Depression Medications (Antidepressants)
Antidepressants are drugs used for the treatment of major depressive disorder and of other conditions, including some anxiety disorders, some chronic pain conditions, and to help manage some addictions. Common side-effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, headaches, and sexual dysfunction
-
Amitone (Amitriptyline) 10 mg
Price/Pill: $0.66
Generic Name: Amitriptyline
Manufacturer: Intas$32.00 – $59.00Amitone (Amitriptyline) 10 mg
$32.00 – $59.00 -
Amitrip (Amitriptyline) 25 mg
Price/Pill: $0.81
Generic Name: Amitriptyline
Manufacturer: Various$75.00 – $98.00Amitrip (Amitriptyline) 25 mg
$75.00 – $98.00 -
Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 10 mg
Price/Pill: $1.21
Generic Name: Aripiprazole
Manufacturer: Sun$59.00 – $109.00Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 10 mg
$59.00 – $109.00 -
Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 15 mg
Price/Pill: $1.5
Generic Name: Aripiprazole
Manufacturer: Sun$75.00 – $135.00Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 15 mg
$75.00 – $135.00 -
Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 20 mg
Price/Pill: $1.8
Generic Name: Aripiprazole
Manufacturer: Sun$89.00 – $162.00Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 20 mg
$89.00 – $162.00 -
Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 30 mg
Price/Pill: $2.1
Generic Name: Aripiprazole
Manufacturer: Sun$99.00 – $189.00Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 30 mg
$99.00 – $189.00 -
Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 5 mg
Price/Pill: $0.65
Generic Name: Aripiprazole
Manufacturer: Sun$29.00 – $59.00Arpizol (Aripiprazole) 5 mg
$29.00 – $59.00 -
Ativan (Lorazepam) 2.5 mg
Price/Pill: $3.10
Generic Name: Lorazepam
Manufacturer: Hemofarm$109.00 – $269.00Ativan (Lorazepam) 2.5 mg
$109.00 – $269.00 -
Buspin (Buspirone) 10 mg
Price/Pill: $0.76
Generic Name: Buspirone
Manufacturer: Intas$39.00 – $69.00Buspin (Buspirone) 10 mg
$39.00 – $69.00 -
Buspin (Buspirone) 5 mg
Price/Pill: $0.54
Generic Name: Buspirone
Manufacturer: Intas$25.00 – $49.00Buspin (Buspirone) 5 mg
$25.00 – $49.00 -
Cadflo (Fluoxetine) 20 mg
Price/Pill: $0.32
Generic Name: Fluoxetine
Manufacturer: Zydus$19.00 – $29.00Cadflo (Fluoxetine) 20 mg
$19.00 – $29.00 -
Clonil (Clomipramine) 10 mg
Price/Pill: $0.50
Generic Name: Clomipramine
Manufacturer: Intas$29.00 – $45.00Clonil (Clomipramine) 10 mg
$29.00 – $45.00
If you don't, you're not alone. The truth is that even experts aren't completely sure how antidepressants work. There's just a lot we don't know about how the brain functions. The most important thing you need to know when you’re living with treatment-resistant depression is that antidepressants often can help. To help you understand all your medication options, here are the facts about different types of antidepressants — along with some tips on how to use them most effectively. If you've read up on antidepressants — in newspapers and magazines, or on the Web — you might see depression explained simply as a “chemical imbalance” or a “serotonin deficiency.” Unfortunately, it's not that simple. We really don't know what causes depression or how it affects the brain. We don't exactly know how antidepressants improve the symptoms. Some of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants are called reuptake inhibitors. What's reuptake? It's the process in which neurotransmitters are naturally reabsorbed back into nerve cells in the brain after they are released to send messages between nerve cells. A reuptake inhibitor prevents this from happening. Instead of getting reabsorbed, the neurotransmitter stays — at least temporarily — in the gap between the nerves, called the synapse. What's the benefit? The basic theory goes like this: keeping levels of the neurotransmitters higher could improve communication between the nerve cells — and that can strengthen circuits in the brain which regulate mood. Different kinds of reuptake inhibitors target different neurotransmitters. There are three types: These drugs were among the first to be used for depression. Although they're effective, they can have serious side effects and can be especially dangerous in overdose. Nowadays, many doctors only turn to these drugs when newer — and better tolerated — medicines haven't helped. Tricyclics and MAOIs might not be the best approach for someone who was just diagnosed. But they can sometimes be beneficial for people with treatment-resistant depression, or certain forms of depression (such as depression with anxiety).How Different Antidepressants Work
If you have treatment-resistant depression, you might have already picked up some of the antidepressant drug lingoes — you know your SSRIs, your SNRIs, and your MAOIs. But do you really know how these drugs help?
Understanding Antidepressants: Basic Brain Chemistry
Reuptake Inhibitors: SSRIs, SNRIs, and NDRIs
Other Antidepressants: Tetracyclics and SARIs
Older Antidepressants: Tricyclics and MAOIs
The downside is that MAOIs also prevent the body's ability to break down other medicines metabolized by this enzyme (such as Sudafed, or stimulants) — raising the risk for high blood pressure — as well as an amino acid called tyrosine, which is found in certain foods like aged meats and cheeses. MAOIs also shouldn't be combined with other medicines that can raise serotonin (such as certain migraine medicines, or other antidepressants), because that can cause a buildup of excessive serotonin (called “serotonin syndrome”), which could be life-threatening.