Depression is one of the mental disorders that should be taken seriously and treated like any other physical or mental illness. If you ignore this disease, it may leave irreparable consequences for you. However, how can this disease be treated? One of the ways to treat mental illnesses and disorders like this is drug therapy, and one of the famous drugs used to treat depression and help health is sertraline.
The mentioned drug is one of the famous and widely used drugs that many people are treated with.
Sertraline tablets increase a person’s mood, sleep quality, appetite, and energy level and may also help restore interest in daily life. For this reason, it is sometimes prescribed as a sleeping pill. This drug may also reduce fear, anxiety, and unwanted thoughts. This drug also reduces obsessive-compulsive behaviors (such as obsessive hand washing, obsessive counting and checking) that interfere with daily life.
Sertraline belongs to the class of antidepressants and is used to treat depression, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Sertraline is available in tablet and oral form. This is one of the most widely used antidepressants in the world. However, you need to know that a psychiatrist should do the prescription and instructions for taking sertraline 50 and 100 tablets. Otherwise, consult a psychiatrist if you want to take this medicine.
Sertraline
Zoloft (Zoloft, Zoloft)
Lustral, Daxid, Altruline, Asentra, Besitran, Deprax, Elrval, Emergen, Gladem, Implicane, Sedoran, Sealdin, SerivoLowfin, Stimuloton, Zoloft, Treble
It is known as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). As a result, this drug helps to restore the natural substance called serotonin in the brain.
Before starting to take this drug, carefully read the medication guide inside the box and ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
This medicine is taken orally, with or without food, according to the doctor’s prescription and usually once daily (morning or evening).
It is recommended to take this medicine’s oral capsule, usually after breakfast or dinner.
If you take this medication for menstrual problems, your doctor may prescribe sertraline for each day of the month or just two weeks before your period starts.
The dosage of sertraline depends on the patient’s medical condition and the body’s response to the drug.
To reduce the risk of side effects of this drug, such as dry mouth and confusion, the psychiatrist may start the treatment with low doses and then add it.
Consuming this drug regularly will help you get the most out of it. To help you remember, take this medicine simultaneously each day.
It is essential to take its tablets according to the doctor’s prescription.
If you feel better, continue taking sertraline, and do not stop taking that without consulting a psychiatrist.
In the first 2-3 weeks of treatment with this medicine, you may not see any improvement in your health; however, continue to take medicine.
At the beginning of treatment with this drug, your uncomfortable thoughts may increase but do not worry. You should know that these thoughts are caused by the use of this drug and the start of its effectiveness, and they will disappear over time. In these cases, it is better to share your thoughts with your relatives, counselor, and psychiatrist and act consciously to resolve them.
You have probably heard that sertraline is a happy pill. This is true. However, is it prescribed for happiness? Sertraline 50 tablets, Asentra, or other common names are prescribed to regulate the level of serotonin in the body. The adjustment of this neurotransmitter in the body causes the symptoms of depression, which include discomfort and fatigue, to be resolved. Therefore, happiness becomes colorful, and the nervous health and mood of the person improve.
This medicine is prescribed for people over 18 years old. If a person has symptoms of depression, he can benefit from the happy effects of this drug, according to the doctor’s opinion.
Serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants cause obesity. Therefore, obesity is one of the side effects of Sertraline 50. Fluoxetine is like this drugSo; if beauty is important to you in addition to health, keep this in mind. The extra weight that occurs after taking antidepressants such as sertraline is several kilos.
Researchers do not know the main reason for weight gain due to the use of serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants, but there are theories to explain this issue. It has been said that this drug causes disruption in the body’s metabolism and reduces calorie consumption. These drugs also affect appetite and increase it.
One of the reasons for premature ejaculation is depression. If the depression is resolved, premature ejaculation will also be improved if the reason for its development is depression. Sertraline can help an erection last longer. Of course, this drug is not officially used to treat premature ejaculation, and it has been observed that it has helped prolong erection.
If your doctor has prescribed it for you, be sure that its benefits outweigh its harms. It is also essential to know that most people who have taken this drug have not experienced severe side effects.
Taking sertraline may lead to complications such as the following:
If these side effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor immediately.
Call an emergency medical center immediately if you experience any severe side effects of this drug, such as the following.
If you see this drug’s rare but severe side effects like the following, contact your doctor immediately.
Sertraline sedation is not usual. However, this drug can cause drowsiness. In some cases, it has been observed that this drug has increased drowsiness and violence, in which case the psychiatrist must be informed. In cases where sertraline drug was used with alcohol and marijuana, symptoms such as drowsiness were aggravated.
This drug increases the level of serotonin in the body and has rarely led to a severe condition called serotonin syndrome/toxicity. Also, this risk increases with the use of other drugs that increase the level of serotonin, so let your doctor know about all the drugs you are taking. If you experience side effects such as heart palpitations, hallucinations, incoordination in movements, severe dizziness, nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhea, muscle tremors, unexplained fever, confusion, and unexplained lethargy, call emergency medical services immediately.
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Related: “What Is The Difference Between Intermittent, Remittent, And Relapsing Fever?“
Reference: “www.mdpi.com“
It is essential to know that a severe allergic reaction to sertraline is rare. However, if you experience a severe allergic reaction such as skin symptoms, itching, swelling (especially in the face, tongue, and throat), severe confusion, and difficulty breathing, seek emergency medical help immediately.
Considering that the complication list needs to be completed, you may encounter a complication that needs to be mentioned. In these cases, consult your doctor or pharmacy doctor.
If you are allergic to sertraline or have any other allergies, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine. Sertraline may contain inactive ingredients that cause allergies or other problems.
Before taking sertraline, let your doctor know your medical records and your family’s, especially;
History of bipolar disorder or manic depression
Researchers are not sure if drugs that inhibit the absorption of serotonin cause problems in the fetus, but in some cases, high pulmonary blood pressure has been observed. For this reason, using sertraline during pregnancy is not recommended, and it is better to change the drug or consider non-pharmacological treatment methods.
If you are pregnant, use sertraline only if necessary because it may harm the fetus.
Also, babies of mothers treated with sertraline in the last three months of pregnancy rarely showed signs of drug withdrawal, such as feeding and breathing problems, seizures, muscle contraction, or continuous crying. If you notice any of these side effects in your baby, inform the doctor immediately.
One of the most essential and common questions is whether alcohol can be consumed while taking sertraline tablets. The general recommendation while taking sertraline is to avoid alcohol consumption altogether. Even a tiny amount of alcohol can interfere with sertraline and cause unwanted side effects. Combining alcohol and sertraline can cause side effects, and drinking alcohol can make depression worse.
In some cases, it has been seen that people use Fluoxetine along with Asentra (Sertraline). Fluoxetine is also an antidepressant. There is a belief that if used simultaneously with sertraline, the effectiveness of the drug increases and depression can be treated faster. However, taking these two drugs together can cause serious side effects and is not recommended. These two drugs are taken together only if the doctor has prescribed them after a complete examination of the individual’s condition.
Conclusion
Sertraline belongs to the family of serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, which are prescribed for various disorders such as the treatment of depression, fear attacks, anxiety disorders and obsessions.
This work helps to eliminate the symptoms of depression, fear attacks, and many other disorders related to mood in some people and helps improve their health. Sertraline is also used in the treatment of premature ejaculation due to the reduction of sexual desire.
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Dr. Majid Zohrabi started treating his patients in Dubai in 2022 and continues his activities in private medical centers in the UAE.