While these products can be safe and effective, they can also interact with other kinds of medicine.
Here’s what you better know about using OTC cold and flu remedies if you take antidepressants.
What Are Medication Interactions?
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Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Interactions
Drug interactions can bepharmacokineticorpharmacodynamic.
Certain ingredients in cold medicine can changehow antidepressants work, including making them less effective.
They can also exacerbate side effects or cause new side effects.
If you have a bad cough that’s been keeping you awake at night, that can be helpful.
However, certain antipsychotics and tranquilizers also have sedative effects.
The combination can cause a serious interaction calledserotonin syndrome.
NSAIDs can increase your risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding.
If the antidepressant you take is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), you should avoid NSAIDs.
Research has shown that taking SSRIs and NSAIDs together can further increase the risk of GI bleeding.
The symptoms of stopping your medication can be severeeven life-threatening.
If you take an antidepressant to manage depression, stopping it could cause your depression symptoms to come back.
You also need to drink plenty of fluids.
Staying home when you’re sick isn’t just about your health.
Takeaways
Antidepressant medications may interact with over-the-counter cold medications.
You should also avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen.
Before taking any medication or supplement, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to help avoid potential drug interactions.
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Gabriel M, Sharma V.Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.CMAJ.
2017;189(21):E747.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159843
Irwin MR.Why sleep is important for health: A psychoneuroimmunology perspective.Annu Rev Psychol.
