New Antidepressant Medications for
Relief of Depression

Although it's sometimes hard to trust the pharmaceutical companies and their latest advertising schemes, sometimes they do manage to get things right.

The antidepressants work through differant mechanisms and/or have improved on the older dirtier methods.

Regardless, it's nice to have more options when you're down in the dumps and can't get out.

New Antidepressant Medications on the Market

1. Emsam - Aka the Selegiline patch.
2. Tramadol - A new use for a recent painkiller.
3. Edronax - Inhibits reuptake of noradrenalin/norepinephrine.
4. Mirapex - A dopamine agonist that increases mood.
5. Cymbalta - A dual serotonin/norephinephrine reuptake inhibitor.
6. Pristiq - A "cleaner" metabolite of the blockbuster Effexor.

Emsam - A New MAOi Antidepressant

A huge buzz and fanfare has accompanied this antidepressant in to the market. It's most noted for it's research on increasing longevity in rats by 20%, as well as increasing motivation, libido, energy, and cognitive ability.

It falls within the class of MAOi antidepressants, but since it's in patch form, the dietary restrictions usually reserved for MAOi's don't apply.

Selegiline (Deprenyl) primarily increases your dopamine levels followed secondarily by norepinephrine and serotonin. This allows for more get up and go, rather than the "I don't give a shit" feeling most serotonin antidepressants leave you with (Prozac, Celexa, Elavil, etc...).

Tramadol - A Pain Killer with Robust Antidepressant Properties

Although primarily prescribed as an opioid painkiller, reports of it's ability to dig you out of the depths of depression when nothing else will, have become common place.

Compared to most antidepressants that take you from feeling like road kill to less than normal. Tramadol can take you right past normal and make life exciting again. You could say it's more of a mood-brightener than an antidepressant.

You may be able to get it prescribed off-label by a forward thinking doctor, versed in it's serotonin and mu-opioid action. The concern about you possibly developing opioid addiction is a common critism.

But, there's a differance between addition and withdrawal. If Tramadol was the only antidepressant that worked for you, would you rather be depressed, or happy and "dependent?" You have to weigh the pros against the cons.

Edronax - An Antidepressant that Solely Increases Norepinephrine

Edronax Reboxetine is currently the only noradrenalin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor antidepressant on the market. It works well if you have problems with fatigue, motivation, assertiveness, and/or problems with handling stress.

If you suffer from melancholic depression; which consists primarily of physical agitation, insomnia, decreased appetite, and the inability to experience pleasure, it may be better suited to you as well.

Mirapex - A Dopaminergic Antidepressant

Normally you would be prescribed Mirapex (Pramipexole) if you had Parkinson's disease, but now you can get this new antidepressant prescribed off label for treatment resistant depression.

Classified as a dopamine agonist, it's primary ways to combat your depression is through increased; energy, motivation, pleasure, and faster thinking and movement.

Additionally, Mirapex can be added to your other antidepressants as an augmentor to combat sexual side effects.

Cymbalta and Pristiq - Dual Serotonin and Norepinephine Antidepressants

Both Cymbalta (Duloxetine) and Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) increase your serotonin and norepinephrine pathways similar to the older Effexor (Venlafaxine).

They don't have much more to off you other than possibly less side effects. Pristiq is a "cleaner" metabolite of Effexor, rendering them basically the same compound.

Cymbalta has shown promise (in addition to relieving your depression), in controlling; pain, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and fibromyalgia.

These new antidepressant medications aren't blockbusters, but they are another option in case you don't fare as well with the best antidepressants on the market.