Compatibility with alcohol | These drugs help to treat depression

Compatibility with alcohol

A relatively common side effect of taking medication for depression is an unwanted weight gain during therapy. Not all drugs used for depression have this side effect. The extent of weight gain also differs significantly from one drug group to another.

For example, the most commonly prescribed group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the group of selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) show only moderate weight gain, which often returns to normal after a certain period of therapy. Some people even lose weight when taking these drugs due to an appetite-lowering effect. Due to an increase in appetite, weight gain is common when taking tricyclic antidepressants. Drugs in the group of MAO inhibitors have no known effect on weight.

Sleep disorders caused by antidepressants

Sleep disorders are a symptom that often occurs in the context of depression. At the same time, sleep disorders can also be caused by the medication taken to combat depression. Depending on the group of active ingredients, some antidepressants can help to treat the sleep disorders.

Tricyclic antidepressants in particular can improve sleep. However, since these have a number of other disadvantages, nowadays it is more common to use a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and additionally administer another drug to treat the sleep disorders. Sleep disorders caused by the medication taken usually subside as the therapy progresses.

Use during pregnancy

Depression is more common during pregnancy and in many cases must be treated with medication. The choice of medication for depression in pregnant women should be made carefully, as most antidepressants can enter the child’s circulation through the placenta and the umbilical cord. However, pregnancy is in no case a contraindication for the drug treatment of depression.

Thus, even large-scale studies have so far been unable to prove any harmful effect of the common antidepressants on mother or child. However, since the data available on some drugs is insufficient, the use of some substances is not recommended. If a pregnancy occurs while taking antidepressant medication, the doctor treating the patient should be informed about this so that he or she can make a change of medication or dose adjustment if necessary.