg. wine and beer), pickled foods (eg. herrings, cucumbers), broad beans, game meats, yeast-containing foods (eg. Vegemite, Bonox) and many cough mixtures and cold remedies. If combined with these substances, a severe and dangerous reaction can occur in the patient.
When used correctly, it is a perfectly safe form of treatment, but it must normally be used for many years, and should not be stopped without discussing the matter with a doctor. All doctors and dentists responsible for your care must know that you are on this medication, because reactions may also occur to anaesthetics and other prescribed drugs.
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