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What is this medication? SERTRALINE (SER tra leen) treats depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). It increases the amount of serotonin in the brain, a hormone that helps regulate mood. It belongs to a group of medications called SSRIs. Advertisement Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions. COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Zoloft What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?They need to know if you have any of these conditions: Bleeding disorders Bipolar disorder or a family history of bipolar disorder Frequently drink alcohol Glaucoma Heart disease High blood pressure History of irregular heartbeat History of low levels of calcium, magnesium, or potassium in the blood Liver disease Receiving electroconvulsive therapy Seizures Suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempt by you or a family member Take medications that prevent or treat blood clots Thyroid disease An unusual or allergic reaction to sertraline, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives Pregnant or trying to get pregnant Breastfeeding How should I use this medication?Take this medication by mouth with a glass of water. Take it as directed on the prescription label at the same time every day. You can take it with or without food. If it upsets your stomach, take it with food. Do not take your medication more often than directed. Keep taking this medication unless your care team tells you to stop. Stopping it too quickly can cause serious side effects. It can also make your condition worse. A special MedGuide will be given to you by the pharmacist with each prescription and refill. Be sure to read this information carefully each time. Advertisement Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children. While it may be prescribed for children as young as 7 years for selected conditions, precautions do apply. Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once. NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others. What if I miss a dose?If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses. What may interact with this medication?Do not take this medication with any of the following: Dronedarone Linezolid MAOIs, such as Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate Methylene blue (injected into a vein) Pimozide Thioridazine This medication may also interact with the following: Alcohol Amphetamines Aspirin and aspirin-like medications Certain medications for fungal infections, such as ketoconazole, fluconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole Certain medications for irregular heart beat, such as flecainide, quinidine, propafenone Certain medications for mental health conditions Certain medications for migraine headaches, such as almotriptan, eletriptan, frovatriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, zolmitriptan Certain medications for seizures, such as carbamazepine, valproic acid, phenytoin Certain medications for sleep Certain medications that prevent or treat blood clots, such as warfarin, enoxaparin, dalteparin Cimetidine Digoxin Diuretics Fentanyl Isoniazid Lithium NSAIDs, medications for pain and inflammation, such as ibuprofen or naproxen Other medications that cause heart rhythm changes, such as dofetilide Rasagiline Safinamide Supplements, such as St. John's wort, kava kava, valerian Tolbutamide Tramadol Tryptophan This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine. What should I watch for while using this medication?Tell your care team if your symptoms do not get better or if they get worse. Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress. Because it may take several weeks to see the full effects of this medication, it is important to continue your treatment as prescribed by your care team. Patients and their families should watch out for new or worsening thoughts of suicide or depression. Also watch out for sudden changes in feelings such as feeling anxious, agitated, panicky, irritable, hostile, aggressive, impulsive, severely restless, overly excited and hyperactive, or not being able to sleep. If this happens, especially at the beginning of treatment or after a change in dose, call your care team. This medication may affect your coordination, reaction time, or judgment. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Sit or stand up slowly to reduce the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Drinking alcohol with this medication can increase the risk of these side effects. Advertisement Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your care team if the problem does not go away or is severe. What side effects may I notice from receiving this medication?Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible: Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat Bleeding—bloody or black, tar-like stools, red or dark brown urine, vomiting blood or brown material that looks like coffee grounds, small red or purple spots on skin, unusual bleeding or bruising Heart rhythm changes—fast or irregular heartbeat, dizziness, feeling faint or lightheaded, chest pain, trouble breathing Low sodium level—muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness, headache, confusion Serotonin syndrome—irritability, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, muscle stiffness, twitching muscles, sweating, high fever, seizure, chills, vomiting, diarrhea Sudden eye pain or change in vision such as blurred vision, seeing halos around lights, vision loss Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, worsening mood Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome): Change in sex drive or performance Diarrhea Excessive sweating Nausea Tremors or shaking Upset stomach Advertisement This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. Where should I keep my medication?Keep out of the reach of children and pets. Store at room temperature between 20 and 25 degrees C (68 and 77 degrees F). Get rid of any unused medication after the expiration date. To get rid of medications that are no longer needed or expired: Take the medication to a medication take-back program. Check with your pharmacy or law enforcement to find a location. If you cannot return the medication, check the label or package insert to see if the medication should be thrown out in the garbage or flushed down the toilet. If you are not sure, ask your care team. If it is safe to put in the trash, empty the medication out of the container. Mix the medication with cat litter, dirt, coffee grounds, or other unwanted substance. Seal the mixture in a bag or container. Put it in the trash. NOTE: This sheet is a summary. It may not cover all possible information. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider. (责任编辑：) |