Zoloft Oral - SERTRALINE

Warnings  

Antidepressant medications are used to treat a variety of conditions, including depression and other mental/mood disorders. These medications can help prevent suicidal thoughts/attempts and provide other important benefits. However, studies have shown that a small number of people (especially children/teenagers) who take antidepressants for any condition may experience worsening depression, other mental/mood symptoms, or suicidal thoughts/attempts. Therefore, it is very important to talk with the doctor about the risks and benefits of antidepressant medication (especially for children/teenagers), even if treatment is not for a mental/mood condition.

Tell the doctor immediately if you notice worsening depression/other psychiatric conditions, unusual behavior changes (including possible suicidal thoughts/attempts), or other mental/mood changes (including new/worsening anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, irritability, hostile/angry feelings, impulsive actions, severe restlessness, very rapid speech). Be especially watchful for these symptoms when a new antidepressant is started or when the dose is changed.

Uses 

Sertraline is used to treat depression, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), and a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). It is known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).

This medication may improve your mood, sleep, appetite, and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living. It may decrease fear, anxiety, unwanted thoughts, and the number of panic attacks. It may also reduce the urge to perform repeated tasks (compulsions such as hand-washing, counting, and checking) that interfere with daily living. This medication works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural chemicals (neurotransmitters such as serotonin) in the brain.

How to use Zoloft Oral

Read the Medication Guide (US) or Patient Information Leaflet (Canada) available from your pharmacist before you start using sertraline and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Take this medication by mouth, usually once daily or as directed by your doctor. This medication may make you sleepy or wakeful. Therefore, depending on how this medication affects you, your doctor may direct you to take the entire dose once daily either in the morning or evening.

The tablet form of this medication may be taken with or without food. The capsule form is usually taken with food after breakfast or after your evening meal as directed by your doctor.

If you are taking this medication for premenstrual problems, your doctor may direct you to take this drug every day of the month or just for the 2 weeks before your period through the first full day of your period.

The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. To reduce your risk of side effects, your doctor may start you at a low dose and gradually increase your dose. Usually, the daily dose will not be more than 200 milligrams. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully. Do not take more or less medication or take it more frequently than prescribed. Your condition will not improve any faster and your risk of side effects will increase. Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, use it at the same time each day.

It is important to continue taking this medication as prescribed even if you feel well. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor. Some conditions may become worse when this drug is abruptly stopped. Your dose may need to be gradually decreased to reduce side effects. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

It may take up to 4 weeks before the full benefit of this drug takes effect.

Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

Before taking sertraline, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: personal or family history of psychiatric disorder (e.g., bipolar/manic-depressive disorder), personal or family history of suicide attempts, kidney disease, liver disease, seizures, thyroid disease (e.g., hypothyroidism).

This drug may make you drowsy; use caution engaging in activities requiring alertness such as driving or using machinery. Avoid alcoholic beverages.

Caution is advised when using this drug in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to the side effects of the drug, such as dizziness. The elderly are also more likely to develop a type of mineral imbalance (hyponatremia), especially if they are also taking "water pills" (diuretics) with this medication.

Caution is advised when using this drug in children because they may be more sensitive to the side effects of the drug, especially loss of appetite and weight loss. It is important to monitor weight and growth in children who are taking this drug.

This medication is not recommended for use during pregnancy. It may harm an unborn baby. Also, babies born to mothers who have used this drug during the last 3 months of pregnancy may infrequently develop withdrawal symptoms such as feeding/breathing difficulties, seizures, muscle stiffness, or constant crying. If you notice any of these symptoms in your newborn, tell the doctor promptly.

Since untreated depression can be a serious condition, do not stop taking this medication unless directed by your doctor. If you are planning pregnancy, become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, immediately discuss the benefits and risks of using this medication during pregnancy with your doctor.

