resolved by changing the time of dose or adding another medication to help with sleep. If your antidepressant is making you drowsy, ask your Doctor or Peoples Pharmacist if it would be advisable to change your dose to the evening or after supper. In cases where an antidepressant is working well, but causing insomnia, it is not uncommon to add another sedating antidepressant to help with sleep.
. .. Another possible side effect of antidepressant medications is stomach upset; it occurs in over 10% of the people who take these medications. For most people these symptoms will fade over time. Many antidepressants can be taken with meals, which might help curtail some of these side effects. Another option for reducing stomach upset is to take the medication in two divided doses, if possible.
. .. These same options may help with |
the side effects of diarrhea or nausea.
. .. Some people who start taking antidepressants may experience headaches as a side effect. This is in contrast to the fact that sometimes antidepressant are used to help treat chronic migraines. While most problematic within the first few weeks of therapy, it can be difficult to wait for these new headaches to go away. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding caffeinated beverages sometimes can prevent the headaches from worsening. One could try taking over the counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to help with the headaches.
. .. Another common complaint,
or not, is weight loss or gain while taking antidepressants. The exact reason for this is not known; to complicate things is the fact that sudden weight gain or loss is a |
possible complication of depression. Sometimes people lose weight because the antidepressants reduce the sensation of hunger or cause stomach upset or nausea. In this case, it is important to make sure you eat enough during the day, and make sure what you eat is healthy. There is the temptation when you are losing weight to eat whatever you want (snack foods, ice creams and other fatty foods) in order to keep your weight up. Avoid this temptation, proper nutrition will help you feel healthier and could be helpful for treating depression. Perhaps the most problematic medication that causes weight gain is mirtazapine. In many cases, once you stop taking the medication your weight will return to normal. The same nutrition advice as before might also apply to help
Ian Lloyd...Continued On Page 6 |
