Guide to Wellness – July 2019

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Meds and Your Mood

24 GUIDE TO WELLNESS CR.ORG

Never stop

a regular

prescription

drug

without

discussing

it with your

doctor.

1. BETA-BLOCKERS
   AND ACE INHIBITORS
   (BLOOD PRESSURE
   DRUGS) metoprolol,
   atenolol, enalapril,
   and quinapril.


2. ANTIDEPRESSANTS
   sertraline (Zoloft
   and generic),
   citalopram (Celexa
   and generic),
   bupropion
   (Wellbutrin and
   generic), and
   amitriptyline.
   3. ANTI-ANXIETY
   DRUGS alprazolam
   (Xanax and generic),
   clonazepam
   (Klonopin and
   generic), diazepam
   (Valium and
   generic), and
   lorazepam (Ativan
   and generic),
   as well as the
   sedative zolpidem
   (Ambien and
   generic).
   4. OPIOIDS
   hydrocodone
   combination meds
   (Lorcet, Norco,
   Vicodin, and more,
   and generic), and
   tramadol (ConZip).
   5. CORTICOSTEROIDS
   prednisone and
   others.
   6. OVER-THE-
   COUNTER PROTON
   PUMP INHIBITORS
   omeprazole
   (Prilosec, Zegerid,
   and generic) and
   esomeprazole
   (Nexium and
   generic), as well
   as the antacids
   ranitidine (Zantac
   and generic)
   and famotidine
   (Pepcid and
   generic).
   7. ALLERGY
   AND ASTHMA
   MEDICATIONS
   over-the-counter
   cetirizine (Zyrtec
   and generic) and
   the prescription
   drug montelukast
   (Singulair).
   8. ANTICONVULSANTS
   gabapentin
   (Neurontin and
   generic) and
   topiramate
   (Topamax and
   generic).
   9. HORMONES
   estradiol
   (Delestrogen,
   Elestrin, EstroGel,
   and generic)
   and finasteride
   (Proscar, Propecia,
   and generic).

9 Drug Types That May

Cause Depression

Be aware that these meds can affect mood

Watch Your New Meds

Drug-related depression

symptoms can crop up at any

time, but you’re most likely

to see them within the first

month of use, Olfson says.

So every time your physician

prescribes a new medication,

ask whether depression is

a possible side effect. If so, jot

down any mood-related side

effects you notice. Note the

day and time when symptoms

occur, and whether they’re

recurring. Report any symp-

toms that persist for more

than a week or two to your

doctor immediately.

Ask About a Change

If medication seems to be

the cause, talk to your doc-

tor. Sometimes the fix is as

simple as cutting the dosage.

For instance, if your doctor

prescribes a lower but still

effective dosage of a blood

pressure- lowering beta-

blocker and your depres sion

eases, that may be a sign

that your mood changes

were drug-related, says Ana

María López, M.D., president

of the American College

of Physicians.

If the lower dosage makes

little difference in mood or

doesn’t work well for your

physical health, your doctor

should switch you to another

class of drugs, says Philip

Muskin, M.D., professor of

psychiatry at Columbia Uni-

versity Irving Medical Center.

Depending on your health

status, you may be able to

stop taking a medication alto-

gether—but never stop a regu-

lar prescription drug without

discussing it with your doctor.

Explore Lifestyle Fixes

If you can’t reduce a dosage

or stop taking a medication,

talk to your doctor about

other strategies. “We can

talk with a patient about life-

style changes that may help—

for example, starting a daily

walking routine if you’ve

been sedentary, because exer-

cise can help improve mood,

or having you increase your

social connections, because

a sense of belonging can

also improve mood,” López

says. One recent study found

that 28 percent of sedentary

people being treated for

depression reported improve-

ments three months after

beginning a moderate or brisk

walking routine.

The next step might be talk

therapy—or, if your symptoms

linger, antidepressant medi-

cation. Keep in mind that

certain antidepressants may

trigger anxiety.