In my non-medical opinion, from someone who works in the psych field, a basic SSRI is a good place to start. These drugs include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, and some others that I can't remember right now. I've taken Lexapro and Zoloft in the past, now I'm doing Paxil. With anti-depressants, it can sometimes take a while to find the best one.

Some side effects are slight weight gain, headache, grogginess, nausea, and lessened libido. They can also make you sunburn easier than normal. Personally, I've only experienced the nausea, and that went away within the first few weeks. The SSRIs are old drugs with well documented side effects and stats, and they are very safe. Lexapro is the newest out of the ones I can remember, and it's basically an updated version of Celexa. My best friend has been taking Celexa for years with excellent results. Everybody is different, so if one doesn't work, try another. Just don't stop them quickly. They're not addictive, but you need to wean yourself off if you've been on them for awhile.

Depression is a side effect of MS, as well as the interferons and lots of other meds. Anti-depressants are best for chronic, not situational depression.

In my experience though, the best fight against depression is a combo of anti depressants and cognitive therapy. Many, many people eventually can go off the meds with great results because of the therapy.

Pud's Friend, I had worried too about my libido when I started these drugs. I figured I'd be more depressed without that than I already was, so what was the point? Thankfully I didn't have that though, although some do. Paxil seems to be working well for me, and I have zero side effects, and no problems in the libido area.

Don't expect a miracle though. Nobody becomes instantly happy from taking them. In a nutshell, they just help your brain make a little more seratonin, the neurotransmitter that helps regulate your mood. The SSRIs have less drug interactions than other antidepressants, which is a big plus. The only ones I remember are benzodiazepines (like Xanax or Klonopin), alcohol, and some heart meds. I'm on a very low dose of Paxil, and also Klonopin though--my doctor says its fine, and my liver is good. Everybody's different.

I'm not a doctor or a drug pusher; it's just my two cents. Aside from that, some studies show that seratonin has a good effect on the nervous system, and that MS patients can be naturally deficient in it, which may explain the depression we can get. Good luck on what you decide!