Amira 150 and Amira 300 (Moclobemide)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Amira 150 and Amira 300 Used For?
Amira 150 and Amira 300 contain moclobemide, an antidepressant medication that belongs to a group called reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A. These medications are used to treat depression and work on your central nervous system.
Primary Uses
Amira is prescribed to treat depression. Your doctor may also prescribe it for other purposes – ask your doctor if you have questions about why it was prescribed for you.
How It Works
Antidepressants like Amira work by affecting brain chemicals called amines, which are involved in controlling your mood. This helps improve symptoms of depression over time.
Good to know: This medicine is only available with a doctor’s prescription and should not be given to children or adolescents under 18 years of age.
How to Take Amira 150 and Amira 300
Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully and continue taking Amira until your doctor tells you to stop. The tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass of water after meals.
Dosage Instructions
The usual dose is between 300 mg and 600 mg per day, taken twice daily after meals – once in the morning and once in the evening. Take your tablets at the end of your meals for best results.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you miss your dose at the usual time, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when you normally would. If you remember soon after, take it as soon as you remember, then return to your normal schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose.
Important: Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose. Take Amira regularly at the same time each day for best results.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Disturbed sleep or insomnia
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Agitation
- Feeling of confusion
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Paraesthesia
- Constipation
- Feeling of fullness
- Upset stomach
- Blurred vision
- Skin rash
- Flushing
- Low blood pressure
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Thoughts or talk of death or suicide
- Thoughts or talk of self-harm or harm to others
- Any recent attempts of self-harm
- Increase in aggressive behavior, irritability or agitation
- Worsening of depression
- Insomnia, nervousness, jittering
- Mania or hypomania
Important Warnings
There are several important warnings you need to know before taking Amira. Some conditions and medications can make Amira unsafe for you.
Who Should Not Take Amira 150 and Amira 300
Do not take Amira if you are allergic to moclobemide or any ingredients, have severe confusion, or are taking certain medications including: clomipramine, selegiline, bupropion, triptans (migraine medications), pethidine, tramadol, dextromethorphan (in cough medicines), linezolid, or other antidepressants (SSRIs or tricyclics) as this may cause dangerous serotonin syndrome.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have liver disease, high blood pressure, personal or family history of bipolar disorder, other mental illness including schizophrenia, thyrotoxicosis, phaeochromocytoma, or rare hereditary problems with galactose intolerance. Also inform them of any allergies to medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Check with your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using Amira during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
Suicide Risk: Tell your doctor immediately if you feel your depression has worsened or if you experience suicidal thoughts, especially in the first 1-2 months of treatment.
Drug Interactions
Many medications can interfere with Amira and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines, vitamins, and supplements you are taking.
Blood Pressure: Moclobemide may cause an additional drop in blood pressure if you are taking metoprolol.
- Cimetidine
- Dextromethorphan (cough medicines)
- Pethidine
- Selegiline
- Bupropion
- Triptans (migraine medications)
- Tramadol
- Linezolid
- Proton pump inhibitors
- Serotonin agonists (buspirone, sumatriptan)
- St. John’s Wort
- Opiates (morphine, fentanyl, codeine)
- Adrenergics
- Sibutramine
- Other antidepressants (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, amitriptyline, nortriptyline, trimipramine, maprotiline, venlafaxine, clomipramine, citalopram)
- Metoprolol
Alcohol & Driving
Be cautious with alcohol and driving while taking Amira, as it can affect your alertness and coordination.
Alcohol
Although drinking alcohol is unlikely to affect your response to Amira, your doctor may suggest avoiding alcohol while you are being treated for depression. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Amira affects you. Amira causes dizziness in some people, especially at first.
Storage
Keep Amira in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C. Store in a locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half meters above the ground, away from children. Keep tablets in the blister pack until it’s time to take them – don’t remove them early as they may not keep well. Avoid storing in bathrooms, cars, or near windows where heat and dampness can damage the medicine.
Overdose Information
If you think you have taken too much Amira, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Call the Poisons Information Centre (Australia: 13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department, even if you feel fine. Signs of overdose may include nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, slurred speech, reduced reflexes, and agitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most antidepressants take time to work, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel better right away. Some symptoms may improve in 1-2 weeks, but it can take up to 4-6 weeks to feel real improvement. Even when you feel well, you’ll usually need to take Amira for several months or longer.
Yes, Amira should be taken after meals. Take your tablets twice daily – morning and evening – at the end of your meals with a glass of water.
Do not stop taking Amira or lower the dose without first checking with your doctor. Continue taking it until your doctor tells you to stop, even when you feel well.
Although drinking alcohol is unlikely to affect your response to Amira, your doctor may suggest avoiding alcohol while being treated for depression. Always tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.
If you miss your dose at the usual time, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when you normally would. Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose.
Many medications can interfere with Amira. Do not take any other medicines, whether prescription or over-the-counter, without first telling your doctor. This includes vitamins and supplements.
In the first week or two, you may experience sleep disturbances, dizziness, nausea, headache, or dry mouth. Tell your doctor immediately if you feel your depression has worsened or if you experience suicidal thoughts, especially in young adults under 24.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.