| Commonly Prescribed Medications and Side Effects |
| Often times a doctor or clinical worker will prescribe medication to help you sleep without nightmares (antipsychotics) or to ease depression (antidepressants, antianxiety,or antimanics). Doctor knows best, we don't like to make waves, all sorts of emotions are running around in our heads and instead of questioning the people who have this sudden medical authority over us we usually take whatever we are prescribed without too much fuss. We want relief from the trauma. While the medications are sometimes a necessary and helpful tool,there are some important things you should know about them which you may not think to ask at the time.Like how long am I supposed to take these, will I be able to function normally while under the influence of these pills, what are the side effects and how safe are they anyway? Here you can find out what it is you are taking, what it's supposed to do and the side effects. You may find that you need to be medicated at least initially,as you go through the process of dealing with this,or you may find that you need to stay medicated for years before you are ready to take on the challenge of dealing with the trauma head on and reclaiming your life. I can tell you from personal experience that the medications prescribed to me helped to ease the worst of my PTSD symptoms while at the same time making it impossible to hold a thought in my head- I was in a chemical limbo,all the time knowing I needed to be able to deal with what was happening to me and totally unable to do so while medicated. I hope you find this information helpful. |
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| If you are diagnosed as having PTSD, your doctor or clinician may prescribe one or more of the following types of medications: antidepressants, antipsychotics or antimanics. Antidepressants can cause mild and often temporary side effects.Typically these are not serious but rather annoying. The most common side effects of tricyclics and ways to deal with them are: |
| Dry mouth--it is helpful to drink sips of water; chew sugarless gum; brush teeth daily. Constipation--bran cereals, prunes, fruit, and vegetables should be in the diet. Bladder problems--emptying the bladder completely may be difficult, and the urine stream may not be as strong as usual. Older men with enlarged prostate conditions may be at particular risk for this problem. The doctor should be notified if there is any pain. Sexual problems--sexual functioning may be impaired; if this is worrisome, it should be discussed with the doctor. Blurred vision--this is usually temporary and will not necessitate new glasses. Glaucoma patients should report any change in vision to the doctor. Dizziness--rising from the bed or chair slowly is helpful. Drowsiness as a daytime problem--this usually passes soon. A person who feels drowsy or sedated should not drive or operate heavy equipment. The more sedating antidepressants are generally taken at bedtime to help sleep and to minimize daytime drowsiness. Increased heart rate--pulse rate is often elevated. Older patients should have an electrocardiogram (EKG) before beginning tricyclic treatment. The newer antidepressants, including SSRIs, have different types of side effects, as follows: Sexual problems--fairly common, but reversible, in both men and women. The doctor should be consulted if the problem is persistent or worrisome. Headache--this will usually go away after a short time. Nausea--may occur after a dose, but it will disappear quickly. Nervousness and insomnia (trouble falling asleep or waking often during the night)--these may occur during the first few weeks; dosage reductions or time will usually resolve them. Agitation (feeling jittery)--if this happens for the first time after the drug is taken and is more than temporary, the doctor should be notified. Any of these side effects may be amplified when an SSRI is combined with other medications that affect serotonin. In the most extreme cases, such a combination of medications (e.g., an SSRI and an MAOI) may result in a potentially serious or even fatal "serotonin syndrome," characterized by fever, confusion, muscle rigidity, and cardiac, liver, or kidney problems. |
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