Depression is a very multifactorial group of diseases with strong correlation between psychological, biological and personal characteristics and social environment. Any person is prone to depression or other mental disorders in a varying degree.
There are many various types of antidepressants used to treat depression. In most cases, antidepressants do not cause side effects and effectively treat the diseases. In this review, you can learn more about side effects of antidepressants and choose the safest if necessary.
Antidepressants can cause a wide range of side effects. The speed of depression treatment and accordingly the intensity of side effects complicate the availability of related pathologies, diseases and other conditions, such as:
- Social phobia;
- Anxiety disorder;
- Panic disorder;
- Reduced capacity for social adaptation;
- Disharmony of personality structure, which manifests in the form of personality disorder in extreme cases;
- Drug, alcohol or other addiction;
- Improper simultaneous use of antidepressants and alcohol;
Just as some cases of depression, side effects can be unique and not to occur in other patients. Some types of antidepressants side effects are typical only for certain groups of people. Therefore, drug therapy of depression and dosage of antidepressants should be individual.
For instance, side effects of antidepressants during pregnancy are not the same as the side effects of antidepressants in elderly or teenagers. It should be noted that any medications should not be taken during pregnancy unless otherwise recommended by your doctor.
Currently, depression is the disease that is treated effectively. Medications play an important role in the treatment of depression. At the same time, side effects of antidepressants are the main reason for discontinuation of medical treatment.
The main purpose of using antidepressants is to eliminate symptoms associated with depression and to restore the social adaptation ability. Drug treatment should be prolonged enough to prevent the recurrence of depression.
In most cases, it is recommended at least six-month treatment of depression. If depression occurs again, more long-term treatment will be required.
In rare cases, the treatment of depressive disorders may take years. Do not stop the treatment by yourself even if mild side effects appear. To stop using antidepressants, be sure consult your doctor.
Antidepressants are the medications that can be used not only for depression treatment, but also for the treatment of various anxiety disorders, severe adaptation disorders and chronic pain.
Side effects of tricyclic antidepressants
Tricyclic antidepressants is a name of group of chemical compounds that were discovered in the middle of last century. The most commonly used tricyclic antidepressants are Amitriptyline and Imipramine.
At the USA pharmacies, you can buy tricyclic antidepressants – Amitriptyline and Imipramine by the pharmaceutical companies, such as Vintage, Sandoz, Mylan, Accord, Mutual, Par and Lupin. These drugs are supplied in tablets intended for oral use.
Tricyclic antidepressants are clinically effective drugs that sometimes cause side effects. For example, side effects of Amitriptyline antidepressant are weight gain, indigestion, dry mouth and drowsiness.
Amitriptyline in minimal and average doses possesses good analgesic properties in some neurological diseases. The risk of side effects of Amitriptyline is low enough even when using in the combination with other antidepressants.
Side effects of antidepressants of SSRIs group
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and eating disorders. Each antidepressant of this group has its own specific effect, which can be used in each particular case to achieve the best result of treatment.
The appearance of SSRIs was a big breakthrough in effective medical treatment of depression. It is explained by the fact that antidepressants of SSRIs group have minimal side effects. SSRIs help to treat not only mental disorders, but also many other diseases.
At pharmacies of the USA and other countries of the world, you can buy SSRIs antidepressants, such as Citalopram, Fluvoxamine, Paroxetine, Escitalopram, Fluoxetine and Sertraline. Pharmaceutical form of SSRIs is tablets, capsules and solution for oral use.
Side effects of other antidepressants
Drugs for the treatment of mental disorders of SNRI group are the new antidepressants with numerous effects and with less number of adverse reactions. You can buy drugs of this group under the international non-proprietary names Venlafaxine and Duloxetine.
Antidepressants, such as Milnacipran, Reboxetine, Agomelatine and Mirtazapine are also available at the global pharmaceutical market. Their appearance is greatly expanded the choice of drug therapy of the disease.
How to reduce the risks of side effects of antidepressants?
Every 2-3 weeks, the doctor should clarify how medication affects the patient and whether any side effects appear. This is especially important to do at the beginning of depression treatment. Typically, the first positive therapeutic effects occur within 15-30 days.
If antidepressants cause side effects or do not work, it is necessary to rethink and clarify the clinical condition of the person, comorbidities and any other adverse factors. When occurring some adverse reactions of antidepressants, it is worth thinking about the correction of treatment plan, perhaps the involvement of other physicians, such as psychologist.
During using antidepressants, there may occur rare or unusual side effects, such as sexual disorders, increase or decrease in body weight, hair loss and insomnia. If you experience any of them, consult your doctor.
There is a detailed list of side effects registered during clinical trials in a leaflet of each antidepressant. It is not necessarily that you will experience these side effects. Before you buy and start using antidepressants, learn the list of adverse reactions.