SSRI drugs are very effective in providing symptomatic relief to women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Though these drugs are the safest of all groups of anti-depressants, there are indications when SSRIs should not be used.
What SSRI drugs are:
SSRI is abbreviation for ‘Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor’ family of drugs. These drugs enable the brain to better utilize serotonin, the neurotransmitter that impacts the mood of a person. A good supply of serotonin to each brain cell as it flows through them is essential for maintenance of a good mood. However, if the serotonin supply falls below optimum, the person suffers a bad mood resulting in depression or generalized anxiety problems. It should be noted that SSRIs do not produce more serotonin in the brain. They just inhibit the retention of small quantities of serotonin by each brain cell through which the neurotransmitter circulates. By inhibiting such retention, each brain cell gets more serotonin when the stream of serotonin enters it and passes on to the next cell. In reality, it is not as simple as written here, but it helps give a rough idea about how SSRIs improve mood.
Why SSRIs are effective in PMS and PMDD:
Emotional symptoms with different levels of intensity are common in women suffering from PMS or PMDD. Emotional symptoms are manifestations of depression. In PMS (which afflicts 85% of women), the symptoms of depression are relatively mild. In PMDD (which afflicts 3%-8% of women), they are much stronger and even lead to aggression on part of the patient. Since, SSRIs are anti-depressants, they impact on the depression-causing condition in the brain, thus reducing depression. Note that SSRIs don’t impact the women’s gynecological system in any discernible way.
When not to take SSRI:
Though SSRIs are the safest anti-depressants, they do have serious potential side-effects if taken in certain conditions of existing disease, or in variance from the doctor’s prescription. The following are the conditions in which SSRIs must NOT be used:
- History of mania or bipolar depression
- Seizure disorder
- Already under a medication for any ailment
It is possible that your doctor might make an exception and prescribe an SSRI for your PMS or PMDD despite you fulfilling one or more of the above three points. In such a case, it is most likely to be Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate), a very safe drug that has been useful in treating conditions that were beyond the scope of older SSRIs. But, leave the decision to the doctor.
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Tags: Bipolar, depression, dysphoric disorders, Lexapro, Mania, PMDD, PMS, premenstrual syndrome, Seizure, SSRI
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