Rozerem and Depression

Although the link between Rozerem and depression is not fully understood, depression is reported in up to 2 percent of patients taking the sleep medicine. Since depression is so common in the general population, it is not known whether it is actually caused by Rozerem or other factors. If you do develop symptoms of depression, such as feelings of pessimism or hopelessness, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.

 

Is Depression a Rozerem Side Effect?

There are several possible side effects for people taking Rozerem® (ramelteon). Depression does appear to be one of the more common side effects reported in Rozerem clinical studies.
 

Understanding Clinical Studies

Before medicines are approved, they must go through several clinical studies in which thousands of people are given a particular medicine and compared to a group of people not given the medicine. In these studies, side effects are always documented. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine. Side effects are then usually separated into those that occur in more than 1 percent of people and those that occur in less than 1 percent of people.
 
For people taking Rozerem, depression was a reported side effect occurring in up to 2 percent of people treating insomnia.
 

Rozerem and Depression: What Should You Look For?

Depression is extremely common in society today. In fact, in any given one-year period, 9.5 percent of the population (about 18.8 million American adults) has depression. Therefore, knowing the symptoms of depression can be helpful.
 
Possible depression symptoms may include:
 
  • Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
  • Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
  • Decreased energy; fatigue; feeling "slowed down"
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions
  • Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
  • Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
  • Thoughts of death or suicide and suicide attempts
  • Restlessness and irritability
  • Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain, that do not respond to treatment.
     
Keep in mind that there are other conditions that can share similar symptoms with depression.
 
(Rozerem and Depression Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;