Using antidepressants in CFS

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[UPDATED NOVEMBER 2023]

Background

Some ME and CFS sufferers take exception to even the mention of psychological factors and the possibility of psychological interventions being helpful.

I totally understand this and hope that I have made my position on this matter very clear - see:

However, there may be depression as a result of the severe restrictions on life that CFS/ME can result in, and also antidepressants can be used in other ways than treating "depression" - such as sleep and pain.

See also

Depression is not a primary part of CFS or ME

Depression is not a primary part of CFS or ME. Indeed I am impressed by how well psychologically adjusted many of my CFS and ME patients are! However, any chronic disease carries a risk of depression simply because sufferers lose hope of having a future. This is often made worse by doctors who do not look for underlying physical problems, recommend treatments likely to make the sufferer worse - see Graded Exercise Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as treatments for CFS and ME - and when the patients are worsened, they are then told they will have to "Live with it". That would certainly depress me! I would also be depressed by the lack of interest, curiosity and desire to help from my physician! This situation is often worsened by the fact that some physicians blame the patient for not engaging properly in the Graded Exercise Programme or CBT and then go on to explain that this is the reason why it hasn't worked! Effectively they wash their hands and say that it is all the patient's fault!

It is also important to realise that depression is a symptom which may have many causes. Obvious overlooked causes include food allergy (especially where there is also headache and irritable bowel), poor sleep and diagnosis of hypothyroidism and My Book - The Underactive Thyroid - Do it yourself because your doctor won't

Antidepressants

I nearly always recommend anticholinergic drugs such as amitriptyline. I often find low doses of anticholinergics such as amitriptyline helpful, particularly in CFS or ME sufferers who have been poisoned by organophosphates. Anticholinergics do not just help mood, they also improve sleep and can be effective pain relievers - it is possible that this is part of the mechanism by which these drugs help mood! They may also be helpful in anxiety and hyperventilation.

The key to using antidepressants is to start with (often very) small doses. CFS and ME sufferers commonly do not tolerate higher doses. This intolerance is very common, like alcohol intolerance is common in CFS, (see Alcohol intolerance in CFS - gives us a clue as to the mechanisms of fatigue) and may well be symptomatic of the CFSs' inability to cope with toxic stress. See Drugs in the treatment of CFS - always start with tiny doses.

Anticholinergics for sleep

Almost always I recommend anticholinergics at night to help with sleep, starting with 10mgs and increasing to 25mgs. Not many tolerate a higher dose, but up to 75mgs at night can be used. Amitriptyline has a long track record of safety and I am happy to recommend this long term.

The most sedating anti-depressant is trimipramine (Surmontil), dose range 10-75mgs and is the best anticholinergic where there is sleep disturbance.

Dothiepin (Prothiaden) is similar but has increased risk of cardiovascular side effects - so I never now recommend this.

SSRIs - specific serotonin re-uptake inhibitors

I have not been impressed by the 5HT re-uptake inhibitors like fluoxetine (Prozac) or sertraline (Lustral). They are non-sedating and possibly mildly stimulant and therefore are not indicated in CFS or ME (they increase the desire, add nothing to the performance and thereby increase the frustration and anger). There is now increasing doubt that they are effective in treating depression. Again, if prescribed, they need to be started in very small doses. When the drug is started, it needs to be monitored very closely because some people will suddenly become suicidal. All recipients and their families should be warned of this by the prescribing doctor. The list of side-effects also distresses me.

Contrary to what doctors are told, SSRIs are addictive and I have seen many patients really struggle to get off them.

See DrugWatch - "Suicide and Antidepressants"

St John's Wort (hypericum perforatum)

This has proven antidepressant properties and is well worth trying. However, I have had two patients who have been made much worse when they took the full dose, so be careful - start on 300mgs daily and build up slowly to 900mgs daily.

See Advantages and Disadvantages of Using St. John's Wort as a Treatment for Depression

Other antidepressants

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors - I have never prescribed or recommended these! As with SSRIs, I would expect them to increase the desire to do things but do nothing for the performance and therefore increase the frustration factor. They have a shopping list of side effects and have to be used with great caution because of so many food and drug interactions.

Negative impact on Mitochondrial function

There is a possibility that using antidepressants may adversely affect mitochondrial function and given that mitochondrial failure is the central cause of CFS and ME, this represents a very real problem.

See:

See also:

As often is the case, one has to balance the benefits of prescription medications with the adverse effects and this will have to be done on an individual basis.

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