Antidepressants

My goal is to share the abundant information concerning antidepressant medication I will place it in bullet form. Hopefully this will be easier to read and understand.

This is a hot topic in America. Many people have taken, are taking, and possibly will take antidepressants during their lifetime.

• In very basic terms, antidepressants work by re-arranging the quantity of essential chemicals (neurotransmitters) in and out of a brain.
•  The neurotransmitters are called serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
• Antidepressants are expected to lift a mood from a depressed state to an even state.
• They do not make you high and you can not become addicted to these medications.
• If you start an antidepressant you MUST WEAN off the medication when the therapy is done.
• Medications are available for different types of depression.
• An absolute must, is to be observed by a doctor while adjusting to such a serious medication.
• CAUTION If a person starts antidepressant medication while feeling suicidal, it then becomes paramount for that person to be watched carefully in the beginning of the medication therapy. Why? Because a suicidal person may be too depressed to carry out their plan to kill themselves. Once the antidepressant therapy is started the medication will lift that person’s mood AND energy level. Why is this important? Because the person will have the energy to carry out their suicide plan. This is a basic principle in psychiatry. Drug companies and doctors will tell a person to give any of the antidepressant medications 4-6 weeks to work. Psychiatric nurses will tell a person who is starting antidepressant therapy that the medication can start working within 3 to 4 days. So, watch the depressed suicidal person closely for suicidal tendencies after the drug therapy has begun.
• The above paragraph goes twice for young children and teens.
•  If a family doctor or psychiatrist wants to start your child on medications for mood; get a second opinion.
• SSRI’s (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) are very effective, but this group of antidepressants in particular, will give both women and men sexual side effects. My clients complained of low sexual drive and the inability to orgasm.
•  If sexual side effects are a problem, tell your doctor and he or she will start you on another antidepressant which does not have that side effect profile.
• If your depression keeps you in bed for long periods of time the antidepressant of choice will be one that wakes you up. If your depression is riddled with anxiety and irritability the antidepressant of choice would be one that settles your system down so that you can relax, function, and sleep.
• Some people say they can’t feel emotions on antidepressants.
• Each antidepressant has its own side effect profile but these are the common side effects which cross over. Common side effects are as follows: Dry mouth, blurred vision, increased intraocular pressure, constipation, urinary retention, edema, rash, dizziness, weight gain, headaches, increased sweating, excitation, tremors, sedation, and blood pressure changes.
• If you get a rash or it becomes hard to breathe this can indicate an allergic reaction. Discontinue the drug immediately and seek medical help.
• Old antidepressants are effective but commonly have more serious side effects than the newer medications. Examples of old antidepressants are: Vivactil, Desipramine, Imipramine HCL, Amitripyline HCL, Doxepin, Asendin, Nardil, Parnate, Trazodone, and Marplan. 
•  The recently made antidepressants are: Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Serzone, Remeron, Wellbutrin, Celexa, Effexor XL, Cymbalta, Lexapro, and Prozac. All these medications have fewer (severe) side effects than the older antidepressants.
• Generic Prozac has been re-named by another drug company. Sarafem is Fluoxitine which is Prozac. This is the same drug with a different dose and name to be sold to unaware patients. It’s all about the money with drug companies and this is a good example of that.
• Another popular drug that has been re-named is Wellbutrin. This medication is also known as Zyban. Wellbutrin is for the reduction of depression and Zyban is to help quit the cigarette habit. Same med different name and more profits for the drug companies. I take issue with the greed of large drug companies.
• If you are prescribed an antidepressant please look it up. The concepts you don’t understand, ask your prescribing doctor for a further explanation. That is his or her duty to you. Also, quiz your pharmacist. The pharmacist will spend time with you to make sure you understand what you are putting in your body. They like teaching, so use them as a resource.
• Antidepressant therapy can be short term (6 months), long term (a year or so), and life long. This depends on your circumstances and diagnosis.
• Remember you are a consumer of health care. You are the boss of your own body. You know your body the best! Don’t put anything in your body without significant research.

I hope this helps clear up a muddy subject. If you are depressed, move forward, one step in front of the next. Stay on this earthly plain. I can promise you, things will change.

Tags: depression, Depression medicine, help for depression