Learn To Cure Acid Reflux Within 2 Days!!!
Click Here
Nortriptyline Side Effects Heartburn
Is Your Antidepressant And Reflux Disease Linked?
There could be a link between antidepressant and reflux disease. Therefore, if you take antidepressants and are suffering from frequent acid reflux/GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), your antidepressant medication could be contributing to the symptoms you are experiencing.
Researchers have discovered that a link between antidepressant and acid reflux does in fact exist. Of course, there are different types of antidepressants and not all of them cause or exacerbate acid reflux symptoms. The type of antidepressant that has been most commonly linked with GERD is known as Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). TCAs are a certain type of antidepressant designed to provide relief from symptoms related to depression such as sadness and irritability.
Tricyclic antidepressants work to restore and balance chemicals within the brain to help treat and prevent depression. However, though effective, these antidepressants also have a number of potential side effects including an increased risk of acid reflux. This link exists because the neurotransmitters the TCAs work on in the brain are the same as those found in the stomach.
Thus, both the brain and stomach are equally affected, which means when the TCAs slow down and relax the muscles in the brain, they also slow down and relax the muscles in the stomach. Hence, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) becomes relaxed, allowing the contents within the stomach to be refluxed back into the esophagus. In addition, the slowing down of stomach muscles can also cause delayed stomach emptying allowing acid to remain longer, increasing the chance of reflux.
The most common acid reflux symptom to watch for if you think your antidepressant medication may be affecting you is heartburn. Heartburn is characterized by a painful, burning sensation within the upper chest.
Though there are other antidepressant medications, tricyclic antidepressants are commonly prescribed to treat a variety of depression disorders. If you are on any of the TCAs that have been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for depression and you suffer from GERD, or are noticing an increase in your acid reflux symptoms (I.E. frequent heartburn), you need to bring this to your doctor's attention.
Tricyclic antidepressants include: Amitriptyline, Amoxapine, Desipramine, Doxepin, Imipramine, Nortriptyline, Protriptyline, and Trimipramine.
Your doctor may be able to suggest or approve another type of medication to treat depression to reduce the chance of reflux disease, however this attempt at switching medications may be unsuccessful. The reason is because there are diverse antidepressant drugs and everyone responds differently to medications. Thus, what works well for someone, may not be beneficial to another. Therefore, if TCAs are the only meds that work for you in terms of bringing depression under control, your only option is to try other methods to prevent or control acid reflux.
To help limit and prevent acid reflux symptoms try the following:
- Increase your intake of water
- Limit or stop consuming alcoholic beverages
- Stop smoking
- Eat frequent and smaller portions of food.
- Avoid foods that can trigger acid reflux or make it worse (i.e. spicy, fatty foods, chocolate, mint, caffeine, citrus fruits and juices)
- Refrain from lying down or exercising at least one hour after eating
- Sleep with your head elevated 4 inches to prevent reflux from occurring while sleeping.
- Manage your stress. Stress can exacerbate GERD symptoms, learn how to reduce your stress by finding ways to relax and release your tension.
Finally, be sure to talk to your doctor about your antidepressant and reflux disease concerns. He or she may be able to help you find a method of acid reflux treatment that works well for you.
About the Author
Grab your free copy of Kathryn Whittaker's brand new Acid Reflux & GERD Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about
acid reflux in toddlers
What Are The Uses Of Carbamazepine? How Does It Help You?
Why is this Carbamazepine prescribed?
Carbamazepine is used alone or in combination with other medicines to contain certain types of seizures. It is also used to treat trigeminal neuralgia (a condition that causes facial nerve pain). Carbamazepine extended release capsules (Equetro brand only) are used to treat episodes of mania (frenzied, abnormally excited or irritated mood) or mixed episodes (symptoms of mania and depression that fall out simultaneously) in patients with bipolar I disorder (manic depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods). Carbamazepine is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. It works by cutting down abnormal electrical action in the brain.
How should this Carbamazepine be used?
Carbamazepine comes as a tablet, a chewable tablet, an extended release (long-acting) tablet, an extended release capsule, and a suspension (liquid) to take by mouth. The regular tablet, chewable tablet, and liquid are normally taken two to four times a day with meals. The extended release tablet is normally taken twice a day with meals. The extended release capsule is normally taken twice a day with or without meals. To help you remember to take carbamazepine, take it at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label cautiously, and ask your physician or pharmacist to explain any part you don't understand. Take carbamazepine precisely as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your physician.
Swallow the extended release tablets entirely; do not split, chew, or crush them. The extended release capsules may be opened and the beads inside sprinkled over food, such as a teaspoon of applesauce or similar food. Do not crush or chew the extended release capsules or the beads inside them.
Shake the liquid well before each use to mix the medication evenly.
Your physician will begin with a low dose of carbamazepine and gradually increase your dose.
Carbamazepine could help control your condition, but will not cure it. It could take a few weeks or longer before you feel the full benefit of carbamazepine. Continue to take carbamazepine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking carbamazepine without talking to your doctor, even if you experience side effects such as unusual changes in behavior or mood. If you bear a seizure disorder and you suddenly stop taking carbamazepine, your seizures could become worse. Your physician will probably decrease your dose gradually.
Are there other uses for this medicine?
Carbamazepine is also occasionally used to treat mental illnesses, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, drug and alcohol withdrawal, restless legs syndrome, diabetes insipid us, certain pain syndromes, and a disease in children called chorea. Talk to your physician about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition.
What special precautions should you follow?
Before consuming carbamazepine,
. Tell your physician and pharmacist if you're allergic to carbamazepine, clomipramine (Anafranil), amoxapine (Asendin), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan), desipramine (Norpramin), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), other medications for seizures such as phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton) or phenytoin (Dilantin), trimipramine (Surmontil), protriptyline (Vivactil), or some other medications.
. You should know that carbamazepine is the active component in several products that have another names and could be prescribed to treat another conditions. Check the list of brand names at the beginning of this document cautiously. All of the products listed contain carbamazepine and you should not take more than one of them at the same time.
. Don't consume carbamazepine if you're consuming monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, including isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl), and tranylcypromine (Parnate), or have stopped consuming them within the past two weeks.
What side effects could this medication cause?
Carbamazepine could cause side effects. Tell your physician if any of these symptoms are serious or do not go away:
. Drowsiness
. Dizziness
. Unsteadiness
. Nausea
. Vomiting
. Headache
. Anxiety
. Memory problems
. Diarrhea
. Constipation
. Heartburn
. Dry mouth
. Back pain
Some side effects could be dangerous. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your physician immediately:
. Confusion
. Loss of contact with reality
. Chest pain
. Yellowing of the skin or eyes
. Vision problems.
About the Author
Seomul Evans is a copywriter with an interest in: Search Marketing, Medical Drugs, and Carbamazepine.
