Online Drugs Directory

Uses of Zoloft

ZOLOFT is a prescription medicine used to treat depression, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (also called OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (also called PTSD) in adults. ZOLOFT is also used to treat OCD in children (ages 6-12) and adolescents (ages 12-17).

How to take Zoloft

ZOLOFT comes in three different strengths of tablets (25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg) as well as a liquid (20 mg/mL). Your doctor will tell you how much to take, and may decide to adjust your dose over time.

If you were prescribed ZOLOFT Oral Concentrate, you must mix it with another liquid before taking it.

• Pour 4 oz. (1/2 cup) of any of the following liquids into a drinking glass: water, ginger ale, lemon/lime soda, lemonade or orange juice. Do not use any other liquids besides these.
• Draw up the proper amount of ZOLOFT Oral Concentrate into the special dropper that comes with the medicine.
• Squeeze the ZOLOFT Oral Concentrate out of the dropper into the drinking glass. Stir well. It is normal if a slight haze appears after mixing.
• Drink all the liquid as soon as you have mixed it. Do not mix it in advance.

Since the dropper bulb for the liquid form of ZOLOFT is made from dry natural rubber, make sure to let your doctor know if you have had allergic reactions to latex.

Take ZOLOFT once a day in the morning or evening. You can take ZOLOFT with or without food. Try to take ZOLOFT at the same time every day.

Do not take an extra dose if you are having a bad day. ZOLOFT does not work right away. Do not stop taking ZOLOFT without talking to your doctor first.

Do not run out of ZOLOFT. Make sure you have your refill for ZOLOFT at home before you need it. Continue to take ZOLOFT even when you feel better for as long as your doctor says.

It may take several weeks before you start to feel better. Do not get discouraged. Keep taking ZOLOFT every day for as long as your doctor tells you to take it.

Like all medicines, ZOLOFT may cause side effects in some people. In clinical studies, few people had to stop taking ZOLOFT because of side effects. The most common ones are:

• dry mouth
• upset stomach
• decreased appetite
• feeling unusually tired or sleepy
• trouble sleeping
• sexual problems in men and women
• diarrhea/loose stools
• tremor
• feeling agitated
• indigestion
• increased sweating

Significant weight loss may be an undesirable result of treatment with sertraline for some patients, but on average, patients in controlled trials had minimal, 1 to 2 pound weight loss, versus smaller changes on placebo. Only rarely have sertraline patients been discontinued for weight loss.

In case of an overdose, call your doctor or poison control center right away or go to the nearest emergency room.

While you are taking ZOLOFT, you should never take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medicine. MAOI medicines are used to treat depression and other conditions. If you have been taking an MAOI, you must stop the MAOI at least 14 days before you start taking ZOLOFT. In addition, you must wait at least 14 days after stopping ZOLOFT before you can safely start taking an MAOI medicine. A very serious reaction or even death could occur if ZOLOFT is taken at the same time as an MAOI medicine. Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if any medicine you are taking is an MAOI.

The liquid form of ZOLOFT contains alcohol and should not be taken if you are taking Antabuse (disulfiram).

Although ZOLOFT did not potentiate the cognitive and psychomotor effects of alcohol in experiments with normal subjects, the concomitant use of ZOLOFT and alcohol is not recommended.

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do NOT take 2 doses at once.

Keep ZOLOFT and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Store ZOLOFT tablets and Oral Concentrate at room temperature (59°-86°F or 15°-30°C).