Antidepressants may worsen blood sugar control because they can cause significant weight gain. SSRIs and Pamelor (nortriptyline) reportedly worsen blood sugar control in people with diabetes. Tricyclic antidepressants cause hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) in humans.
Long-term antidepressant use may double the risk of heart disease, finds the most comprehensive epidemiological study to date to investigate the health consequences from using the medication over ten years.
Do I have to take antidepressants forever is a question that some ask as they struggle with depression. This is one of the more common myths associated with the condition. You do not need to take antidepressants forever nor do you need to get a prescription from a counselor or therapist.
It's usually recommended that a course of antidepressants continues for at least 6 months after you feel better, to prevent your condition recurring when you stop. Some people with recurrent illness are advised to carry on taking medicine indefinitely.
Some patients taking SSRIs develop insomnia, skin rashes, headaches, joint and muscle pain, stomach upset, nausea, or diarrhea. These problems are usually temporary or mild or both.
Some believe it is unlikely that antidepressants cause any permanent changes to brain chemistry in the long term. The evidence seems to indicate that these medications cause brain changes that only persist while the medication is being taken or in the weeks following withdrawal.
Guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence recommends that antidepressants are used as 'maintenance' treatment for up to 2 years to prevent their depression returning (relapse). It also recommends cognitive-behavioural therapy to change habits of thought and behaviour.
SSRIs are the most widely prescribed type of antidepressants. They're usually preferred over other antidepressants, as they cause fewer side effects.
SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants. This is because they're effective and well-tolerated antidepressants with little side effects. With many SSRIs available as generic products, this medication class typically costs less. SNRIs and bupropion are also common choices for similar reasons.
You may be tempted to stop taking antidepressants as soon as your symptoms ease, but depression can return if you quit too soon. Clinicians generally recommend staying on the medication for six to nine months before considering going off antidepressants.
Perhaps the fundamental reason why antidepressants are so widely prescribed and used is that they fit with the 'medical model' of mental illness, which has become the standard view in western culture. This model sees depression as a medical condition which can be “fixed” in the same way as a physical injury or illness.
It's important that you do not stop taking antidepressants suddenly. A dose of antidepressants should be slowly reduced, normally over 4 weeks, but sometimes longer. This is to prevent any withdrawal symptoms you might get as a reaction to coming off antidepressants suddenly.
Antidepressant medicines work best if you take them every day. To help you remember: take them at the same time each day. set a reminder on your phone.
There is no cure for depression, but many different treatments are available to manage the symptoms. The symptoms of depression vary among individuals. A treatment plan that includes medical interventions, support, and lifestyle changes can enable a person to live a normal and full life with the condition.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
This class includes sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, paroxetine, fluoxetine and fluvoxamine. SSRIs are: the most commonly prescribed antidepressants in Australia. often a doctor's first choice for most types of depression.
SSRIs are usually the first choice medicine for depression because they generally have fewer side effects than most other types of antidepressant.
If you feel like your antidepressant has stopped working, you're not alone. It's common for a medication that once worked wonders to become ineffective, especially if you've been taking it for a long time. Symptoms return for up to 33% of people using antidepressants — it's called breakthrough depression.
It can take several weeks to months for the brain to readjust, depending on factors such as the individual's brain chemistry, the type and duration of antidepressant use, and the presence of any underlying mental health conditions.
Some withdrawal symptoms can feel like the symptoms you had before you started the antidepressant. The low mood and difficulty in sleeping of withdrawal can feel like the symptoms of depression. Dizziness is a common symptom of anxiety.
In time, the brain readjusts and people should experience a return to their normal state. If depressive symptoms do arise and gradually worsen, it's best to consult a psychiatrist or doctor, if they don't improve within a few weeks or if they become severe.
Psychiatrists suggest staying on the drug for six months to a year after you feel better. Your response should be checked regularly – at three weeks and then again at three to six monthly intervals. Doctors can sometimes confuse withdrawal symptoms with a return of depression, and restart the drug.
While antidepressants are generally intended to help with brain fog, some can cause brain fog as a side effect, depending on the medication and your unique response to it. Sedatives, pain medicine, bladder control medicine and antihistamines are some of the other types of medications that can lead to brain fog.