Desipramine Alternatives

If side effects occur during treatment with desipramine, or if the medicine does not work as well as needed, alternatives to desipramine may be considered. Some examples of medicines that can serve as desipramine alternatives include SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, and other tricyclic antidepressants. Desipramine alternatives can also include psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and alternative therapies.

Desipramine HCl

Desipramine Alternatives: An Overview

Desipramine hydrochloride (Norpramin^®) is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of depression (also known as major depression or clinical depression). It is part of a group of antidepressant medications called tricyclic antidepressants. For many people, desipramine is effective at treating symptoms of depression. Most people also tolerate the drug well. However, as with all medicines, it is possible that side effects will occur during treatment with desipramine or that the medicine may not adequately control depression symptoms. Fortunately, there are several alternatives to desipramine for depression treatment, including:

Therapy
Other depression medications (also known as antidepressants)
Electroconvulsive therapy
Alternative (natural) therapies.

Therapy as a Desipramine Alternative

Many forms of psychotherapy, including some short-term (10 weeks to 20 weeks) therapies, can help people with depression.

"Talk" therapies help patients gain insight into (and resolve) their problems through verbal exchange with the therapist. These therapies are sometimes combined with "homework" assignments between sessions. Behavioral therapists help patients learn how to obtain more satisfaction through their own actions and how to unlearn the behavioral patterns that contribute to, or result from, their depression.

(Click Psychotherapy for Depression to learn more about this depression treatment option.)

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