Antidepressants for Hot Flushes

Have you been prescribed antidepressants to treat hot flushes or hot flashes even though you do not feel depressed? Yes, antidepressants can be used to treat hot flushes.

Antidepressants for Hot Flushes

Can antidepressants be used to treat hot flushes or hot flashes?

Yes, antidepressants can be used to treat hot flushes. On page two in Non-Hormonal Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms: Antidepressants, updated February 2025, the Australasian Menopause Society note:

“Antidepressants (usually low dose) have been used for many years and some types help about 70% of women with more severe flushes and sweats. Options in this class of drugs include:

  • Venlafaxine (a Serotonin-Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitor or SNRI)
  • Escitalopram and paroxetine (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs).

Paroxetine might decrease the effectiveness of tamoxifen, a medication sometimes used for women living with breast cancer. If this is an issue, ask your doctor about other options”.

In Treatments for Menopause: Non-Hormone Treatments for Menopause – Non-Hormone Medicine: Antidepressants, last updated 13 May 2025, the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health explain:

“Some antidepressants have been shown to relieve hot flushes. For example, venlafaxine, paroxetine, escitalopram and fluoxetine. Side effects may include nausea, dry mouth, hot flushes, sweats and insomnia.

Note: Paroxetine and fluoxetine can reduce the effectiveness of some cancer treatment medicines”.

In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment: Antidepressants, dated 04 March 2025, the (United States) Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

Antidepressants for Hot Flushes

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves only one treatment that doesn’t use hormones for hot flashes. The treatment is a low-dose form of paroxetine (Brisdelle).

Other antidepressants that have been used to treat hot flashes include:

  • Venlafaxine (Effexor XR)
  • Paroxetine (Paxil)
  • Citalopram (Celexa)
  • Escitalopram (Lexapro)

Antidepressants don’t work as well as hormone therapy for strong hot flashes. But they can help people who can’t use hormones. Possible side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping or feeling sleepy, weight gain, dry mouth or trouble having sex”.

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Menopausal Hormone Therapy, published online 30 October 2023, the authors include:

The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are effective in some, but not all, women with VMS. Paroxetine, 7.5 mg/day, has regulatory approval for VMS in the USA”.

Hot Flushes + Depression

Do antidepressants used to manage hot flushes also treat depression?

In Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? Non-Hormonal Medications To Treat Hot Flashes the (United States) National Institute on Aging (NIA) note:

“People who take an antidepressant to help manage hot flashes generally take a lower dose than people who use the medication to treat depression or other psychiatric conditions”.

Off Label

What does “off-label” mean?

In Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? Non-Hormonal Medications To Treat Hot Flashes: Care and Treatment – How Do I Treat A Hot Flash?, dated 21 October 2024, the (United States) Cleveland Clinic’s definition is:

“Some prescription medications are used as off-label treatments to help reduce hot flashes. Using a product “off label” means that it’s not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of hot flashes, but it can be safe and effective as a treatment option”.

Health Care Provider

What if I would like to try an antidepressant to treat my hot flushes?

In Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? Non-Hormonal Medications To Treat Hot Flashes: Care and Treatment – How Do I Treat A Hot Flash? the Cleveland Clinic also note:

Antidepressants for Hot Flushes“It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about any treatment option and discuss the pros and cons. Your provider is aware of your medical history. Some treatment options may not be safe to take with your other medications or other medical conditions”.

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New or Updated

  1. Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  2. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  3. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  4. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  5. Experts Answer Your Menopause Questions In New Video
  6. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  7. Find An AMS Member [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  8. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  9. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? Non-Hormonal Medications To Treat Hot Flashes: Care and Treatment – How Do I Treat A Hot Flash?
  10. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis – Treatment: Antidepressants
  11. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
  12. How Fezolinetant Advances Non-Hormonal Treatment of Hot Flashes [Video]
  13. How To Talk To Your Doctor About Menopause
    Antidepressants for Hot Flushes
  14. Managing Menopause Symptoms [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  15. Menopause Map: My Personal Path Print Tools – Questions for Your Health Care Provider
    Antidepressants for Hot Flushes
  16. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
  17. Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] [07 November 2024]
  18. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
  19. Non-Hormonal Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms: Antidepressants
  20. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  21. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
  22. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
  23. Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats
  24. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  25. The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
  26. Treatments for Menopause
  27. Updated 2024 NICE Menopause Guidance Summary [08 November 2024]
  28. Webinars: Previous – IMS & ISE Symposium: What’s Hot? Options for Treatment of Hot Flushes 2025
  29. Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  30. Webinars: Previous – Non-Pharmacological Interventions For VMS

Last Updated: 24 August 2025 – Last Revised: 24 August 2025
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