Introduction

Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for oral administration. Zoloft is used to treat Major Depressive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), Social Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Suitability

Zoloft is suitable for primarily adults, though does come with extra warnings if prescribed to adolescents and children. Zoloft is not recommended for women who are pregnant. Whilst Zoloft can be used on minors, the facts for increased suicidality far surpasses it use over other drugs.

Dosage

The recommended dosage is 50mg per day, however; the more common dosages for treatment of PTSD is more like 200mg+ per day.

Side Effects

All drugs have possible side effect/s, which need to be taken into consideration when being prescribed.

You have approximately a 1:2 chance of having any side effect/s with Zoloft from the clinical studies performed.

Zoloft has the following possible side effects:

• Autonomic Nervous System Disorders
  • Ejaculation Failure
  • Mouth Dry
  • Sweating Increased
• Centr. & Periph. Nerv. System Disorders
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Hot Flushes
  • Paresthesia
  • Somnolence
  • Tremor
• General
  • Fatigue
  • Malaise
  • Pain
• Gastrointestinal Disorders
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Anorexia
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea/Loose Stools
  • Dyspepsia
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
• Psychiatric Disorders
  • Agitation
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Libido Decreased
  • Nervousness
  • Palpitation
• Disorders of Skin and Appendages
  • Rash
• Special Senses
  • Vision Abnormal

Further categorization of possible side effects are listed in decreasing order:

Autonomic Nervous System Disorders

• Frequent: impotence;
• Infrequent: flushing, increased saliva, cold clammy skin, mydriasis;
• Rare: pallor, glaucoma, priapism, vasodilation.

Body as a Whole General Disorders

• Rare: allergic reaction, allergy.

Cardiovascular

• Frequent: palpitations, chest pain;
• Infrequent: hypertension, tachycardia, postural dizziness, postural hypotension, periorbital edema, peripheral edema, hypotension, peripheral ischemia, syncope, edema, dependent edema;
• Rare: precordial chest pain, substernal chest pain, aggravated hypertension, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disorder.

Central and Peripheral Nervous System Disorders

• Frequent: hypertonia, hypoesthesia;
• Infrequent: twitching, confusion, hyperkinesia, vertigo, ataxia, migraine, abnormal coordination, hyperesthesia, leg cramps, abnormal gait, nystagmus, hypokinesia;
• Rare: dysphonia, coma, dyskinesia, hypotonia, ptosis, choreoathetosis, hyporeflexia.

Disorders of Skin and Appendages

• Infrequent: pruritus, acne, urticaria, alopecia, dry skin, erythematous rash, photosensitivity reaction, maculopapular rash;
• Rare: follicular rash, eczema, dermatitis, contact dermatitis, bullous eruption, hypertrichosis, skin discoloration, pustular rash.

Endocrine Disorders

• Rare: exophthalmos, gynecomastia.

Gastrointestinal Disorders

• Frequent: appetite increased;
• Infrequent: dysphagia, tooth caries aggravated, eructation, esophagitis, gastroenteritis;
• Rare: melena, glossitis, gum hyperplasia, hiccup, stomatitis, tenesmus, colitis, diverticulitis, fecal incontinence, gastritis, rectum hemorrhage, hemorrhagic peptic ulcer, proctitis, ulcerative stomatitis, tongue edema, tongue ulceration.

General

• Frequent: back pain, asthenia, malaise, weight increase;
• Infrequent: fever, rigors, generalized edema;
• Rare: face edema, aphthous stomatitis.

Hearing and Vestibular Disorders

• Rare: hyperacusis, labyrinthine disorder.

Hematopoietic and Lymphatic

• Rare: anemia, anterior chamber eye hemorrhage.

Liver and Biliary System Disorders

• Rare: abnormal hepatic function.

Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders

• Infrequent: thirst;
• Rare: hypoglycemia, hypoglycemia reaction.

Musculoskeletal System Disorders

• Frequent: myalgia;
• Infrequent: arthralgia, dystonia, arthrosis, muscle cramps, muscle weakness.

Psychiatric Disorders

• Frequent: yawning, other male sexual dysfunction, other female sexual dysfunction;
• Infrequent: depression, amnesia, paroniria, teeth-grinding, emotional lability, apathy, abnormal dreams, euphoria, paranoid reaction, hallucination, aggressive reaction, aggravated depression, delusions;
• Rare: withdrawal syndrome, suicide ideation, libido increased, somnambulism, illusion.

Reproductive

• Infrequent: menstrual disorder, dysmenorrhea, intermenstrual bleeding, vaginal hemorrhage, amenorrhea, leukorrhea;
• Rare: female breast pain, menorrhagia, balanoposthitis, breast enlargement, atrophic vaginitis, acute female mastitis.

Respiratory System Disorders

• Frequent: rhinitis;
• Infrequent: coughing, dyspnea, upper respiratory tract infection, epistaxis, bronchospasm, sinusitis;
• Rare: hyperventilation, bradypnea, stridor, apnea, bronchitis, hemoptysis, hypoventilation, laryngismus, laryngitis.

Special Senses

• Frequent: tinnitus;
• Infrequent: conjunctivitis, earache, eye pain, abnormal accommodation;
• Rare: xerophthalmia, photophobia, diplopia, abnormal lacrimation, scotoma, visual field defect.

Urinary System Disorders

• Infrequent: micturition frequency, polyuria, urinary retention, dysuria, nocturia, urinary incontinence;
• Rare: cystitis, oliguria, pyelonephritis, hematuria, renal pain, strangury.

Warnings

As Zoloft is an anti-depressant, all anti-depresants pose a risk of increased suicidal thoughts, or suicidality. The following symptoms; anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, akathisia (psychomotor restlessness), hypomania, and mania, have been reported in adult and pediatric patients being treated with antidepressants for major depressive disorder as well as for other indications, both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric.

Patients should be advised to inform their physician if they are taking, or plan to take, any prescription or over-the-counter drugs, as there is a potential for interactions.

Consideration should be given to changing the therapeutic regimen, including possibly discontinuing the medication, in patients whose depression is persistently worse, or who are experiencing emergent suicidality or symptoms that might be precursors to worsening depression or suicidality, especially if these symptoms are severe, abrupt in onset, or were not part of the patient’s presenting symptoms.

Patients should be advised to notify their physician if they become pregnant or intend to become pregnant during therapy.

Patients should be advised to notify their physician if they are breast feeding an infant.

Read more from the fact sheets on Zoloft:

• Zoloft Description
• Zoloft Pharmacology
• Zoloft Dosage Information
• Zoloft Side Effects and Drug Interactions
• Zoloft Warnings and Precautions
• Zoloft Overdose Information
• Zoloft Patient Information

One down... just have to insert the info researched into the other now... being Xanax.

I,m on Sertraline 150mg for my ptsd and combat stress and I think that it helps me.
Anybody heard of this medicine.
Scott

Scott, this is the generic name of Zoloft. So I put your post in here.

bec