Understanding SSRI Side Effects
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If you have been prescribed an SSRI antidepressant, side effects are a common occurrence. While many are mild and may be preferable to the symptoms of depression, some SSRI side effects can be quite serious.
General SSRI Side Effects
Some estimates have found over one-third of SSRI users had insomnia and nearly that many report nausea. About 20% of SSRI patients experienced weakness and headaches, while others had diarrhea, weight loss and anxiety.
On rare occasions, patients using SSRI developed arthritis, acne, diabetes, asthma and heart problems. Although these problems may affect the general population, some specific side effects seemed to target certain groups of users.
Children and SSRI
Prozac is currently the only antidepressant in its class that is approved by the FDA for use by children with depression. SSRI is a type of drug called a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, or SSRI. SSRIs like work in the brain to balance the brain chemicals affecting mood. However, studies have shown that SSRIs, including SSRI, may increase the occurrence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, particularly in children and young adults.
Pregnant Women and SSRI Side Effects
One of the most disturbing aspects of SSRI side effects are the ramifications it can have when a women takes the drug while she is pregnant. Many women have conditions that require them to take medicine even after they become pregnant. In the case of depression, it is often very beneficial to continue taking medicine in order to regulate moods. Studies have shown that babies who are born to mothers with untreated depression often have a lower birth weight and size than babies whose mothers are not depressed. In addition, an untreated depressed mother-to-be may engage in other behaviors?i.e. smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol?that are risky for the unborn baby.
However, when women take SSRI drugs during the pregnancy, they are more likely to deliver a baby with a birth defect. Although scientists are not certain of the cause, babies whose mothers took SSRI in the first trimester are at a higher risk for heart defects. When SSRI is taken in the third trimester, babies are at a higher risk of being born with a serious breathing condition called Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN).
Use of an SSRI during pregnancy is also linked to omphalocele and craniosynostosis; birth defects in which the baby?s abdomen and skull do not develop properly.
Class Action Lawsuits
Numerous lawsuits have been filed against SSRI manufacturers, asserting that the companies did not do enough to inform patients and doctors of the dangers of the SSRI side effects. If you have taken SSRI during your pregnancy, and your baby had a birth defect, you may have important legal rights including being part of a class action lawsuit.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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