Side Effects of Antidepressants Used to Treat Panic Disorders

There’s no way around it – using any drug comes with the risk of side effects, so there are potential problems associated with the drugs used to treat panic disorders.  This page will describe some of them.

Risk of Suicide

This is starting with a big one. 

Experts continue to debate whether or not antidepressants increase the risk of suicide or whether the people who need antidepressants are at increased risk for suicide anyway.

There’s no doubt that people taking antidepressants have a higher rate of suicide than people who don’t, but people who are on antidepressants are often depressed and have suicidal tendencies because of that. 

Did the antidepressant lead to the suicide, or did the underlying depression that the antidepressant was trying to treat cause it?

As I said, the experts are still debating that one.  For now, the FDA requires all antidepressant to carry a warning about a risk of suicidal thoughts with their use.  If you experience anything like that while taking them, contact your doctor immediately.

Side Effects of Selective Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors

Drugs in this class are generally well tolerated, but they do have side effects.  Sometimes the side effects lessen as your body adjusts to the drug, but other times they are severe enough that you need to stop taking the medication.

Some side effects that might come up are:

• Nausea
• Nervousness
• Headaches
• Sleepiness
• Impotence
• Lightheadness
• Stomach upset
• Weight gain

Side Effects of Tricyclic Antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants are more likely to cause side effects and the problems they cause can be more serious.

The most serious side effect s of tricyclic anti depressants are an increased risk of heart attack and their tendency to cause elevation of blood sugars, especially in diabetics.

They can also aggravate glaucoma or worsen the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

Other side effects include:

• Sleepiness
• Dry mouth
• Blurred vision
• Muscle weakness
• Constipation
• Urinary retention
• Dizziness
• Impotence
• Increased heart rate
• Confusion
• Headache
• Low blood pressure
• Sensitivity to sunlight
• Increased appetite
• Weight gain
• Nausea

Side Effects of Stopping Antidepressants

Since antidepressants change the chemistry in your brain, stopping them sudden can trigger side effects as well. 

These may include:

• Worsening of depression
• Anxiety
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability
• Flu-like symptoms

To avoid these problems, someone coming off antidepressants should do so slowly and follow their physician’s advice.

The Best Way to Avoid Side Effects

The best way to avoid side effects is not to take the drugs in the first place.  But sometime they are the best option.

I can’t offer medical advice, so the decision is one you’ll have to make for yourself with your doctor’s help.  Be sure to talk it over in detail and get all your questions answered.

Even if you do decide antidepressants are right for you, explore other non-drug treatments.  Things like meditation or cognitive behavior therapy work well and don’t have the side effects that drugs do.

I found a great program that teaches you how to overcome panic attacks without drugs.   If you want to see if it might be right for you, read my review at this link.