Coping With Side Effects of Antidepressants

Like any medication, antidepressants can cause side effects. The specific problems vary from drug to drug -- and from person to person.

In fact, side effects are one of the main reasons that people with depression stop taking their medicine during their recovery. A 2003 study published in Current Medical Research and Opinion found that 65% of the 1,000 people surveyed said they had stopped taking their medicine, and half of those people cited side effects as the reason.

Yet it's important to keep in mind that antidepressants can help you recover. The American Psychiatric Association recommends that people keep taking their medicine for four to five months after they recover to reduce the risk of relapse.

Newer antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor, Cymbalta, and Wellbutrin generally have fewer and less severe side effects than older drugs. The side effects vary depending on the drug but can include:

• Insomnia
• Sleepiness
• Increased anxiety
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Sexual problems
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Weight gain or loss

Other more serious side effects are rare but possible. Antidepressants have been linked to an increase in suicidal thinking and behavior in children and adolescents. Talk to your doctor about what symptoms to watch for during your depression recovery.

Some of the older tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil, Pamelor, and Tofranil can have severe side effects or cause dangerous interactions with other drugs or foods. They can cause blurred vision and fatigue. They may not be safe for people with heart problems. High doses can be toxic and potentially life-threatening.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as Nardil, Parnate, and Marplan can cause serious interactions with some foods -- like certain cheeses, red wine, and certain beans -- and other medicines. The interactions can result in potentially fatal high blood pressure.

What to Do About Antidepressant Side Effects

With any medication, you have to weigh the benefits with the side effects. You and your doctor should work together to figure out the right balance. Some side effects may not bother you. Others may be so severe that you will have to stop taking the medicine.

Keep in mind that side effects might be worse when you first start a medicine or when you increase the dose. They may get better as your body adjusts. So if your side effects are mild, your doctor may want you to stick with your depression medicine to see if the side effects go away on their own.

Here are some tips for dealing with minor side effects of antidepressant medication.

• If your medicine upsets your stomach, ask your doctor if you should take it with a meal.
• If your depression medicine makes you sleepy during the day or keeps you awake at night, ask your doctor what time of day you should take it. By taking your medicine first thing in the morning or right before bed, you might diminish some of the unwanted effects.
• Don't take depression medicine with alcohol. Alcohol can affect how well the medicine works.

Don't just stop taking your medication on your own if you don't like the side effects. Stopping your medicine suddenly can make your symptoms get worse and cause a relapse of your depression.

Instead, talk with your doctor about what to do. Trying your medication at a lower dose might still give you benefits while reducing side effects. Or you could try a new one altogether. There are many effective drugs to choose from.

If your doctor doesn't take your side effects seriously right away, be more forceful.

Whatever you do, don't ignore side effects. But don't just accept them either. Work with your doctor to resolve them so you have a better chance of recovery from your depression.