Caralee: Caralee

[Caralee]

Hi. Obligatory intro post. 
I am currently on 75mg Sertraline. Have been on antidepressants for the past 15 years (Cipralex initially and then Prozac). 
Severe anxiety and depression sufferer. 
 

Discovered this site while searching for answers for my son (11 y) who recently started antidepressants and is now suffering from incontinence. 

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a peer owned and run forum of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  Are you looking to taper off the antidepressant yourself, or to help your son come off of antidepressants?  Or are you just trying to see if there is a connection between AD use and incontinence? I don't know that incontincence is a side effect of AD use.  I did a site search, and came up with no results.  Is your son having any other side effects?  

 

 

[Caralee]

Hi! 
I have been doing research to find out if anyone else experienced incontinence as a side effect of SSRIs. 
My son (11y) started Lexamil 5mg. On the third day he suddenly became incontinent. We stopped the Lexamil, but his incontinence did not go away. We did brain and lower spine MRI as well as bladder ultrasound and could not find any physical cause for the incontinence. 
10 days after stopping the Lexamil, his psychiatrist put him on 25mg Sertraline (1xdaily) and 5mg Urbanol (2x daily). 
He has been on the Sertraline for 12 days with no change in the incontinence. He also has very little feeling in the pelvic area. 
 

Has anyone else ever heard of this side effect? Doctors keep telling me it can not be a side effect of the SSRIs, but there is no other explanation for it. 

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Caralee What are the pharmaceutical names of Lexamil and Urbanol?

 

Why is your son taking antidepressants? Was he taking antidepressants or other psychiatric drugs prior to Lexamil?

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your son's drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

 

Not all psychiatric drugs are approved for use in children. Often, Google will tell you if a drug is associated with an adverse effect. See 

 

Movig KL, Leufkens HG, Belitser SV, Lenderink AW, Egberts AC. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor-induced urinary incontinence. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2002 Jun;11(4):271-9. doi: 10.1002/pds.705. PMID: 12138594.

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12138594/

 

 

 

[getofflex]

Here are some articles on a possible link between SSRI use and incontinence: 

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12138594/

 

https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/4-medications-that-cause-or-worsen-incontinence

 

This thread on our forum discusses members problems with bladder and urination.  Some of them do mention having issues with incontinence.  

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/5973-urination-and-bladder-issues-male-and-female/page/6/?tab=comments#comment-467264

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by getofflex

[Caralee]

Thank you. I have updated my signature with his drug history. 
Will look at the info shared @getofflex

I am still being shut down by doctors, saying that the incontinence could not be related to the SSRIs. 

[getofflex]

1 hour ago, Caralee said:

I am still being shut down by doctors, saying that the incontinence could not be related to the SSRIs. 

Why does this no surprise me.  Doctors tend to be woefully uninformed about psychiatric meds, and all the side effects and adverse effects they often cause, and the terrible withdrawal can happen when people go off cold turkey or taper too quickly.  You may wish to print copies of the articles above, and show then to the doctor, or email them to him/her.  

 

Here is a link on how to talk to doctors about psych meds and withdrawal:  

 

How to Talk to a Doctor About Tapering and Withdrawal