Managing Side Effects - Overcoming Barriers To Treatment: Depression

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Managing side effects

No matter what medications you take, always tell your doctor about uncomfortable or worrisome side effects immediately. You and your doctor can often alleviate side effects with a few simple steps. Here are some suggestions for dealing with common side effects of antidepressants:

Dry mouth. Drink a lot of water, chew sugarless gum, and brush your teeth frequently.

Constipation. Eat whole grains, bran cereal, prunes, and hearty servings of fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of water.

Trouble urinating. If you have difficulty starting urination, your doctor may be able to adjust your medication to relieve this problem.

Dizziness. Sudden changes in position can lead to a sharp drop in blood pressure that causes dizziness. To counter this effect, rise slowly from a chair or when getting out of bed. Also, drink plenty of fluids.

Daytime drowsiness. This problem usually occurs at the beginning of treatment and may not last long. In some cases, it may help to take medication at bedtime, but ask your doctor about this first. If you feel drowsy, don't drive or use heavy equipment.

Trouble sleeping. Sleep often improves after a few weeks, but sometimes a mild sleep aid or a switch to another medication is necessary.

Nausea. Often, nausea disappears within a few weeks. It may help to take the drug shortly after a substantial meal.

Agitation. You might feel uncomfortably nervous or restless after you start taking a drug. Jittery feelings may pass within a few weeks. But in relatively rare cases, agitation will persist; sometimes it's an early symptom of worsening depression or mania.

Headache. Headaches may come and go. Some persist, but they usually disappear within a few weeks.

Sexual difficulties. Sometimes sexual problems are transient or not related to the drug. Talk with your doctor about sexual problems that don't pass soon. Also, see "Sexuality and SSRIs."

If side effects continue to bother you, your doctor may change your dosage, shift the time of day that you take the medication, or split the dosage into smaller amounts to be taken over the course of the day. Or he or she may recommend combining the drug with another one, switching to a different drug, or replacing drugs with therapy or other forms of treatment.

Call your doctor right away if you feel more depressed instead of less or if you feel worse for any reason.

Last updated:	January 23, 2007