Depression (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Depression Overview
- Depression Facts/Statistics
- Depression Causes
- Depression Signs and Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Depression Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Medications
- Other Therapy
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Getting Help: Support Groups and Counseling
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
- Depression Overview - Slideshow
When to Seek Medical Care
If you feel that you are depressed, you may wish to talk about your feelings with a family member or a close friend. Communication is one of the keys to early diagnosis and treatment. People close to you may have felt you were depressed. With their encouragement, you should call your health-care provider.
If you feel someone else is depressed, talk to the person.
- You may notice a person showing the signs of depression mentioned under Symptoms. If you observe feelings of worthlessness, excessive guilt, hopelessness, or any suicidal thoughts, contact a health-care provider immediately.
- With mild or moderately severe symptoms of short duration (weeks), it may be reasonable to contact a health-care provider for an appointment.
- It is often helpful to accompany a family member or friend to the medical office and offer support as needed.
- If the person has severe symptoms, cannot care for himself or herself, or is threatening to harm himself or herself, seek immediate treatment in a hospital emergency department.
After you are diagnosed with depression, your health-care provider will usually want you to be in frequent contact. You (or your family) may need to contact your primary-care provider, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental-health professional if any of these events occur:
- You are experiencing any unexpected or serious medication side effects.
- You start any new medication.
- You develop additional symptoms of depression, particularly if those symptoms are severe or develop rapidly.
- You feel that you are having setbacks and your present therapy is ineffective.
- You continue to suffer from bouts of anxiety and depression.
- You have trouble coping with your feelings and are starting to feel as if you are losing control.
Although health-insurance restrictions have resulted in hospitalizations occurring less frequently than in years past, hospitalization may be necessary with severe depression. You may choose to come to the hospital for evaluation, or your family or friends may need to bring you to the hospital for evaluation in these circumstances:
- You have thoughts of hurting yourself.
- You have thoughts of hurting someone else.
- You are no longer able to care for yourself.
- You refuse to follow through with important treatment recommendations, such as taking your medication.
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Antidepressant Side Effects
A new study says over half of all people treated with antidepressants stop taking them because of side effects. See more WebMD Videos »
Cymbalta is approved for the treatment of depression.
Important Safety Information
Cymbalta® (duloxetine HCl) is approved for the treatment of depression and generalized anxiety disorder, and for the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia.
What should I talk about with my healthcare provider?
Patients on antidepressants and their families or caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, thoughts of suicide, anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, restlessness, or extreme hyperactivity. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have thoughts of suicide or if any of these symptoms are severe or occur suddenly. Be especially observant within the first few months of antidepressant treatment or whenever there is a change in dose.
You should also know that:
- ·Suicide is a known risk of depression and some other psychiatric disorders.
- ·Antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts or behaviors in some children, adolescents, and young adults especially within the first few months of treatment or when changing the dose. No increased risk has been shown for adults over age 24, and risk decreased for those over age 65.
- ·All patients starting therapy should be monitored appropriately and observed closely for new or worsening depression symptoms, suicidal thoughts or behavior, or unusual changes in behavior.
- ·Cymbalta® is not approved for use in patients under age 18.
Who should NOT take Cymbalta?
You should not take Cymbalta if:
- ·You have recently taken a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)
- ·You have uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma (an eye disease)
- ·You are taking Mellaril® (thioridazine)
What other important information should I discuss with my healthcare provider?
Before starting Cymbalta, tell your healthcare provider:
- ·about all of your medical conditions, including kidney problems, glaucoma, or diabetes
- ·about your alcohol use
- ·if you are taking nonprescription or prescription medicines, including those for migraine, to address a possible life threatening condition
- ·if you are taking NSAID pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners. Use with Cymbalta may increase bleeding risk
- ·if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant during therapy, or are breastfeeding an infant
While taking Cymbalta, tell your healthcare provider:
- ·if you have itching, right upper belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, which may be signs of liver problems. Severe liver problems, sometimes fatal, have been reported
- ·if you have high fever, confusion, and stiff muscles to address a possible life-threatening condition
- ·before stopping Cymbalta or changing your dose
- ·if you experience dizziness or fainting upon standing, especially when first starting Cymbalta or when increasing the dose. Your healthcare provider may periodically check your blood pressure while you are taking Cymbalta
If you have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider before taking Cymbalta.
What are the possible side effects of Cymbalta?
The most common side effect of Cymbalta was nausea. For most people who had it, the nausea was mild to moderate. Other common side effects included dry mouth, sleepiness, constipation, decreased appetite, and, increased sweating. This is not a complete list of side effects.
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Depression »
Major depression, also known as unipolar depression, is one of the more commonly encountered psychiatric disorders.
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