Side Effects Of Antidepressants

Insomnia

Some patients find they experience greater sleep disturbances like insomnia immediately after they begin a new antidepressant, but these problems often taper off or stop entirely after a few weeks. However, some cases of insomnia can persist for as long as the patient takes the antidepressant. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to tell whether insomnia is a symptom of depression itself or a medication side effect.

That said, patients should pay close attention to when their insomnia started. If they experienced insomnia before starting antidepressants, they should make note of any differences. Patients should write down how often their sleep is disturbed, whether it's difficult to fall asleep, how many times they wake up in the night, and how long it takes them to fall back asleep after waking up. Information like this is helpful to doctors, who can advise patients on the best time to take their medication, or whether changing their dosage or specific type of antidepressant is needed.

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Fatigue

Fatigue is a common side effect of antidepressants, though the majority of cases tend to resolve after a few weeks of starting the medication. If the fatigue doesn't get better, however, patients should discuss it with their doctor. Like insomnia, fatigue can also be a symptom of the depression itself, which means it's important for patients to make note of their symptoms so they can gauge what is caused by the medication versus their condition.

Tricyclic antidepressants are most likely to cause fatigue, but SSRIs and SNRIs can both also make patients tired. The main goal of antidepressants is to adjust the levels of the neurotransmitters that regulate an individual's mood. However, during this process, the medications can also change other neurotransmitter levels. When acetylcholine and histamine levels are affected, one of the effects is sedation. If patients are so fatigued that staying awake is a struggle, they should speak to their doctor.

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