Posted by Mtom on May 20, 2018, at 16:32:57
In reply to Re: How long can feeling worse on AD's last til better, posted by SLS on May 20, 2018, at 13:22:24
Thank you for responding SLS. I have read literally dozens of articles and reports on this, it will take me some time to re-find them all. Here are some off the top (I can post more later):
Activation is a common side effect of the SSRIs and can cause more nervousness, anxiety and irritability, which are the symptoms that the SSRI was meant to treat in the first place! This activation side effect only lasts a few days or a few weeks, and then it dissipates. Dr. Carlo Carandang, Psychiatrist, who is on the Faculty of a major Medical School and main contributor to Anxiety boss.
From Mayo Clinic Website: Managing the Adverse Effects of Antidepressants
Antidepressants can cause unpleasant side effects. For many people, these improve within weeks of starting an antidepressant. The website goes on to list a variety of SEs including:
Agitation, restlessness, anxiety:
Agitation, restlessness or anxiety can result from the stimulating effect of certain antidepressants. Consider these strategies: Get regular exercise.....Practice deep-breathing exercises, muscle relaxation or yogaConsult your doctor about temporarily taking a relaxing or sedating medication or switching to an antidepressant that isn't as stimulating.From WebMD: Some (side effects), like jitteriness, weird dreams, dry mouth, and diarrhea typically go away after a week or two.
Sarah T. Melton, PharmD
Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee
The first-line treatment for depression and anxiety disorders is often a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). Therapy with SSRIs or SNRIs can take up to 4 weeks for efficacy to be apparent and may make anxiety worse before improvement of symptoms is seen.from HealthTalk.org: During the first few weeks' people commonly experience some side effects or feel worse before they begin to feel better. Although the newer Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) usually have fewer or less severe side effects than tricyclic antidepressants, various side effects can occur with them all. The doctor will typically prescribe a low dose at the start and this can help to reduce the risk or intensity of side effects. It may take a while to find the right dose.
From Psychiatric Times, Managing the Adverse Effects of Antidepressants
Pascal Sienaert, MD, PhD
Jitteriness syndromeJitteriness is a poorly defined syndrome of early worsening of anxiety, agitation, and irritability. It is estimated to occur in up to 65% of patients immediately after starting therapy with a serotonergic or noradrenergic antidepressant.4 Its importance lies in the fact that it might cause patients to discontinue treatment if they become convinced that it will worsen their condition. A slower titration, especially in patients with anxiety symptoms, might prevent the syndrome. Since jitteriness is time-limited, waiting for tolerance to develop or temporarily combining the antidepressant with a benzodiazepine or propranolol may be helpful.
> I have not read anything that suggests that someone on an antidepressant will feel worse early in treatment using an antidepressant and later go on to respond favorably to it. Providing some sources regarding this would be helpful. On the other hand, the danger of suicide must be considered during the second and third weeks of treatment. It is suggested that this is actually the result of a small improvement in the depressive biology of the disease rather than a worsening of it. As one experiences the beginning of improvement, they gain mental energy. This occurs before there is an improvement in mood and morbid thinking. Sometimes, this energy allows someone to act on their negative thoughts and attempt to take their own life. Personally, I have never felt significantly worse early in treatment and gone on to feel better. That's just me, though.
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poster:Mtom
thread:1098789
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20180331/msgs/1098798.html