As a class of drugs, antidepressants cause a wide range of side effects. Since these effects range from mental symptoms like anxiety to physical problems like diarrhea, it’s not a far stretch to ask: are there antidepressants that cause pancreatitis?”
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. Left unchecked, it often leads to other health problems.
One would hope that taking antidepressants doesn’t replace their depression with another health problem. In this article, we discuss antidepressants and their influence on the pancreas.
Are There Drugs That Cause Pancreatitis?
There are a number of drugs that contribute to pancreatitis by causing inflammation in the region. These drugs include:
- Antibiotics
- Immunosuppressants
- Blood pressure medications
- Aminosalicylates
- Diuretics
- Corticosteroids
- Estrogens
- Diabetic medications
- Valproate
- Anesthetics
- Antidepressants
While pancreatitis isn’t a common side effect of these drugs, it’s certainly something to be aware of. If you have previously had issues with your pancreas, you should check with your doctor before using any of these medications.
One should also note that alcohol causes inflammation and often mixes badly with antidepressants.
Are There Antidepressants That Cause Pancreatitis?
As mentioned above, there are antidepressants that contribute to pancreatitis. There are many different types of antidepressants, though. Do they all contribute to the problem?
There haven’t been a lot of studies done in this regard. The one study focuses on people who use a certain type of antidepressants: SSRIs.
Of the most commonly used antidepressant medications, SSRIs are the most likely to increase the risks of pancreatitis. However, the study mentions that there is no data to determine whether current users are more likely to get pancreatitis compared to previous users.
Furthermore, the study says that there wasn’t much difference in data between SSRI users and other antidepressant users.
The study goes on to suggest that this might not actually be because of the drugs themselves. Rather, it might be caused by certain lifestyle choices made by depressed patients. Or, it could be caused by the depression itself.
Depressed people engage in a number of behaviors that may promote ill health.
- People who are depressed are more likely to eat unhealthy food
- Depressed people may use more drugs or drink more alcohol than healthy people
- People with depression may live more sedentary lives, avoiding exercise
- Depressed people may have sleep issues, sleeping more or less than average
All of these issues can cause inflammation in the body. If the pancreas becomes inflamed, it could be the fault of any of these issues.
Conclusion
Are there antidepressants that cause pancreatitis? There hasn’t been a lot of research done on the topic. However, the current research says that there might be a link. SSRI patients might be more likely to have an inflamed pancreas. However, this might be the cause of depression itself.
Whatever the case, it’s important to check with your doctor. If you have a history of inflammation in the area, then you might want to avoid these drugs. Most people are fine, but it doesn’t hurt to be cautious. If you’re concerned, consider switching to a new drug or learning to live without antidepressants.
