Although there are a few antidepressants that can actually improve urinary incontinence, some of the members of this class of drugs may make symptoms worse.
How do antidepressants make incontinence worse? Certain antidepressants may decrease the contractility of the bladder, resulting in overflow incontinence. In other words, the bladder fails to empty properly or completely, allowing the bladder to “overfill”, leading to a leakage of urine. Additionally, in some people, taking antidepressants decreases their awareness of the need to urinate, resulting in incontinence.
If you feel that your antidepressant may be contributing to your incontinence, you should speak to your physician. You should not, however, quit taking your antidepressant suddenly, without speaking to your doctor. This may cause other serious symptoms. If your doctor agrees that your antidepressant may be causing your incontinence, he/she may suggest an alternative antidepressant that is less likely to cause incontinence symptoms.
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Tags: Medications, overflow incontinence, Urinary Incontinence
