Side Effects of Tricyclics. Side effects are fairly common with these medications, and those most often reported include dry mouth, blurred vision, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, difficulty in urinating, disturbances in heart rhythm, drowsiness, and dizziness. Blood pressure may drop suddenly when sitting up or standing. It can, however, cause insomnia and nightmares if the drug is taken too close to bedtime. Protriptyline also causes sun sensitivity and people who took this should take precautions against sunlight when they go outdoors.
Tricyclics can have serious, although rare, side effects and can cause fatal overdose.
Tricyclics may pose a danger for some patients with certain heart diseases. Initial symptoms are breathlessness and dry cough. They may be effective for atypical depression and for people with eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality. One recent study reported that a patch form of an MAOI worked much faster than an oral form, which takes up to six weeks to be effective. The most serious side effect is severe hypertension, which can be brought on by eating certain foods having a high tyramine content.