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Zoloft Medication - Uses & Side Effects

Generic Name: Sertraline

SERTRALINE (Zoloft®) is an antidepressant in a group of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Zoloft affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and that may cause depression, panic, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive symptoms. It helps to improve a depressed person's mood. Sertraline can also help people with an obsessive compulsive disorder, panic attacks, post-trauma stress, or social anxiety.

Zoloft Dosage

• If you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, then the usual starting dose is 50 milligrams once a day, taken either in the morning or in the evening. Your doctor may also increase your dose depending upon your response. The maximum dose is 200 milligrams in a day.
• For the treatment of Panic Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, the usual dose during the first week is 25 milligrams once a day. After that, the dose increases to 50 milligrams once a day depending on your response.
• For Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, the starting dose for children aged 6 to 12 is 25 milligrams and for adolescents aged 13 to 17, 50 milligrams.

Uses of Zoloft

• Zoloft is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
• Sertraline is also used sometimes to treat headaches and sexual problems.

Side Effects of Zoloft

If you are using Zoloft, then discuss the side effects of Zoloft with your doctor and if you feel any develop or change in intensity, then tell your doctor immediately. Because only your doctor can determine if it is safe to continue using Zoloft. Side effects may include:

• agitation
• constipation
• dry mouth
• fatigue
• gas
• headache
• insomnia
• nausea
• pain
• rash
• sore throat
• tremor
• vomiting

Warnings and precautions before taking Zoloft:

• You should not take sertraline if you are taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, including phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate).
• If you are taking prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products including anticoagulants such as warfarin; antidepressants such as amitriptyline, amoxapine; aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen, then you should tell your doctor. Because your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• If you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding, then tell your doctor. If you become pregnant while taking sertraline, call your doctor.
• If you are taking Zoloft, then you should know that sertraline may make you drowsy. So do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.

Drug Interaction:- If you are taking certain drugs with Zoloft, then it may be increased, decreased, or altered the effects of Zoloft. So discuss with your doctor before combining Zoloft with the following:

• Cimetidine (Tagamet)
• Digitoxin (Crystodigin)
• Flecainide (Tambocor)
• Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid)
• MAO inhibitor drugs such as the antidepressants Nardil and Parnate
• Propafenone (Rythmol)
• Sumatriptan (Imitrex)
• Warfarin (Coumadin)

Overdose

After taking Zoloft, If you feel that overdose is suspected, then contact with your doctor immediately. Symptoms of Zoloft overdose may include:

• dizziness
• coma
• drowsiness
• seizures
• nausea
• confusion
• vomiting
• tremor
• rapid heartbeat
• agitation