Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or MAOIs, are antidepressant medications that became the first such drugs on the market in the 1950s, according to the Mayo Clinic. They have been superseded by newer types of antidepressants that have fewer side effects for many people but still are in use. MAOIs are believed to work by keeping the level of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine at sufficient quantities. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has approved four main MAOIs for use in the fight against depression. These are selegiline, tranylcypromine, phenelzine and isocarboxazid.
Serious Common Side Effects
While the serious common side effects of MAOIs may vary depending on which drug you take, there are many potential problems, although you may not experience any of them. If you do, call your physician immediately. These side effects include sensations on the skin such as tingling, burning, prickling, crawling, numbness and itching, restlessness, fainting, fear and confusion. Others are an inability to sit still, sweating, trembling, bodily shaking particularly in the extremities, dizziness, tachycardia (fast heartbeat) and nervousness. There also is the potential for chills, swelling, cold sweats, urine discoloration, concentration difficulties, fever, headaches, a change in consciousness and reflexes that are overactive.
Serious Rare Side Effects
Other types of side effects are rare. Some of them have been reported by patients who take MAOIs, but there are no clinical studies to suggest how often they occur in people. Some of these include agitation, mental depression, twitching muscles, nausea, hostility, inability to control your bladder, a mental stupor and seizures. Others may include gaining weight rapidly, euphoria, irritability, urination changes such as decreased output, abnormal tiredness, unsteadiness, hallucinations of the visual, auditory or sensory variety and abnormal weakness. Others that occur with unknown incidence, according to the Mayo Clinic, include pain in the chest, anxiety, a coma, lessened bodily motions, hyperventilation, arrhythmia or an irregular heartbeat, lethargy, ejaculation difficulties, insomnia and swelling of the glands, among others.
Temporary Side Effects
Your body, during its acclimation to any drug, may experience side effects that won't remain with you following acclimation. Call a medical professional if these become difficult to deal with or last beyond the first few weeks of starting MAOIs. These may include a lowered libido, a loss of hearing, decreased sexual ability, spasms in the muscles, blurry vision, pain in the abdomen, constipation, a rash or redness on the skin and an appetite loss. Others include having a black tongue, vision impairment, sunlight sensitivity on the skin or a severe sunburn. Some people also have reported sleeping for more hours than normal, dry mouth, impotence, flatulence and indigestion.
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