Doctor reveals Common Antidepressant Patients should Avoid

In a TikTok video, a doctor revealed the medication he avoids prescribing to patients – including a common antidepressant.

Doctor reveals Common Antidepressant Patients should Avoid f

"The only thing is there's a far better alternative"

A doctor revealed the medication he avoids prescribing to patients, including an antidepressant taken by millions of people.

UK-based GP Dr Ahmed told his TikTok followers that some medications “don’t work very well” and others just have “too many side effects”.

In the video, he said there are usually better alternatives.

One medication listed by Dr Ahmed is citalopram, a type of antidepressant known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).

Some of the side effects include tiredness, nervousness, a dry mouth and sweating.

But that is not why Dr Ahmed avoids prescribing it.

Instead, he claims there are better ways to treat depression.

Dr Ahmed said: “I don’t particularly have a huge issue with citalopram.

“The only thing is there’s a far better alternative called escitalopram which studies have shown it works far better to treat depression and I found this in my own clinical practice.”

There are a few differences between the two drugs.

One is that twice as much citalopram is needed to have the same effect as escitalopram.

According to the NHS, escitalopram can also be useful for anxiety and is also used to treat social anxiety disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as well as depression.

Dr Ahmed also advised against gabapentin, which is taken to treat nerve pain and epilepsy.

He said: “The issue I have with gabapentin is that there’s no real evidence that it actually works that well for pain.

“Even when it does work, the doses you need are so high.

“So, most of the time people stay on it for many years, get the dose increased every few months and all it does is make them sleepy, cause confusion and reduce their memory.”

Some of gabapentin’s side effects include tiredness, nausea, swollen arms and legs, a dry mouth and blurred vision.

@dra_says These are 3 medications I avoid prescribing as there are better alternatives or they cause too many side effects. #migraines #headaches #depressionanxiety #depression #anxiety #stress #pain #chronicpain #fibromyalgia #nervepain #chronicfatigue #backpainrelief #doctor #privatedoctor #gabapentin #painkiller #bloodtest #medicationsideeffects #herbalpainrelief #herbalmedication #doxtor #miltonkeynes #miltonkeynesbloggers ? original sound – Dr Ahmed

The third drug Dr Ahmed advised against is sumatriptan – a medication used to treat migraines and cluster headaches.

The medic prefers zolmitriptan, another type of drug known as a triptan that works to relieve headaches in a slightly different way.

He said:

“You need a lower dose and it’s far more effective.”

Triptans are often given in cases where painkillers do not work.

They have a different mechanism of action than painkillers and work by imitating the action of a brain chemical called 5-hydroxytryptamine, also known as serotonin.

Bursts of the hormone, which is known for boosting mood, can cause headaches due to its effect on the blood vessels inside the brain.

One study showed that 2.5 mg and 5 mg of zolmitriptan was as effective as 10 times the dose of sumatriptan at treating migraines.

Lead Editor Dhiren is our news and content editor who loves all things football. He also has a passion for gaming and watching films. His motto is to "Live life one day at a time".




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