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
Why can antidepressants be used to treat hot flushes or hot flashes?
On page two in Menopause Management Options: Non-Hormonal Options – Non-hormonal Prescription Medication: Antidepressants the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:
Note: Paroxetine and fluoxetine can reduce the effectiveness of some cancer treatment medicines”.
In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment: Antidepressants the (United States), dated 20 December 2023, Mayo Clinic elaborate on:
“A low-dose form of paroxetine (Brisdelle) is the only nonhormone treatment for hot flashes approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Other antidepressants that have been used to treat hot flashes include:
- Venlafaxine (Effexor XR)
- Paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva)
- Citalopram (Celexa)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)
These medications aren’t as effective as hormone therapy for severe hot flashes, but they can be helpful to women who can’t use hormones. Possible side effects include nausea, difficulty sleeping or drowsiness, weight gain, dry mouth or sexual dysfunction”.
In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Menopausal Hormone Therapy, published online 30 October 2023, the authors elaborate on:
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.
Fezolinetant is a neurokinin 3B receptor antagonist that acts centrally in the brain to reduce VMS. It may improve sleep quality by reducing nocturnal VMS. Fezolinetant has been approved for the treatment of VMS at a dose of 45 mg/day in some countries.
Low-dose oxybutynin has been found to be effective for treatment of VMS either as a standard low-dose or extended-release formulation.
Other potential, but probably less effective, options include clonidine and gabapentin/pregabalin. Clonidine may be prescribed for VMS for women who cannot take estrogen at a dose of 100–150 μg/day, although the effect is modest and it is not consistently recommended…”.
2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
What did the Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society include
In The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Methods Prescription Therapies: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors, published May 2023, the authors elaborate on:
What is VMS?
VMS can be an abbreviation for Vasomotor Symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats.
What is RCTs?
RCTs can be an abbreviation for Randomized Controlled Trials.
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:
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 the NIA also note:
“As with any medication, talk with your doctor about whether this is the right medication for you and how you might manage any possible side effects”.Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Antidepressants for Hot Flushes?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
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Where may I find Links related to Antidepressants for Hot Flushes?
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- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
- Experts Answer Your Menopause Questions In New Video
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- Hot Flashes: Care and Treatment – How Do I Treat A Hot Flash? Prescription Medications Nonhormonal Prescription Medications
- Hot Flashes: Diagnosis – Treatment: Antidepressants
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- How Fezolinetant Advances Non-Hormonal Treatment of Hot Flashes [Video]
- How To Talk To Your Doctor About Menopause
- Managing Menopause Symptoms [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Menopause Map: My Personal Path Print Tools – Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
- Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] [07 November 2024]
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Shedding Light on the Menopause Experience and Demystifying Treatment
- The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
- The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
- The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
- Updated 2024 NICE Menopause Guidance Summary [08 November 2024]
- Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
- Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
- Webinars: Previous – Non-Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
- World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women [Multiply Languages]
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