Medication Side Effects

There's no simple answer to when patients ask what the side effects of a particular medication are. The purpose of this page is to educate you, as our patients, on possible side effects to psychotropic medications by listing a few side effects. However, this does not indicate that these are the only explicit side effects to these medications, for every patient and body may respond differently to the same medications.

Antidepressant Medication

Celexa

Luvox Paxil

Prozac

Zoloft

Lexapro

Headache, dizziness, anorexia (excessive weight loss or weight gain due to usually undue concern about body shape), anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, excessive sweating

Effexor

serzone

trazodone

Nausea, somnolence, insomnia, dizziness, headache, nervousness, dry mouth, anxiety, agitation

cymbalta

Nausea, dry mouth, somnolence, headache, dizziness, constipation, decreased appetite, weakness, increased diaphoresis (excessive sweating)

wellbutrin

Headache, agitation, confusion, psychosis, anxiety, restlessness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, weight loss, tremor, fever

REmeron

Dizziness, drowsiness, diarrhea, sedation, dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, orthostatic hypotension, tachycardia, increase in appetite

Anafranil

elavil

norpramine

pamelor

tofranil

vivactil

Nausea, somnolence, insomnia, dizziness, headache, nervousness, dry mouth, anxiety, agitation

ADHD Medications

Antihistamine

EPS Prevention

Rutalin

strattera

conerta

adderall

Headache, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, Tic, emotional instability, weight loss, anorexia, hypo/hypertension, palpitations, dizziness, dysmenorrhea, (severe uterine pain during menstruation) diarrhea, constipation

Benadryl

atarax

vistaril

phenergan

Dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation, blurred vision, drowsiness, hangover, ataxia, dizziness

cogentin

Dry mouth, sedation, constipation, urinary retention, confusion, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting

Antipsychotic (Typical)

Haldol

mellaril

thorazine

stelazine

navane

prolixin

trilafon

Sedation, dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, urinary retention, tardive dyskinesia (involuntary/repetitive body movements), cognitive impairment, akathisia, (unpleasant sensations of "inner" restlessness and inability to sit still or remain motionless) parkinsonism (tremors, rigidity & postural instability), orthostatic hypotension (blood pressure suddenly falls when the person stands up), seizures, and weight gain.
Note - Mellaril may cause QTC prolongation (EKG abnormality)

Antipsychotic (Atypical)

geodon

risperdal

seroquel

zyprexa

invega

abilify

Tardive, dyskinesia, cognitive impairment, akathisia, parkinsonism, orthostatic hypotension, weight gain, hyperlipidemia, (presence of raised or abnormal levels of lipids in the blood).
Note - Geodon may cause QTC prolongation

Anti-Anxiety Medications

Ativan

klonopin

librium

serax

xanax

valium

Sedation, drowsiness, morning hangover, ataxia (gross lack of coordination of muscle movement), respiratory depression, headache, hypotension, disorientation, rash, apnea (suspension of external breathing)

Buspar

Dizziness, headache, fatigue, drowsiness, nervousness, nausea, diarrhea

Mood Stabilizer Medications

Lithium

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, fine hand tremor, polyuria, (passage of large volumes of urine), polydipsia, (excessive thirst), dehydration, sluggish, drowsiness, leukocytosis (raised white blood cell count), diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, weight gain

Depakote

Depakene

Pancreatitis, diarrhea, constipation, altered appetite, leucopenia (decrease in white blood cells), thrombocytopenia, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, ataxia, hepatotoxicity (liver damage)

tegretol

Drowsiness, ataxia, rash, confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, nystagmus, diarrhea, congestive heart failure, syncope (fainting), hypertension, hypotension, hepatitis, leukopenia, leukocytosis, eosinophilia (high concentration of eosinophils in the blood).
NOE (electrolyte imbalance) **Requires periodic Tegretol level & liver function test

