Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Your doctor may prescribe a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) to help prevent your headaches. SSRIs have shown some effect in preventing migraine and tension-type headaches in some people, especially chronic headaches. The drug might have beneficial effects on mood, appetite, and memory. Generic and brand names of some SSRIs given to prevent headaches: fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft).

Choose another disease or condition... Allergic Rhinitis Allergies, Food Allergy & Asthma Center Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety Aortic Aneurysms Arrhythmia Arthritis, Osteo- (OA) Arthritis, Rheumatoid (RA) Asthma Atopic Dermatitis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Back Pain Brain Tumor Bones, Joints & Muscles Center Breast Cancer Brain & Behavior Center Brain Tumor Cancer Center    Brain Tumor    Breast Cancer    Cancer Prevention    Clinical Trials    Colorectal Cancer    Endometrial Cancer    Living With and Beyond Cancer    Lung Cancer    Prostate Cancer    Skin Cancer Cardiomyopathy Cataracts Cholesterol Control Clinical Trials Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Colorectal Cancer Congenital Heart Disease Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Center Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Digestive Disorders Center Eczema Endometrial Cancer Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Eye & Vision Center Fibromyalgia Food Allergies Gallstone Disease Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) GERD Glaucoma Hay Fever Headache Heart Center Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C High Blood Pressure Hypertension Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Impotence Insomnia Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Living With and Beyond Cancer Losing Weight Lung Cancer Macular Degeneration Memory Loss Osteoarthritis (OA) Osteoporosis Parkinson's Disease Peptic Ulcer Prediabetes Prostate Cancer Respiratory Disorders Center Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Sexual & Reproductive Health Center Sinusitis Skin Cancer Sleep Apnea Sleep Center Stroke Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Weight Control America's Best Hospitals for Neurology and Neurosurgery More from the Brain & Behavior Center Headache-Related Clinical Trials Information Email this page Print this section

SSRIs usually take several weeks to become effective. Therefore, you should take them for at least a month to determine their effectiveness. Usually, patients take this medicine in the morning to prevent insomnia. Your dosage will be determined by your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have a history of seizures, bipolar disorder, kidney disease, or suicidal tendencies.

Side effects include nausea during the first week of therapy. After the first week, most patients note a change in appetite, and 5-to-10-pound weight gain is common. Some people note an increased energy level. If the increase is too great, people sometimes complain of anxiety, insomnia, diarrhea, or sexual dysfunction. Call your doctor if you develop a rash while taking an SSRI.