Comparing SSRI Medications and Side Effects

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What is a good way to compare SSRI medications and their side effects is a question likely to be asked by a growing number of people as pharmacological treatments for depression and depression-related conditions become more common. Drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are reported to do a good job of dealing with depression and are most commonly used to treat this disease. SSRI are said to work especially well in the early stages before the condition has an opportunity to really take hold, and yet each drug has its own SSRI side effects.

When making determinations as to which medication is best, a number of factors come into play, side effects being one of them. Often, if two or three drugs will accomplish the same things in terms of benefits, the critical determinant becomes the possible negative effects the drugs have.

A Short History of SSRIs

The first drug that launched the category known as SSRI was approved by the FDA and entered the United States Market in 1987; Eli Lilly and Company's Prozac. By breaking new ground for this type of medication, Prozac was the preferred pharmacological treatment for depression, until other pharmaceutical companies figured out similar ways to address the disorder.

Several of the major players in the pharmaceutical industry have since joined the fray, and recent years have brought us Pfizer's Zoloft in 1991, GlaxoSmithKline's Paxil in 1992, a drug called Luvox in 1994, and two products by Forest Pharmaceuticals, Celexa in 1998, and Lexapro in 2002.

Side Effects

It is important to understand that each of the SSRIs may cause anxiety, dry mouth, nausea, headaches, insomnia, and a number of sexual dysfunctions; this seemingly comes with the territory, so to speak. Also worth noting is that in a number of cases individuals have found the side effect severe enough to switch from one medication to another to find the best results.

Understanding how long each SSRI druge lingers in the body is important, as there is a pretty broad disparity. Prozac, for example, tends to remain in the system much longer than the other SSRIs, with leftover metabolites still traceable in the body for up to 45 days after you've stopped taking the drug. By comparison, patients who react poorly to Zoloft or Paxil will find that symptoms will run their course within a week or two or stopping the drug.

Serotonin Syndrome

Taking one of the SSRIs in conjunction with another can cause an overlap effect. This increases the possibility of a condition called serotonin syndrome. Here, the drugs have generated too much serotonin and the results can be quite dramatic. Patients have shown symptoms ranging from dizziness to increased heart rate. Other symptoms include disorientation, fever, painful joints and many more.

Achieving the Balance

Finding the right balance is essential when taking SSRI antidepressants. Open communication with a qualified physician is key to early identification of side effects. This dialogue could lead to dosage adjustments or alternate treatments. As mentioned, some side effects are negligible while others could be quite severe and require adjustments to the treatment plan.

It is fairly common for patients to experience more severe side effects when first taking the drug(s). This can also be true when dosages are increased. It is also fairly common for the body to make adjustments to the medication(s) over time, so if the side effects are initially mild, a physician might recommend continuing the treatment with the expectation that the body will make the adjustment.

Dealing with Side Effects

Among the most common side effects are those related to digestion and those related to energy levels (being drowsy or hyperactive). In the first instance, be sure to consult with a doctor on whether or not to take the medication with a meal. Sometimes this will help settle the stomach. Fatigue or an overly tired feeling during the day could indicate a need to adjust the time of day the medication is taken. Often, the symptoms have less of an impact at certain times of the day.

It is highly recommended that SSRI medications are not taken with alcohol because alcohol can negatively impact the medication's ability to work at all. So in addition to the factors above, a general knowledge of the side effects of each SSRI candidate for your condition is needed. Tolerance levels vary across individuals. Various ailments and what seems to be no big deal to one patient might be highly challenging for another. Treating symptoms promptly will insure a higher quality benefit from SSRI treatment.