Do SSRI Anti Depressants Heal Or Cause Hot Flashes?
The term ‘SSRI’ is abbreviation for ‘selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor’. As the name suggests, these drugs act by restoring balance in the availability of serotonin, the mood-influencing neurotransmitter, in the brain cells. Imbalance in serotonin is the primary somatic reason for depression in people; therefore, restoring its balance helps in the treatment of depression. SRRI drugs therefore are primarily anti-depressants. However, this group of drugs has many off-label applications – one of the somewhat controversial of which is with regard to hot flashes, which affect 85 per cent of women in the United States in varying levels of intensity. What are hot flashes: These are a sudden, short-lived flushing and sensation of heat, particularly in the face and upper body, in women during or after menopause. It is preceded, or accompanied by a rapid heartbeat, perspiration, vomit sensation, dizziness, anxiety, a sensation of suffocation, and weakness. In some women, it is preceded by a
