The dose usually ranges from 50 mg to mg. Only your health care provider can determine the correct dose for you. If you are taking it for PMDD, sertraline can be taken once daily everyday or intermittently usually starting 14 days prior to menstruation through the first full day of menses of each cycle.
The liquid should be measured with an oral syringe or dropper which you can get from your pharmacy. It should not be mixed in advance. Consider using a calendar, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone alert to help you remember to take your medication.
You may also ask a family member or friend to remind you or check in with you to be sure you are taking your medication. If you miss a dose of sertraline, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Discuss this with your health care provider. Do not double your next dose or take more than what is prescribed. Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while you are taking antidepressant medications.
They may decrease the benefits e. If an overdose occurs, call your doctor or You may need urgent medical care. You may also contact the poison control center at Sexual side effects, such as problems with orgasm or ejaculatory delay often do not diminish over time. Low sodium blood levels symptoms of low sodium levels may include headache, weakness, difficulty concentrating and remembering , teeth grinding, angle closure glaucoma symptoms of angle closure glaucoma may include eye pain, changes in vision, swelling or redness in or around eye.
Serotonin syndrome symptoms may include shivering, diarrhea, confusion, severe muscle tightness, fever, seizures, and death , seizure. SSRI antidepressants including sertraline may increase the risk of bleeding events. Combined use of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs e. This may include gums that bleed more easily, nose bleed, or gastrointestinal bleeding.
Some cases have been life threatening. To date, there are no known problems associated with long term use of sertraline. It is a safe and effective medication when used as directed. Sertraline should not be taken with or within two weeks of taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs. Sertraline may increase the effects of other medications that can cause bleeding e. Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early signal that the medication is working.
Depressed mood and lack of interest in activities may need up to weeks to fully improve. Depression and certain other psychiatric disorders are themselves associated with increases in the risk of suicide.
This risk may persist until significant remission occurs. In short-term studies, antidepressants increased the risk of suicidality in children, adolescents, and young adults when compared to placebo. Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age Adults age 65 and older taking antidepressants have a decreased risk of suicidality. Patients, their families, and caregivers should be alert to the emergence of anxiety, restlessness, irritability, aggressiveness and insomnia.
All patients being treated with antidepressants for any indication should watch for and notify their health care provider for worsening symptoms, suicidality and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the first few months of treatment. Deciding which depression medication is best for you often comes down to side effects, says Hullett. If you gain weight or have sexual problems on one antidepressant, for example, you may want to switch to one without those side effects, he advises.
Although antidepressants are meant to help you feel better, in some cases an antidepressant may combine with other medications you are taking or foods you are eating and lead to serotonin syndrome , an uncommon condition involving an overabundance of serotonin in the body, the Cleveland Clinic states. Symptoms to watch out for, Lim says, include fever, aches, shakes, sweats, fatigue, irritability, a bad headache , confusion, agitation, restlessness, dizziness, difficulty seeing or walking, muscle twitching, muscle tension, or jaw clenching.
Typically, serotonin syndrome happens within days or weeks of starting an antidepressant or after a dose increase, says Lim. The most common factors that affect your risk of serotonin syndrome, per the Cleveland Clinic, are:. As a result, a medication that once worked well at quelling your sadness, anxiety, and other symptom no longer has that power.
Sometimes, Hullett says, increasing the dose under supervision by your doctor may help. In other cases, trying a different medication or treatment is helpful.
Specific warning signs to watch for include feeling agitated or restless, pacing or constant movement, hand wringing, or feeling generally out of control. Thomas says. Options include another depression medication or the addition of counseling, psychotherapy, mood-boosting cardio exercise, or light therapy to your treatment regimen. The combination of medication and other mood-brightening treatments can speed your recovery and reduce your overall time on antidepressants, she says.
If you feel unusually elated or you become very terse with your spouse, feel noticeably more irritable, or have an uncharacteristic bout of road rage, you probably need to change your antidepressant, he advises. If you become pregnant while taking sertraline, speak to your doctor.
Do not stop taking your medicine unless your doctor tells you to. Sertraline has been linked to a very small increased risk of problems for your unborn baby. But if your depression is not treated during pregnancy, this can also increase the chance of problems.
You may take sertraline during pregnancy if you need it to remain well. Your doctor can explain the risks and the benefits, and will help you decide which treatment is best for you and your baby. If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, sertraline is one of the preferred antidepressants to take when breastfeeding.
It has been used by many breastfeeding mothers without any problems. Sertraline passes into breast milk in tiny amounts and has been linked with side effects in a very few breastfed babies. But it's important to continue taking sertraline to keep you well. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby. If you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual or seems unusually sleepy, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your health visitor or doctor as soon as possible.
For more information about how sertraline can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, read the leaflet about the best use of medicines in pregnancy BUMPS. Some medicines and sertraline can interfere with each other and increase the chances of you having side effects.
Do not take St John's wort, the herbal remedy for depression, while you're being treated with sertraline as this will increase your risk of side effects. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. Sertraline is one of a group of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs.
These medicines are thought to work by increasing the levels of a mood-enhancing chemical called serotonin in the brain. Antidepressants like sertraline help to jump start your mood so you feel better.
You may notice that you sleep better and get on with people more easily because you're less anxious. You'll hopefully take in your stride little things that used to worry you. Sertraline will not change your personality or make you feel euphorically happy. It'll simply help you feel like yourself again. Do not expect to feel better overnight, though.
Some people feel worse during the first few weeks of treatment before they begin to feel better. You may see an improvement in your symptoms after 1 or 2 weeks, although it usually takes between 4 to 6 weeks before you feel the full benefits. That's because it takes around a week for sertraline levels to build up in your body, and then a few weeks longer for your body to adapt and get used to it. Do not stop taking sertraline just because you feel it is not helping your symptoms. Give the medicine at least 6 weeks to work.
If you have been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off sertraline. Your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks, or longer if you have been taking sertraline for a long time.
This is to help prevent any extra side effects you might get as a reaction to coming off the medicine. Do not stop taking sertraline suddenly, or without talking to your doctor first. Once you're feeling better it's likely that you'll continue to take sertraline for several more months. Most doctors recommend that you take antidepressants for 6 months to a year after you no longer feel depressed. A few people may get sexual side effects, such as problems getting an erection or a lower sex drive.
In some cases these can continue even after stopping the medicine. Speak to your doctor if you are worried. Taking sertraline for more than a year has also been linked to a small increased risk of getting diabetes. You'll be regularly checked for this. Sertraline is not any better or worse than other antidepressants.
Sometimes people respond better to one antidepressant than another. Sertraline can make you feel more or less hungry than usual, so you may lose or gain weight when you start taking it.
If you start to have problems with your weight while taking sertraline, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Sertraline will not affect any type of contraception, including the contraceptive pill or emergency contraception. There's some evidence that sertraline can reduce the quality of sperm.
This should reverse once you stop taking the medicine. It's not known whether this reduces male fertility. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned. There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking sertraline will reduce fertility in women. But speak to a pharmacist or your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant. They may want to review your treatment. The positive effects of sertraline may, after a while, improve your sex life as your mood lifts and you become interested in life and relationships again.
Sexual side effects usually pass after the first couple of weeks. However, very rarely, they can be long lasting and may not get better even after stopping the medicine. If these happen and are a problem for you, go back to your doctor to see if there's another treatment you can try.
Some people cannot concentrate properly while they're taking sertraline. It might be best to stop driving and cycling for the first few days of treatment until you know how this medicine makes you feel.
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