This drug passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Overdose 

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

NOTES:

Psychiatric/medical checkups (and possibly laboratory tests) should be done regularly to monitor your progress and check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

Do not share this medication with others.

MISSED DOSE:

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

STORAGE:

Store at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Brief storage between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

MEDICAL ALERT:
Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For enrollment information call MedicAlert at 1-800-854-1166 (USA) or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada). 

Nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, loss of appetite, increased sweating, drowsiness, diarrhea, upset stomach, or trouble sleeping may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: unusual or severe mental/mood changes (e.g., agitation, nervousness, suicidal thoughts), decrease in sexual ability (ejaculation delay), decreased interest in sex, uncontrollable shaking (tremor), unusual weight loss.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these highly unlikely but very serious side effects occur: easy bruising/bleeding, persistent nausea/vomiting, severe stomach/abdominal pain, black stools, seizures, change in the amount of urine, dark urine, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, yellowing eyes/skin.

This medication may rarely cause a very serious condition called serotonin syndrome. The risk increases when this medication is used with certain other drugs such as "triptans" used to treat migraine headaches (e.g., sumatriptan, eletriptan), certain antidepressants including other SSRIs (e.g., citalopram, paroxetine) and SNRIs (e.g., duloxetine, venlafaxine), lithium, tramadol, tryptophan, or a certain drug to treat obesity (sibutramine). Before taking this drug, tell your doctor if you take any of these medications. Serotonin syndrome may be more likely when you start or increase the dose of any of these medications. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop some of the following symptoms: hallucinations, unusual restlessness, loss of coordination, fast heartbeat, severe dizziness, unexplained fever, severe nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, twitchy muscles.

For males, in the very unlikely event you have a painful or prolonged erection lasting 4 or more hours, stop using this drug and seek immediate medical attention, or permanent problems could occur.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

Avoid taking MAO inhibitors (e.g., furazolidone, isocarboxazid, linezolid, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, selegiline, tranylcypromine) within 2 weeks before, during, and after treatment with this medication. In some cases a serious, possibly fatal drug interaction may occur.

This drug should also not be used with the following medications because very serious interactions may occur: pimozide, sibutramine.

If you are currently using any of these medications, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting sertraline.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: drugs for diabetes (e.g., insulin, tolbutamide), other antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs such as citalopram/fluvoxamine, TCAs such as amitriptyline/desipramine, other types such as venlafaxine/nefazodone/trazodone), drugs which can cause bleeding/bruising (e.g., anticoagulants such as heparin and warfarin, anti-platelet drugs including aspirin/NSAIDs such as ibuprofen), buspirone, dextromethorphan, certain herbal/supplement products (e.g., melatonin, St. John's wort, tryptophan), lithium, drugs for migraine (e.g., dihydroergotamine, "triptans" such as sumatriptan), stimulants such as amphetamines/phentermine, street drugs such as MDMA ("ecstasy").

Sertraline can affect the removal of other drugs from your body by affecting certain liver enzymes. These affected drugs include cimetidine, cisapride, clozapine, and certain drugs for heart rhythm such as flecainide/propafenone, among others. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

Also report the use of drugs which might increase seizure risk (decrease seizure threshold) when combined with this medication such as bupropion, isoniazid (INH), theophylline, or tramadol, among others. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you also take drugs that cause drowsiness such as: certain antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine), anti-seizure drugs (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin), medicine for sleep or anxiety (e.g., alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants, narcotic pain relievers (e.g., codeine, meperidine), psychiatric medicines (e.g., chlorpromazine, risperidone, thioridazine).

Check the labels on all your medicines (e.g., cough-and-cold products) because they may contain drowsiness-causing ingredients, pain relievers/fever reducers (NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen) or the cough suppressant dextromethorphan. Ask your pharmacist about the safe use of those products.

Low-dose aspirin, as prescribed by your doctor for specific medical reasons such as heart attack or stroke prevention (usually at dosages of 81-325 mg per day), should be continued. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.