Cipralex: Dealing with Side Effects of Antidepressant

Cipralex is a prescription medicine that belongs to the class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by enhancing levels of neurotransmitter serotonin responsible for improving mood.

The nerve cells in your brain transmit signals among themselves using chemicals like serotonin. Once the message is passed, the cells take the chemical inside the cell to send the next signal. This process is called “reuptake.”

SSRIs such as Cipralex prevent this reuptake, boosting serotonin levels in the brain and improving your mood and other symptoms. It is commonly used as it is effective has fewer side-effects compared to other types of antidepressants.

So, if you have depression or generalized anxiety disorder, your doctor is most likely to prescribe this medicine. Although the drug is relatively safe, like all other medicines, it has some side-effects.

While some of these are trivial, others may be severe and impact your health.

Understanding the side effects can help you to figure out the plan of action.

Table of Contents

Common Side Effects, How Common Are They?

As discussed before, Cipralex is well tolerated compared to other antidepressants.

In cases where side-effects are present, some common ones could be:

Common Side effects

Adults

Sleepiness
Dizziness
Anxiety
Sexual problems
Shaking
Dry mouth
Infection
Nausea
Weakness
Anxiety
Sleeping trouble
Sweating
Loss of appetitive
Constipation
Yawning

Children and adolescents

Agitation
Increased muscle movements
Trouble urinating
Weight change
Increased thirst
Slowed growth
Heavy menstrual periods
Nosebleeds

The mentioned side effects are mild and are likely to subside on their own.

Serious side effects

Suicidal thoughts or behavior
Violent actions or aggressiveness
Panic attack or anxiety that is new or getting worse
Feeling angry, restless, or irritable
Felling to act on violent impulses
A significant increase in activity
Trouble in sleeping

Severe allergic reaction

It can have the following symptoms:

Swelling of tongue, mouth, face, or eyes
Breathing difficulty
Severe itching or blisters
Fever with joint pain
Convulsion or seizures

Serotonin syndrome

It is a condition where the serotonin levels in your body are high, mainly caused if you also take some other medicine that increases serotonin levels such as lithium and SSRIs.

Some common symptoms are:

Hallucinations
Problems in co-ordination
Twitching muscles
Racing heartbeat
Agitation
Fever or sweating
Low or high blood pressure
Coma
Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea
Low salt levels
Muscle stiffness

Low salt levels can cause dehydration and the mentioned symptoms:

Confusion
Memory or thinking problems
Unsteadiness
Headache
Difficulty in concentration
Weakness
Seizures

Manic episodes

If you have bipolar disorder, taking Cipralex without other medicine may result in maniac episodes.

Some common symptoms include:

Severe sleeping trouble
Reckless behavior
Talking more than normal or quickly
Greatly increased energy
Racing thoughts
Unusually grand ideas
Excessive irritability or happiness

Vision problems

Cipralex may dilate your pupils, increasing the risk of glaucoma.

Symptoms include:

Changes in your vision
Eye pain
Redness or swelling in or around your eye

What To Do When Experiencing Each?

Cipralex can cause a range of side effects. This part will deal with how you can manage some common adverse effects.

Nausea

It is commonly faced early in the treatment and usually subsides once your body adapts to the medicine.

You can do the following to manage nausea

Eat smaller meals and have them more frequently
Drink plenty of fluids
Take Cipralex after food, unless directed otherwise
Suck on a sugarless hard candy
Talk to your doctor if it lasts for long or you are not able to manage it

Weight gain

The weight gain could be due to water retention or lack of physical activity. Besides, once your depression eases off your appetite may increase. If you are concerned with weight gain, you can talk to your doctor and discuss ways to manage it.

Some tips that may help are:

Include low-calorie nutritious food items
Cut back on sugary drinks and sweets
Track your diet using a food diary
Be physically active
Take help from a registered dietitian
Talk to your doctor about altering the dose or changing the medicine

Fatigue and Drowsiness

You can try the following:

Do some physical activity such as walking or running
Take a nap during the day
Take Cipralex at bedtime or evening if your doctor agrees
Avoid driving and operating dangerous machinery
Talk to your doctor about changing the dose

Sleep Problems

The following can help:

Avoid caffeinated drinks and foods, especially late in the day
Exercise regularly
Take Cipralex in the morning if your doctor approves

If it is too problematic, you can talk to your doctor about taking a sedative medicine.

Dry mouth

Here are some tips that can help:

Suck on sugarless hard candy or chew sugarless gum
Breathe through the nose instead of your mouth
Suck on ice chips or sip water regularly
Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and caffeinated beverages, which make the mouth even drier
Floss daily and brush twice a day

If it becomes bothersome, talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of Cipralex for you.

Constipation

Cipralex may alter the functioning of your digestive system and other organs and thus cause constipation. The mentioned tips can come hand in such cases:

Eat high-fiber food, including fresh fruits and vegetables
Drink enough water
Take a fiber supplement
Exercise regularly

You can consult your doctors for stool softeners if all these measures are not helpful.

Dizziness

The following can help prevent or manage dizziness:

Use canes or handrails for support
Rise slowly from sitting or sleeping position
Avoid tobacco, caffeine, or alcohol
Avoid operating machinery and driving
Take medicine at bedtime if your doctor is okay with it
Drink enough fluids

Agitation, restlessness, anxiety

Cipralex may cause restlessness, agitation, or anxiety due to its stimulating effect on the brain. It may be a problem when you want to relax but are unable to.

The following can help:

Try muscle relaxation, deep-breathing exercises, or yoga
Exercise regularly, including biking, jogging, aerobics, or walking

You can even talk to your doctor about switching to an antidepressant with a sedating effect or one that is not stimulating. Also, be alert for impulsive or racing thoughts with high energy as they can be signs of bipolar disorder. In such cases, talk to your doctor immediately.

Sexual side effects

Cipralex may reduce your sex drive or cause difficulty in reaching orgasm. It may also cause erectile dysfunction in men

You can try the following:

Talk to your doctor about taking the medicine once-a-day if you are taking it more than once
You can even talk to your doctor about switching to medicine with fewer side effects
Talk to your partner and communicate your problems. Adjusting your sexual routine and indulging in more extended foreplay may help.

If nothing works, you can also consult your doctor about medicines such as Viagra to temporarily improve erectile dysfunction.

When And How To Seek Medical Help To Treat Side Effects

While most side effects are mild and short-lived, it is best to consult your doctor if you have the following symptoms:

Symptoms of Overdose

Being sick
A fast heart rate
Seizures
Feeling agitated
Shaking

Serious Side Effects

Passing out or severe dizziness
Painful erections that last for more than four hours
Bleeding that does not stop within ten minutes
Long-lasting weakness or confusion
Constant headaches
Frequent muscle cramps
Suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself
High temperature with confusion, twitching, agitation, and trembling
Signs of gastrointestinal bleeding such as the coughing of vomit, vomiting blood, red or black stools, and blood in your pee
Bruises without apparent injury
Bleeding from the gums
Weight loss or gain without trying
Changes in periods such as bleeding or spotting between periods or heavy bleeding

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction