Antidepressants for Cancer Pain

Different antidepressants have different side effects. If you have severe side effects from one drug, your doctor may give you a different one.

Most side effects decrease over time. They may include:

• Constipation. Make sure you drink enough fluids while you are taking any of these drugs. Most adults should drink between 8 and 10 glasses of water or noncaffeinated beverages each day. Include fruits, vegetables, and fiber in your diet each day.
• Diarrhea.
• Dry mouth.
• Nausea.
• Changes in appetite or weight.
• Nervousness or anxiety.
• Blurred vision or Reference glaucoma Opens New Window that gets worse.
• Drowsiness or insomnia.
• Low blood pressure.
• Tremors and sweating.
• Urinary retention.
• Headache.
• Decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

FDA advisory. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Reference advisory on antidepressant medicines and the risk of suicide. The FDA does not recommend that people stop using these medicines. Instead, a person taking antidepressants should be watched for Reference warning signs of suicide. This is especially important at the beginning of treatment or when doses are changed.

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