Zoloft

Zoloft (sertraline) is a highly-efficient antidepressant used to treat panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as a number of other conditions as prescribed by your health care provider. Never combine Zoloft with tranylcypromine, rasagiline, phenelzine, pimozide, isocarboxazid, or selegiline. At least 14 days are supposed to pass before you will be able to take Zoloft after the last dose of any of those medications. Suicidal thoughts are possible at the very beginning of the treatment. This side effect is more likely in people younger than 24. Therefore, patients younger than 24 are usually required to show up for regular appointments to make sure they do not develop any dangerous symptoms that need to be dealt with. Call your health care provider if your condition does not seem to get better and you experience any of the following symptoms: panic attacks, restlessness, mental or physical hyperactivity, impulsiveness, irritability, aggressiveness, suicidal thoughts, worsened depression, and trouble sleeping. Other serious side effects that you are supposed to report to your health care provider may include: stiff muscles, high fever, confusion, memory problems, seizure, headache, loss of appetite, nausea, trouble concentrating, diarrhea, shallow breathing, and vomiting. However, you are a lot more likely to get mild side effects, such as dizziness, upset stomach, dry mouth, constipation, changes in appetite, drowsiness, sleep problems, and mild nausea. The mild side effects mentioned are likely to go away on their own – there is no need for you to inform your health care provider about them, expect for the cases they change in intensity and interfere with your everyday life. Before taking Zoloft, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following medicines that have been reported to affect the quality of your treatment by interacting with Zoloft: lithium, other antidepressants, digitoxin, blood thinners, heart rhythm medications, phenytoin, and tramadol. You also need to avoid using medicines that can make you sleepy as they can add to Zoloft side effects, such as narcotic pain medicine, allergy medicine, muscle relaxers, and sleeping pills. Always take Zoloft as recommended and never take more of it than necessary, even if you missed a dose and are trying to make up for it. If you have taken too much of this medicine and display the following symptoms, seek emergency medical help: drowsiness, vomiting, coma, seizures, tremor, agitation, dizziness, nausea, and confusion. This drug is not intended for people younger than 18 and is not supposed to be taken by them unless it’s a recommendation of your health care provider. Pregnant or breastfeeding women must first discuss their treatment with a doctor and only then take Zoloft, as it has been classified as FDA pregnancy category C. This means that Zoloft may harm an unborn baby and can pass into breast milk. Since there is so much uncertainty over the effects of Zoloft hen taken by pregnant women, it can be taken only if the benefits outweigh potential risks and only after discussing it with a qualified health care provider.