What happens if you take sertraline for years?
Long-term Zoloft use can cause emotional blunting, sexual dysfunction, and weight gain that may persist or worsen over time. Physical effects include increased risks of bleeding, bone fracture, diabetes, and cognitive changes in extended use. Studies ranging in length from 35 days to 8 weeks, to 6 months showed statistically significant memory loss and cognitive impairment in a wide age range of participants (aged 20-60). Zoloft appears to slow cognitive function and may worsen existing memory deterioration.
Can sertraline cause long-term damage?
The long-term effects of sertraline on the brain can go far beyond discontinuation syndrome, causing physical changes like weight fluctuation and problems with your sex drive. Many of sertraline’s side effects may begin within the first week of starting it. This includes nausea, diarrhea, and dry mouth. Sleep changes can also appear early on in treatment. But most of these side effects should go away after you’ve been taking sertraline for a month or so (about 4 weeks).IMPORTANT WARNING: has been expanded. Medications such as sertraline may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. This increase was found in children, teenagers, and young adults (less than 24 years of age). The risk may be more likely with the first few months of treatment and when the dose is increased.After stopping sertraline, wait 7 to 13 days before starting moclobemide. The manufacturer advises a 7 day washout period but 13 days may be considered to account for the long half-life of sertraline’s active metabolite. Clinicians should decide the duration of the washout period on a case-by-case basis.Once you feel better you will probably continue to take sertraline for several more months. Most doctors recommend that you take antidepressants for 6 months to a year after you no longer feel depressed. If you stop too soon, depression can come back.
Why is sertraline under investigation?
Sertraline requires special attention to the risks associated with neurologic, psychiatric, and congenital disorders in clinical use. In addition to common AEs such as nausea, and tremor, newly identified adverse reactions such as genital anaesthesia, bruxism, and microscopic colitis should be guarded against. Sertraline can sometimes cause more serious side effects, although most of them are rare. Possible serious side effects of sertraline include: an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) – causing symptoms such as a swollen throat or tongue, a raised, itchy rash and difficulty breathing.Despite its regular use, sertraline has been linked to a small number of ocular side effects, including optic neuropathy and acute angle-closure glaucoma [6,7]. Also, there are five reported cases of suspected sertraline-associated maculopathy [8-12].Sertraline may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: nausea, diarrhea.Stopping sertraline suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms such as: Tapering off the medication: If you and your doctor agree that it is time to stop the medication, the dose will be gradually reduced over time to help avoid withdrawal symptoms. This process is called tapering.
When to worry about sertraline?
If you have been taking sertraline for more than a month and you continue to feel very tired, sleepy or struggle to function during the day, you should go back to your doctor and discuss what changes could be made to help. This may include switching to a different medication. If it makes you feel drowsy, try taking it just before you go to bed. Some people find that sertraline causes insomnia (difficulty getting to sleep), and disturbing dreams or nightmares. If this happens, try taking the sertraline first thing in the morning.
Can sertraline affect your brain?
The drug is sertraline. It is most commonly known as Zoloft and is present in 16 other generic forms in Australia. Their study revealed the drugs can have unexpected and unwanted effects. Published in the journal Neuropharmacology, their results showed the drugs reduced the volume of two important regions of the brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, also called SSRIs, are the type of antidepressant prescribed most often. They can ease symptoms of moderate to severe depression. They are relatively safe, and they typically cause fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants do.Some of the most common Zoloft alternatives include: SSRIs: Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa. SNRIs: Effexor XR, Pristiq, Cymbalta. Atypical antidepressants: Remeron, Wellbutrin, Trazodone, Trintellix.These drugs target serotonin, a chemical that carries messages between nerve cells in the brain and has been dubbed the ‘pleasure chemical’. One of the widely-reported side effects of SSRIs is ‘blunting’, where patients report feeling emotionally dull and no longer finding things as pleasurable as they used to.Antidepressant medication might include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as sertraline. However, while SSRIs can be highly effective when it comes to managing depressive symptoms, they can also have their own side effects, including brain fog.
Can sertraline cause long-term memory problems?
The FDA label for sertraline specifically acknowledges that the medication may cause difficulty concentrating, memory changes, and confusion as potential side effects. These symptoms can occur at therapeutic doses and may persist throughout treatment for some individuals. For people struggling with depression, anxiety, or related conditions, this boost in serotonin can help restore emotional balance and reduce symptoms over time. By adjusting how the brain processes serotonin, sertraline may help calm anxious thoughts, lift persistent sadness, and make it easier to engage in daily life.Sertraline is a prescription antidepressant human medication sometimes used in veterinary medicine to help modify certain behaviors associated with fear, anxiety, stress, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and aggression in dogs and cats, as well as house-soiling (inappropriate elimination) in cats.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.Human population studies and in vitro studies showed that antidepressants, including sertraline and paroxetine, are associated with the risk of dementia or AD.Sertraline is a medication used to manage and treat the major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
Can you take amlodipine and sertraline together?
No Major Direct Interaction: Sertraline and Amlodipine generally do not have significant direct drug interactions, making them safe to take together. Monitoring Blood Pressure and Heart Rate: Both medications can influence blood pressure and heart rate. Regular monitoring is recommended. Sertraline and propranolol can be used together safely in most patients, but this combination requires careful monitoring due to potential cardiovascular effects and drug metabolism interactions. The primary concern involves propranolol’s ability to inhibit CYP2D6, which may increase sertraline levels.Sertraline interactions: Medicines and foods to avoid when taking sertraline. Sertraline does interact with many other medications and foods. Sertraline can increase the risk of bleeding in people who take non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen.