Side Effects of Depression Drugs

There are three basic types of drugs for depression---tricyclics, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). All types of antidepressants have side effects. These side effects differ from person to person. It is very important that a doctor knows all medications, illegal drugs, herbs or supplements that a depressive patient is taking in order to minimize side effects and bad drug interactions.

Sleep

• All three types of antidepressants often make a person drowsy or very sleepy. Tricyclics are especially known for it. Because of this reason, doctors usually prefer to start a patient out on SSRIs because the sensation of grogginess is less severe. According to the Mayo Clinic, sometimes this drowsiness lessens after four weeks. Rarely, an antidepressant will have the opposite effect and make someone and insomniac. This should be reported to a doctor at once.

Weight Gain

• Many people on antidepressants have an increase in appetite. This can be good for patients that will not eat due to depression. But when this is combined with the drowsy side effect of antidepressants, this means the patient will often gain weight. This is especially common in SSRIs. According to the Mayo Clinic, the patient needs to be aware of weight gain so they can prepare to diet while taking SSRIs.

Sexual Dysfunction

• Some people on any type of antidepressant report some type of sexual dysfunction. This can range from loss of interest in sex, not being able to climax or impotence. This is often due to the drowsiness side effect. Any sudden weight gain can also interfere with sexual functioning. This could be a sign the drug dose is too high.

Other Common Symptoms

• According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, other common side effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, nausea, dizziness, constipation, problems urinating (such as taking a longer time to urinate or bladder leakage), aggravating glaucoma if someone already has glaucoma, raising or lowering blood pressure and raising cholesterol levels.

Warning

• Call a doctor or get to an emergency room immediately if a person on antidepressants has trouble breathing, has seizures or if symptoms of that person's depression to the point where they are planning to commit suicide. The final side effect is why antidepressants are often not prescribed for children, because they have a higher predisposition to develop this side effect than adults.