Depression Medication Side Effects

Also known as antidepressants, and as the name suggests, these drugs are prescribed to treat symptoms which are associated with a person's mental health. In short, they help in dealing with the patient's mood disorders. They may also be regarded as mood-stabilizing drugs. Common medical disorders which are treated with antidepressants include chronic depression, severe anxiety and panic attacks, disorders related to eating or feeding, obsessive compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, bed-wetting, social anxiety disorder, agitation, manic-depressive disorders, and chronic pain. While these drugs have their own advantages of dealing with the symptoms of all such conditions, they also have their share of unpleasant and, in some cases, severely intolerable side effects.

Potential Side Effects of Antidepressants

The main types of antidepressants which are put to use for various kinds of disorders include:

• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): These class of antidepressants are usually the first choice for most doctors. The common types of drugs under this class include:
  • Citalopram (Celexa)
  • Escitalopram (Lexapro)
  • Fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly)
  • Fluvoxamine (Luvox, Luvox CR)
  • Paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR)
  • Sertraline (Zoloft)
• Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs): These drugs work by affecting neurotransmitters. These are nothing but messengers which carry signals to and from the brain cells. Common drugs classified as SSNRIs include:
  • Venlafaxine
  • Desvenlafaxine
  • Duloxetine
• Atypical Antidepressants: These are called so, due to the fact that they do not have any kind of specific categories. However, one important fact about them is that they cause fewer side effects when compared to other kinds of antidepressants. Common depression medication names belonging to this class are known to be:
  • Bupropion
  • Trazodone
  • Mirtazapine
  • Nefazodone
• Tricyclic and Tetracyclic Antidepressants: Although a choice for treating depression, they are not usually preferred, as much as the others. This is due to their high tendency to cause numerous side effects and symptoms. Also, their overdose can be fatal for the user. Common names to be included here are:
  • Amitriptyline
  • Clomipramine (Anafranil)
  • Doxepin (Sinequan)
  • Imipramine (Tofranil, Tofranil-pm)
  • Trimipramine (Surmontil)
  • Nortriptyline (Pamelor, Aventyl)
  • Protriptyline (Vivactil)
  • Amoxapine
  • Maprotiline
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs): When all other drugs fail to respond, patients are treated with these antidepressants. The side effects in this case could be so severe and potentially life-threatening, that their use is avoided as far as possible. Common MAOIs are:
  • Isocarboxazid (Marplan)
  • Phenelzine (Nardil)
  • Tranylcypromine (Parnate)
  • Selegiline (Emsam, Eldepryl, Zelapar)

The intensity or the severity of the side effects of these antidepressants may vary from person to person. They include:

• Anxiety
• Blurred vision could be a side effect post using the medication
• Digestive disorder such as constipation and diarrhea may also occur as one of the common side effects of depression pills
• For women, one of the side effects may manifest itself in the form of an inability to achieve orgasm
• Headache, which may be sometimes accompanied by nausea
• Increased agitation for no apparent reason.
• Low sex drive
• Pain in the abdominal region
• Sedation could be a serious side effect
• Sexual dysfunction, like, inability to achieve an erection
• Sleep disorders
• The patient may have urinary retention
• The person may experience the symptom of dry mouth
• Unintended weight gain
• Fatigue, drowsiness, restlessness, etc., are the other side effects

The only way to cope with, or reduce, all such side effects is by working closely with the doctor, and following whatever he/she recommends and suggests.