Neurontin

Somnolence, dizziness, ataxia, fatigue, nystagmus, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremor

Lyrica

Dizziness, somnolence, dry mouth, peripheral edema (swelling of the lower limbs), weight gain, difficulty with concentration/attention

Lamictal

Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, somnolence, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, chest pain, rash, dysmenorrhea, abdominal pain

Trileptal

Dizziness, drowsiness, headache, ataxia, fatigue, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal gait, tremor, nystagmus (involuntary eye movement), diplopia (double vision), abnormal vision

topamax

Drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, nervousness, ataxia, speech problems, psychomotor slowing, memory difficulty, behavior problems, confusion, reduced sodium bicarbonate levels, anorexia, weight loss, paresthesia (sensation of tingling, pricking or numbness on the skin), nystagmus

Medication Side Effects

Antidepressant Medication

Headache, dizziness, anorexia (excessive weight loss or weight gain due to usually undue concern about body shape), anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, excessive sweating

Nausea, somnolence, insomnia, dizziness, headache, nervousness, dry mouth, anxiety, agitation

Nausea, dry mouth, somnolence, headache, dizziness, constipation, decreased appetite, weakness, increased diaphoresis (excessive sweating)

Headache, agitation, confusion, psychosis, anxiety, restlessness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, weight loss, tremor, fever

Dizziness, drowsiness, diarrhea, sedation, dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, orthostatic hypotension, tachycardia, increase in appetite

Nausea, somnolence, insomnia, dizziness, headache, nervousness, dry mouth, anxiety, agitation

ADHD Medications

Antihistamine

EPS Prevention

Headache, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, Tic, emotional instability, weight loss, anorexia, hypo/hypertension, palpitations, dizziness, dysmenorrhea, (severe uterine pain during menstruation) diarrhea, constipation

Dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation, blurred vision, drowsiness, hangover, ataxia, dizziness

Dry mouth, sedation, constipation, urinary retention, confusion, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting

Antipsychotic (Typical)

Antipsychotic (Atypical)

Tardive, dyskinesia, cognitive impairment, akathisia, parkinsonism, orthostatic hypotension, weight gain, hyperlipidemia, (presence of raised or abnormal levels of lipids in the blood). Note - Geodon may cause QTC prolongation

Anti-Anxiety Medications

Sedation, drowsiness, morning hangover, ataxia (gross lack of coordination of muscle movement), respiratory depression, headache, hypotension, disorientation, rash, apnea (suspension of external breathing)

Dizziness, headache, fatigue, drowsiness, nervousness, nausea, diarrhea

Mood Stabilizer Medications

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, fine hand tremor, polyuria, (passage of large volumes of urine), polydipsia, (excessive thirst), dehydration, sluggish, drowsiness, leukocytosis (raised white blood cell count), diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, weight gain

Pancreatitis, diarrhea, constipation, altered appetite, leucopenia (decrease in white blood cells), thrombocytopenia, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, ataxia, hepatotoxicity (liver damage)

Somnolence, dizziness, ataxia, fatigue, nystagmus, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremor

Dizziness, somnolence, dry mouth, peripheral edema (swelling of the lower limbs), weight gain, difficulty with concentration/attention

Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, somnolence, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, chest pain, rash, dysmenorrhea, abdominal pain

Dizziness, drowsiness, headache, ataxia, fatigue, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal gait, tremor, nystagmus (involuntary eye movement), diplopia (double vision), abnormal vision

Drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, nervousness, ataxia, speech problems, psychomotor slowing, memory difficulty, behavior problems, confusion, reduced sodium bicarbonate levels, anorexia, weight loss, paresthesia (sensation of tingling, pricking or numbness on the skin), nystagmus

Tardive, dyskinesia, cognitive impairment, akathisia, parkinsonism, orthostatic hypotension, weight gain, hyperlipidemia, (presence of raised or abnormal levels of lipids in the blood).
Note - Geodon may cause QTC prolongation