Other Antidepressants for Depression

Antidepressant medicines work in different ways. No antidepressant works better than another, but different ones work better or worse for different people. The side effects of antidepressant medicines are different and may lead you to chose one instead of another. Tell your doctor about side effects.

You may have to try different medicines or take more than one to help your symptoms. Most people find a medicine that works within a few tries. Other people take longer to find the right one and may need to take the antidepressant and another type of medicine.

Take your antidepressant as your doctor says. Don't quit taking your medicines without talking to your doctor. If you quit suddenly, it can cause dizziness, anxiety, fatigue, and headache. If you and your doctor decide you can quit using medicine, gradually reduce the dose over several weeks.

You may start to feel better within 1 to 3 weeks of taking antidepressant medicine. But it can take as many as 6 to 8 weeks to see more improvement. If you have questions or concerns about your medicines, or if you do not notice any improvement by 3 weeks, talk to your doctor.

Like with other antidepressants, these medicines should not be used along with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) because serious, sometimes fatal, reactions can occur. To avoid serious reactions, wait at least 14 days after ending an MAOI treatment before beginning treatment with any one of these medicines.

Taking medicines for depression during pregnancy may make birth defects more likely. If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, talk to your doctor. Medicines may need to be continued if your depression is severe. You and your doctor must weight the risks of taking these medicines against the risks of not treating depression.

These medicines must be used very carefully in those who have bipolar disorder, because they may trigger a manic episode. If you have bipolar disorder, your doctor may prescribe them along with a mood stabilizer.

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