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The question was submitted 04/02/2008

Subject: Anti depressants and bad dreams and tiredness

Can you explain how a/d cause bad dreams. It was only at my last appointment with my psychiatrist that he said it was the a/d causing the bad dreams and not what I thought it would be the sedatives I am taking.
Also I read what you wrote about being tired and doing the things to stop being tired. How can you do that when you have chronic migraines which start in the early mornings and leave you drained and lethagic and unable to do anything.
Thanks

Answer from DepNet

I cannot really comment on treatments for effects of migraines, but suggest that you speak to your general practitioner, or neurologist if you have one.
Altered dreams are very common on a whole range of antidepressant medications. Sometimes the dreams are more memorable or vivid than usual, at other times, they are odd or weird in nature. As this particular side effect is seen on medications that act only via the neurotransmitter serotonin, such as sertraline, citalopram and escitalopram, it seems logical to assume that the mechanism is serotonergic in nature.

The answer was published on DepNet 05/02/2008