This NHS content is written for people in England. Medicine names, availability, prescribing and services may differ in other countries.
Cautions with other medicines
Some medicines affect the way nortriptyline works and can increase the chance of you having side effects. These include:
- opioid-based medicines, like codeine, morphine, oxycodone , or tramadol – taking these with nortriptyline can increase your risk of becoming very drowsy and having breathing problems
- medicines for depression – some antidepressants can affect the way nortriptyline works and cause very high blood pressure. This can happen even after you have stopped taking them, so tell your doctor if you are taking, or have ever taken, other antidepressants
- sodium valproate and valproic acid (epilepsy medicines), and cimetidine (for stomach ulcers) – these can increase the levels of nortriptyline in your body and increase the risk of side effect.
Always check with your doctor or a pharmacist before taking nortriptyline with any other medicines.
View the original NHS website page ↗. Refreshed 19 August 2026.
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