Posted by Elizabeth on March 22, 2002, at 21:16:46
In reply to Anybody else hate tricyclic antidepressants? , posted by OldSchool on March 20, 2002, at 17:51:30
Hi dude. Yeah, TCAs can cause hypertension (just like Effexor can), although hypotension is the more common and better known side effect. How high did your BP get, BTW?
I wouldn't say I "hate" TCAs, but they're definitely not for me. I'm sure I've told the tale of what happened when I was taking desipramine (my serum level turned out to be very high). That was the only TCA I tolerated at the usual dose; the others all had nasty side effects at low doses (probably had high levels of those too, but I never got it checked until I tried DMI).
I think the risks of TCAs aren't taken seriously enough by pdocs.
> I am also very very skeptical about this claim that tricyclics are better than plain old SSRIs for severe depression.
"Severe depression" can mean a lot of different things. I think TCAs are better than SSRIs for some types of severe depression. I wonder if most people who respond to TCAs might also respond equally or better to Remeron or Effexor, tho'.
> TCAs makes me feel like Im sedated off my ass all the time, but with cardio probs.
Ever try desipramine? It doesn't have much in the way of anticholinergic effects, and it's not very sedating. I didn't have any side effects at all until that weird seizure/confusional state thing happened.
> God I am so disgusted feeling, when my BP spikes I feel like total crud.
I can relate to that.
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:99075
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020322/msgs/99552.html