Has anyone had success treating menopause with antidepressants?

I'm glad that you are feeling better. A number of studies have been done showing reduction of hot flashes etc. with antidepressants - although the drug performed not much better than placebo, which leads one to wonder how effective such treatment really is.

In menopause, it is believed that a decrease in estrogen may disrupt serotonin levels and in that, these drugs may be of some help in making more serotonin available to the receptors in the brain.  ( Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain, that among other things, helps with mood and temperature regulation. Chocolate can also help raise serotonin levels, which may explain why women crave it just prior to their periods.)

However, prescribing antidepressants for menopause as a first line remedy may be like trying to shoot a fly with an elephant gun.  My feeling (and that of many other health care professionals) is always to try the least interventional remedy with the least side effects first. for any condition, including the symptoms of menopause.  I'm not sure which symptoms you were experiencing so I can't advise you on specifics, however I am pretty confident that an antidepressant might be more than you need to deal with these symptoms.  Antidepressants come with attendant side effects, including  increase in blood pressure, adverse lung reactions, sleep cycle disruptions and even heart failure.  And these drugs have a withdrawal syndrome even if you wean off them slowly.

Now, I'm not saying this to scare you - perhaps you've tried other remedies and they didn't work (I'd love to know.)  In that case, this may indeed be the best option.  But I do know from some of the women who visit my blog that their MD's pressured them into antidepressant therapy for menopausal symptoms with out exploring other avenues.  On the flip side, it is not solely up to our MD's - we must also educate ourselves.  For more info, check out article by  Dixie Mills, MD  on Women to Women.com  http://www.womentowomen.com/menopause/antidepressantsinmenopause.aspx  

I also strongly urge you to avail yourself of our favorite menopause remedy - a community of other women traveling the same path.  For info on how to do this, check out our blogsite at menopausegoddessblog.org and search for Creating A Menopause Goddess Group: A How-To Guide

Let us know how you are doing!  Good luck and stay cool.
Lynette Sheppard RN

Thanks for your response!

 I have tried EVERYTHING!

My issue compounded by depression, bereavement issues, caregiving concerns, retirement, grieivng over all of the above.

I was on antidepressants, and was feeling better. I stopped taking them. Then my physician recommended a different antidepressant. I feel like a million bucks!

I am greatly relieved.