Depression Medication: Tricyclic Antidepressants
Description
This article is from the Health Articles series.
Depression Medication: Tricyclic Antidepressants
Tricyclic Antidepressants:
This class of antidepressant was developed in the 1950's and was the most popular type until SSRIs were developed. Tricylics act on two neurotransmitters, serotonin andnorepinephrine. This combined action is believed to be how they improve depression.
Side Effects
Tricyclic antidepressants can cause some side effects. Some may disappear with time, but others can be serious. The side effects are:
Less common side effects include:
You may experience other side effects not included in these lists. Most people experience only mild side effects that decrease or disappear with time. Others have more severe side effects that don't improve over time. These people may have to stop taking the medication.
Make sure you inform your health-care provider about any side effects you're experiencing. He or she can change your dose or switch you to another medication, either within the same class of drugs or an entirely different antidepressant class.
Special Considerations
An overdose of a tricyclic antidepressant is very dangerous. Don't take more medication than prescribed by your health-care professional .
You may also need to be careful operating machinery or driving a car because of side effects, such as dizziness, sleepiness, or lightheadedness. (These usually improve as your body adjusts to the medication).
You don't need to follow any special diet while taking a tricyclic antidepressant, but ask your health-care professional before drinking any alcohol; some feel it's dangerous while others believe that very small amounts are okay.
You'll also want to check with your health-care professional before taking any other medications. Most medications are okay, but a few can interact with your tricyclic antidepressant. This could interfere with the amount of tricyclic in your body.
Blood tests to check the levels of the medication in your body usually aren't necessary, but may be useful from time to time. This is especially true if your medication doesn't seem to be working well or if you are experiencing side effects.
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