What are antidepressants?
Antidepressants are a type of medicine that treats clinical depression while having antidepressant side effects. They also treat generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). They are also sometimes prescribed for the treatment of long-term (chronic) pain.
Antidepressants increase the levels of a chemical in the brain called neurotransmitters, these are linked to emotion and mood. They also affect the pain signals that nerves send to the brain, thus antidepressants also help treat long-term or chronic pain.
Antidepressants side effects
Some antidepressants usually come with unpleasant side effects that may be more intense in some patients as compared to other people. The initial signs and symptoms include weight gain, nausea, and sleep issues. In some cases, these side effects become severe and don’t go away, and need medical consultation, while in others, they go away on their own.
Let’s go over the most common antidepressant side effects and how to deal with them.
- Nausea
Usually, nausea is part of the initial side effects caused by an antidepressant, and it goes away on its own when the body gets adjusted to the medicine.
You may try these things to help with nausea:
- If nothing is specified for the antidepressant, try taking it with food
- Eat more frequently, but smaller meals
- Drink more water and other fluids
- Chew sugarless hard candy
- Discuss your dosage with your doctor, change it or replace it with a slow-release form of the same medicine
- Weight gain and increased appetite
When depression symptoms go away as you use an antidepressant, this may result in a better appetite. If you feel that you are gaining weight, then discuss it with your doctor and get advice on how to address this issue.
Here are some things you may try doing on your own:
- Keep a note of whatever you eat
- Drink fewer sugary drinks and eat fewer sweets
- Go to a dietitian and discuss your condition with them
- Avoid saturated fats and instead, choose lower-calorie nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables
- Exercise and do other physical activities daily
- Discuss the medication and dosage with your doctor
- Drowsiness, fatigue
One of the most common antidepressant side effects in the initial days of treatment is fatigue and drowsiness. You may try these things to tackle them:
- Include some exercise and physical activity in your daily routine
- Take a small rest in the afternoon
- After taking the doctor’s approval, try taking your antidepressant at bedtime
- Don’t operate heavy machinery or other tasks needing concentration until the fatigue and drowsiness pass
- Discuss changing or adjusting the dosage with your doctor
- Insomnia
A possible side effect of some antidepressants is insomnia, or not being able to go to sleep or stay asleep, thus making you feel tired during the day.
Do these things to tackle insomnia and sleep problems:
- If your doctor gives you approval, then take your antidepressants during the morning
- Include exercise and physical activity in your daily routine, but not close to the time you go to sleep, so the sleep isn’t disturbed by fatigue
- Avoid caffeine-containing foods and drinks, especially during the time near to the night
- If the problem becomes severe or stays for long, discuss it with your doctor. They may recommend a sedating medicine to help out with proper sleep during the night.
- Dry mouth
Many antidepressants commonly cause this side effect. Try the following remedies:
- Suck on ice chips or sip water regularly
- Chew sugarless hard candy or sugarless gum
- Avoid things that make the mouth dry, such as alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and tobacco
- Avoid breathing with your mouth
- A dry mouth can increase the risk of getting cavities. So, floss daily, brush your teeth twice every day, and pay visits to the dentist regularly
- If the problem of dry mouth becomes troublesome, then discuss changing the dose with your doctor.
Wrapping Up
There are many antidepressant side effects associated with different antidepressants. Study the risks and other factors before you start using one. To get more information about antidepressants, or to buy them online, visit the website of Super Meds.
