Finding the right depression medication can be tricky. Every person may react differently to an antidepressant, so it can be difficult for someone to predict how effective a medication will be or which side effects will occur. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration states that only 20 to 30 percent of people taking antidepressant medication will respond to the first medication they try. Therefore, it is important to learn how to carefully evaluate each depression medication you take to determine if it is the best one for you.
Step 1
Ask your doctor how long it should take for the medication to work properly. Many people mistakenly believe that antidepressant medications should work immediately, but this is rarely the case. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, it may take up to eight weeks before you may see a noticeable difference in your depression symptoms. Therefore, wait until the end of the time period indicated by your doctor before you start the evaluation process.
Step 2
Consider whether your doctor personalized your antidepressant. Your doctor should have looked at your medical background, the specific symptoms of your depression and considered your wishes when deciding which antidepressant medication to prescribe. For example, Dr. Mitchell Mathis, the deputy director of the Division of Psychiatry Products at the Food and Drug Administration, suggests that if you are having difficulty sleeping due to your depression, your doctor should take this into consideration and prescribe a medication that has sedative properties. If your doctor did not take the time to match the antidepressant to your specific depression symptoms, it may be worthwhile to talk to him to see if another medication may work better.
Step 3
Examine your side effects. According to the FDA, most people taking antidepressants will experience at least one side effect. Take a close look at your side effects and determine if the effectiveness of the medication is worth the inconvenience of the side effects. If not, let your doctor know so another depression medication can be tried. Furthermore, if you have any side effects that may indicate a more serious medical condition is developing, talk to your doctor at once about switching your medication.
Step 4
Tweak your dosage, if necessary. Sometimes the problem isn't with the medication itself, but with the dosage. Before switching to a different depression medication, talk to your doctor to determine if adjusting the dosage of your current medication may be beneficial.
Step 5
Try a different type of antidepressant. There are many types of antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) , atypical antidepressants, tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Each type of depression medication works in a slightly different way and may be more or less effective depending on your specific situation. If the medication you were on did not work appropriately after the designated amount of time and adjusting the dosage did not help, switching to another type of antidepressant may work.
Step 6
Be patient. For some people, it may take several attempts at different medications before finding one that works for them. However, for the vast majority of people, there is a medication out there that will prove successful. So keep evaluating, trying and adjusting until you find the one that works for you.
Tips and Warnings
- Although there is no way to predict the antidepressant that will work best for you, blood tests can help determine genetic factors that may indicate which antidepressants will not work for you or which ones may cause the worst side effects, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you are having trouble finding the right antidepressant for you, consider talking to your doctor about these blood tests.
- Many antidepressants have the potential for very serious side effects, including suicidal thoughts and tendencies. If you experience any of these side effects, do not wait to see if they go away. Instead, call your doctor immediately. According to the Food and Drug Administration, about 10 percent of all people are resistant to all antidepressant medications. If you think you may fall into this category, talk to your doctor to explore other treatment options for your depression.
