How an antidepressant affects energy depends on several factors, including its efficacy for your symptoms and side effects, as well as your management of depression.
Be patient — finding an antidepressant may take several weeks for its effects to kick in, but with persistence you can find medication that can boost your mood and help you feel more motivated and energetic.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
SSRIs are an antidepressant class of medications that work by altering how your brain processes information. They do this by altering certain chemical activities in your brain such as serotonin (SER-oh-TONE), norepinephrine (nor-ee-puh-NEF-rin), and dopamine (DOO-pa-meen). These medicines help relieve depression and anxiety disorders as well as treating other conditions, including OCD, panic attacks, post traumatic stress disorder and bulimia. In general these medications tend to have fewer side effects than older types, making higher doses easier tolerated overall; taking an SSRI for extended periods may even after symptoms have improved significantly.
There are various brands of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but most work similarly. Your healthcare provider may start you on Prozac (fluoxetine), paroxetine (Paxil and Pexeva) or sertraline (Zoloft), depending on your unique circumstances. They can be taken either with food or without it and, should you become pregnant while taking one, appropriate steps will be discussed by both of them with you to prevent birth defects that could arise as a result.
Most selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) require several weeks or months before you see a difference in your depression symptoms. You must take this antidepressant regularly; discontinuing could increase the risk of manic or hypomanic episodes and may increase suicidal thoughts and feelings, so be sure to follow your treatment plan and speak to healthcare providers if suicidal thoughts arise.
Alcohol and other depressants should be avoided while taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), as these substances may cause adverse interactions. Also, any monoamine oxidase inhibitor such as tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), or isocarboxazid (Marplan), should not be combined with SSRIs due to potentially lethal interactions involving foods containing tyramine such as cheese, certain deli meats, or wines containing tyramine.
Bupropion and mirtazapine are two alternative antidepressant medications which work similarly to SSRIs but with fewer side effects. Both can also be used to treat seasonal affective disorder and help people stop smoking. Trazodone may help with sleep and has been shown to be effective against some instances of depression in adolescents and teenagers. Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants as well as monoamine oxidase inhibitors were once popular, but are becoming less prescribed due to serious side effects and difficulty discontinuing use. If you’ve been taking them for an extended period of time it may also be more challenging for you to transition off them. Your health care provider may decide that an older antidepressant medication would best fit your situation, especially if other SSRIs haven’t worked for you. They could also be safer to take while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
SNRIs operate similarly to SSRIs, yet also increase levels of norepinephrine and dopamine. These two chemicals play a critical role in mood regulation as well as energy and pain signals; this makes SNRIs effective at treating depression, anxiety and chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia. Some individuals may find greater difficulty using SNRIs due to increased levels of serotonin and norepinephrine production resulting in the rare but potentially lethal side effect called serotonin syndrome – symptoms include confusion, rapid heart rate and stiff muscles – should this occur you should immediately notify either your healthcare provider or emergency room immediately for medical advice or assistance.
SNRIs differ from traditional antidepressants in that they target specific chemicals for reuptake, making them both more effective and better tolerated than tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), the first line treatment for depression with potentially adverse side effects such as fatigue, weight changes and dependency.
Most people begin experiencing the benefits of SNRIs within four to six weeks; however, for some it may take up to 12 weeks. To gain maximum effectiveness from taking your medication as directed is key – discontinuing or decreasing dosage without medical guidance can cause withdrawal symptoms and lead to potential harm.
If you have a history of seizures, liver disease, kidney problems or cardiovascular disease, SNRIs should be avoided. As they can interact with certain forms of blood pressure medication and cause side effects that require dosage adjustments to be effective; consult with your physician regarding the best course of action for you. SNRI options available to adults include duloxetine, venlafaxine and milnacipran (Savella); for lower risk interactions there’s desvenlafaxine and vilazole SNRIs that don’t approve for treating depression in adults whereas venlafaxine does.
Like SSRIs, SNRIs may take up to eight weeks before you experience significant results from taking them. Not everyone may respond well; therefore it is wise to try different ones until finding what is suitable for yourself. As part of starting an antidepressant medication, it is vital to provide your full medical history and list all current prescription, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs taken. You can find an experienced psychiatrist or psychologist near you through the American Psychological Association’s online directory. Reach out for help through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or Mental Health Crisis Line – these groups offer free and confidential services that may even connect you to local support groups or clinics for mental health treatment. These resources are particularly beneficial to those suffering from serious mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, and their families. Early help is critical in order to avoid long-term complications and enhance quality of life.
Vortioxetine
Vortioxetine, commonly referred to by its brand name Trintellix, is an antidepressant medication designed to ease depression by increasing serotonin activity in the brain. As part of a class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), it is an effective treatment option for major depressive disorder in adults. Working through multiple pathways simultaneously to increase serotonin levels while simultaneously activating other receptors that are involved with mood regulation.
The FDA suggests starting off by taking 10 mg daily of Vortioxetine, whether with or without food. Your physician will likely increase or decrease your dosage depending on how your response and tolerance respond. Be sure to take Vortioxetine exactly as prescribed and read any medication guides provided with your prescription or the drug label carefully; alcohol consumption or taking other sedatives while on this medicine could increase its risks of side effects.
If you suddenly experience symptoms such as agitation, restlessness, or elevated blood pressure, contact your physician immediately. Also report any changes in mood or behavior directly to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. It’s especially important for young people to inform their doctors immediately if they experience suicidal thoughts or behaviors, have bipolar disorder, or attempted suicide previously.
Your doctor should monitor both your blood pressure and sugar levels while you take vortioxetine, since this medicine can cause low sodium levels (hyponatremia), which is a serious medical condition requiring immediate medical care. Hyponatremia is more likely to occur if you’re dehydrated, taking diuretics, or elderly individuals are especially at risk of this problem.
Vortioxetine may interact with certain medicines and increase your risk for serotonin syndrome, including stimulant drugs (including amphetamines), opioid painkillers, tryptophan, St John’s Wort and some depression or migraine medicines. Furthermore, taking aspirin, blood thinners or anticoagulant medicines like warfarin can increase bleeding risks significantly.
Vortioxetine should not be taken if you have taken an MAO inhibitor within 14 days, such as isocarboxazid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine or tranylcypromine. Doing so could increase your risk of seizures if they have previously occurred and may increase their frequency as well.
