Description

Chemical Name: SERTRALINE (SER-tra-leen)

ZOLOFT is an antidepressant medication which belongs to a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This medication is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is also used to relieve the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), including mood swings, irritability, bloating, and breast tenderness. ZOLOFT affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression, panic, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

NOTE: ZOLOFT is FDA-approved for children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It is not approved for treating depression in children.

Directions

Take ZOLOFT exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.

ZOLOFT tablets may be taken with or without food. For optimal results, patients should try to take the medicine at the same time each day.

Ingredients

The active ingredient in Zoloft is sertraline.

Cautions

Before using ZOLOFT, patients should be aware of essential safety information that may affect them. Speak to your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:

• dangerous drug interaction could occur, leading to serious side effects
• patients may have thoughts about suicide when they start taking ZOLOFT, especially those under 24 years old
• this medication may alter your mood or symptoms
• patients should not start or stop taking Zoloft during pregnancy without your doctor's advice
• tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking ZOLOFT because it can cause heart defects or serious lung problems in a newborn if you take the medication during pregnancy
• do not use ZOLOFT without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby
• ZOLOFT can cause patients to have a false positive drug screening test. If you provide a urine sample for drug screening, tell the laboratory staff that you are taking ZOLOFT
• if you stop taking ZOLOFT, you may have a relapse of depression

To make sure you can safely take ZOLOFT, tell your doctor if you have any of these conditions:

• liver or kidney disease
• seizures or epilepsy
• a bleeding or blood clotting disorder
• bipolar disorder (manic depression)
• a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts

Side Effects

Every medication has side effects; however it is rare that they may occur. Patients can usually find the complete list of side effects with their medication.

Serious side effects may include:

• allergic reaction including hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
• very stiff (rigid) muscles
• high fever
• sweating
• confusion
• fast or uneven heartbeats
• feeling like you might pass out
• hallucinations
• overactive reflexes, tremors
• loss of appetite, feeling unsteady, loss of coordination; or
• trouble concentrating or memory problems
• weakness or fainting
• seizure
• shallow breathing or breathing that stops

Common serious side effects may include:

• upset stomach
• diarrhea
• constipation
• vomiting
• dry mouth
• loss of appetite
• drowsiness
• headache
• dizziness
• insomnia
• decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about additional side effects or any side effect that bothers you or that do not go away.