Drug family: Antidepressant

WHAT IS ZOLOFT PRESCRIBED FOR?

This drug is an antidepressant that belongs to the family of serotonin reuptake inhibitors .

It is used in the treatment:

depressive states and to prevent recurrences of depression in people who have had depressive episodes,
obsessive – compulsive disorders in adults and children over 6 years old,
panic attacks ,
certain manifestations of anxiety ( social phobia , post-traumatic stress disorder ).

You can consult the following article(s):

Adult depression
Phobia
Post-traumatic stress
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
Panic disorders

PRESENTATIONS OF THE DRUG ZOLOFT

ZOLOFT 25 mg : capsule (white); box of 7

On prescription (List I) – Reimbursable at 65% – Price: €1.27 .

ZOLOFT 50 mg : capsule (yellow and white); box of 28

On prescription (List I) – Reimbursable at 65% – Price: €4.10 .

The prices mentioned do not take into account the pharmacist’s ” dispensing fees “.

COMPOSITION OF THE DRUG ZOLOFT

	p gel	p gel
Sertraline	25 mg	50 mg
Lactose	+	+
Orange yellow S		+

Substances actives :Sertraline,Sertraline chlorhydrate

Common Excipients : Corn Starch, Gelatin, Anhydrous Lactose , Magnesium Stearate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Titanium Dioxide

Other excipients (specific to certain forms): Quinoline yellow, Sunset yellow S

ZOLOFT DRUG CONTRAINDICATIONS

This medicine should not be used in combination with MAOIs or medicines containing pimozide.

ATTENTION

The use of antidepressants is not recommended before the age of 18. Studies have shown that using an antidepressant can increase the risk of suicide in adolescents with depression . In children and adolescents under the age of 18, this treatment is therefore reserved for certain serious cases and requires special medical supervision and the vigilance of those around them. Always check their is no zoloft side effect.

All antidepressant treatments are likely to induce a manic episode in predisposed people: in the event of euphoria, unusual excitement or abnormal behavior occurring under treatment, rapid medical consultation is necessary.

Precautions are necessary in case of epilepsy (even old), predisposition to haemorrhages , situations favoring torsades de pointes , liver failure , angle-closure glaucoma or diabetes .

Although no clear interaction has been found with alcohol , avoid taking alcoholic beverages, as with any psychotropic medication .

If you must drive or use a dangerous machine, make sure beforehand that this medicine does not affect your alertness .

INTERACTIONS OF THE DRUG ZOLOFT WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES

This medicine should not be combined:

to MAOIs (selegiline, moclobemide, linezolid): precise time limits must be observed between the end of treatment with the MAOI and the start of treatment with this medicine, and vice versa;
medicines containing pimozide: risk of torsades de pointes .

It may interact with enzyme-inducing drugs containing any of the following: carbamazepine, dabrafenib, efavirenz, enzalutamide, fosphenytoin, nevirapine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, rifabutin, rifampicin.

Combination with an antimigraine drug from the triptan family , a drug containing lithium , fentanyl, tramadol or a herbal product containing St. John’s wort should be cautious because it increases the risk of onset of serotonin syndrome (see Possible side effects ).

Also inform your doctor if you are taking an oral anticoagulant , aspirin, an NSAID , an imipramine antidepressant , a neuroleptic , an antiarrhythmic (propafenone, flecainide), a diuretic or a medicine containing orlistat.

In addition, the undesirable effects of this medicine may be increased by the absorption of grapefruit: avoid the consumption of grapefruit (fruit or juice) during treatment.

FERTILITY, PREGNANCY AND LACTATION

PREGNANCY :

Antidepressants should only be used during pregnancy if strictly necessary. Non-drug treatment (psychotherapy) should be preferred. Nevertheless, it is possible to use sertraline in pregnant women. If the treatment is continued until delivery, reinforced monitoring of the newborn may be recommended. Indeed, respiratory failure , feeding difficulties or agitation can sometimes occur in the first days of life in newborns of mothers treated until delivery with a serotonin reuptake inhibitor .

FEEDING WITH MILK :

This drug passes weakly into breast milk. However, no particular effects have been reported in infants breastfed by mothers taking sertraline. The use of sertraline is possible during breast-feeding if necessary.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE AND DOSAGE OF THE DRUG ZOLOFT

The capsules should be swallowed with a large glass of water, preferably during a meal, in the evening or in the morning.

USUAL DOSE:

Adult over 18 :
- depression , obsessive-compulsive disorder: the initial dose is 50 mg per day. It can be increased if necessary up to 200 mg per day;
- panic attack , social phobia : the initial dose is 25 mg per day. It can be increased if necessary up to 200 mg per day.
Child from 6 to 17 years old :
- obsessive-compulsive disorder: the starting dose is 25 mg per day for children 6 to 12 years old and 50 mg per day for children 13 to 17 years old. The dose can be increased if necessary up to 200 mg per day.

ADVICE

The effectiveness of antidepressants is generally not immediate. A delay of up to several weeks is sometimes necessary for the beneficial effects to be felt. The possible undesirable effects appearing at the start of treatment should not lead you to stop it prematurely.

In the person suffering from depression , an anxious state may appear or worsen at the start of treatment; an anxiolytic is sometimes prescribed temporarily by the doctor to prevent or treat these manifestations.

When the symptoms of depression have disappeared, the treatment must absolutely be continued for the prescribed period in order to consolidate the cure. A premature stop would expose you to a relapse. The duration of an antidepressant treatment is rarely less than 6 months.

Disorders, sometimes of severe intensity, may appear when antidepressant treatment is stopped : anxiety, guilt, nightmares, dizziness , tremors. It is preferable to stop the treatment gradually by reducing the dosage or by spacing out the doses to avoid these undesirable effects observed in particular in the event of sudden interruption.

You can also check Zoloft Detox.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF THE DRUG ZOLOFT

Undesirable effects occur especially during the first weeks of treatment and usually fade afterwards.

Very common (more than 1 in 10 patients): drowsiness or, on the contrary, insomnia, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, diarrhoea , nausea, dry mouth, ejaculation disorders.

Common: depression , nightmares, anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, untimely teeth grinding, tremors, tingling, muscle pain, lack of attention, abnormal taste, vomiting, constipation , abdominal pain, indigestion, flatulence, yawning, ringing in the ears , visual disturbances, rash , excessive sweating, hair loss, increase or loss of appetite, palpitations , hot flushes, low libido, erectile dysfunction.

More rarely: hallucinations, euphoria, abnormal thoughts, aggressiveness, psychic disorders, suicidal ideation, somnambulism, cramps, joint pain, involuntary movements, difficulty urinating or on the contrary urinary incontinence, dilation of the pupil , convulsions , tachycardia , hypertension, flow of milk from the nipple, irregular periods, allergic reaction , low blood sodium levels, increased transaminases .

Serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants can also cause:

unpleasant agitation and an irrepressible need to move (inability to sit or stand quietly). If these problems occur, contact your doctor;
bleeding such as bruises, nosebleeds, genital or digestive bleeding ;
rare cases of serotonin syndrome , the main manifestations of which are: tremors, confusion , agitation, exaggeration of reflexes, muscle rigidity, dizziness , unexplained fever, sweating. The appearance of several of these symptoms requires medical advice.

You have experienced an adverse effect likely to be due to this medication, you can report it online.

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