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Picture this: It’s 3 o’clock in the morning. You can’t sleep. You settle in front of the television to watch a rerun of Dirty Dancing. And then it hits you: Ask your doctor.
Even as your eyelids sag, some part of your primitive forebrain snaps to attention. Medical training has turned us all into multitaskers, and even as some part of you is desperately trying to fall asleep, another part of your brain has just woken up.
Then you hear it: Not to be used if you have a history of myocardial infarction or stroke. Some patients may experience a paradoxical worsening in their symptoms. Use with caution if you have a history of major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder.