Understanding Sertraline (Zoloft)
Sertraline is a type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It is often sold under the brand Zoloft! Adults start with a prescription of twenty-five to fifty milligrams. Fifty to two hundred milligrams is the therapeutic range! Patients with liver impairment will need half of the standard dose if their condition is mild. It is not appropriate if they have moderate to severe impairment!
Many patients consider this the best medicine for depression. Anxiety and panic disorder patients also benefit from a sertraline prescription! Natural remedies for depression and anxiety, such as mindfulness, also appear alongside this medication! Patients will see treatment results when they follow their doctor's instructions.
How It Works
Sertraline blocks serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain, from being reabsorbed. Thus, it will increase an individual's serotonin in their brain. Ultimately, it helps their body use serotonin more effectively! This medication does not need to make more of it. The result is improved symptoms of anxiety and depression!
Sertraline primarily impacts serotonin. This is unlike other antidepressants, which can affect multiple neurotransmitters. However, in high doses, it also blocks dopamine reabsorption! Thus, some researchers claim that serotonin-dopamine reuptake inhibitor is a more accurate classification for this medication.
Get the full details on the major uses for this medication next.
Major And 'Off-Label' Uses
Most of the time, this medication is prescribed to treat depression. It is also part of managing social anxiety, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder! Overall, it is popular for mental health conditions.
There are, of course, several 'off-label' uses for it! This includes treating eating disorders such as bulimia. It is also prescribed for autism, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar depression. Other conditions that benefit from this medication are fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome! It can even assist with writer's cramp! Patients should consult their doctor about the risks and benefits of 'off-label' use.
Continue reading to learn about the side effects next.
Side Effects
Of course, there are side effects to sertraline! The most common are dry mouth, appetite loss, headaches, sweating, and sleeping issues. However, these tend to be quite mild! In fact, patients find that they subside on their own within a few weeks. Other side effects are chest pain, diarrhea, pain in the abdomen, and vomiting. These are not as common! Aggression and confusion as side effects must be reported to a doctor immediately. Patients will need their dose adjusted to make them disappear! A medication change is also considered.
Doctors will ask patients about their mood at all of their future visits. Any changes must be reported! This is because it can cause suicidal thoughts in the beginning. The effect has mostly been seen in patients under twenty-five years old! This medication causes serotonin syndrome in rare cases. Symptoms of this include stiff muscles, agitation, fever, and a rapid heart rate. These require immediate medical attention! Other signs that need emergency attention are tunnel vision, eye swelling, blurry vision, and eye pain.
Reveal precautions for this medication next.
Precautions To Remember
Patients will need to inform their doctor if they have experienced a stroke, high blood pressure, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease! Discussing a history of low blood sodium, seizures, and bleeding disorders is important too. These conditions mean that patients may not be able to take this medication! They will need another recommendation.
Patients must dilute the liquid form. Thankfully, it comes with a dosing device! Ginger ale, water, orange juice, lemon-lime soda, and lemonade are appropriate beverages for doing this. Others are not allowed! This medication may cause a false positive on drug screening tests. Thus, patients must inform staff that they are taking it before such a test. It must also stay at room temperature. This means storing it away from heat and moisture.
Learn about medication interactions next.
Medication Interactions
Sertraline has quite a few medication interactions. Thus, patients must discuss all of their current medications with their doctor first! They should always update this list. The pharmacy should have one as well! The list needs to include all prescription medications, over-the-counter pills, vitamins, herbal supplements, and minerals.
Examples of medications that it interacts with are blood thinners and anti-inflammatories. Both alter an individual's blood clotting ability, and when combined with sertraline, increase bruising and bleeding significantly. It is also not appropriate to use with methylene blue injections! Patients who also take disulfiram need to avoid the liquid form. This ensures that they avoid a reaction! These are prime examples of why discussing all medications with a doctor first is crucial.