If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, sertraline is one of the preferred antidepressants to take when breastfeeding. Visit Yellow Card for further information. Drug safety fears have emerged after a common anti-depressant was linked to two deaths. Is sertraline better than other antidepressants? That's because it takes around a week for sertraline levels to build up in your body, and then a few weeks longer for your body to adapt and get used to it. If you occasionally forget to take a dose, do not worry. The usual dose of sertraline in children aged 6 to 12 is 25mg a day, but this may be increased to 50mg a day after a week. Sertraline is extensively metabolised, and excretion of unchanged drug in urine is a minor route of elimination. The phase IV clinical study is created by eHealthMe based on reports of 114,019 people who have side effects when taking Zoloft from the FDA, and is updated regularly. It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food. Studies suggest that low doses of SSRIs or SNRIs may help reduce vasomotor symptoms, especially hot flashes and night sweats. Do not stop taking your medicine unless your doctor tells you to. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual and having dark, strong-smelling pee. There is a known connection between sertraline and night sweats, or excessive sweating while asleep. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine. What night sweats are. Sertraline exhibits dose proportional pharmacokinetics in the range of 50 to 200 mg. Do not drink grapefruit juice while you're taking this medicine. I've been on Sertraline for around 18 months. I don't have personal experience with this, but I did see weight loss as a possible side-effect of Sertraline on a med/drug website. If your testosterone levels are low, you might experience night sweats. Babbott SF, Pearson VE. It happens rarely (in less than 1 in 100 people), but some people may have serious side effects when taking sertraline. SSRI antidepressants (a large category of medicines including Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro and Celexa) are often used to alleviate not only the mood symptoms but hot flashes and night sweats, as well. I'm on 100mg setreline & 80g propanolol to help with my anxiety troubles I also had trouble with sweating at night and was told to cut out wheat have done this for 2 months and I no longer get sweats along with some other symptoms I had have gone like foggy headed, frequent headaches & bloating! by Dr Pipin Singh. Pain relievers. These medicines are thought to work by increasing the levels of a mood-enhancing chemical called serotonin in the brain. If you and your doctor decide to take you off sertraline, your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually to help prevent extra side effects. You'll be regularly checked for this. Sertraline is a type of antidepressant known … Sertraline is a type of antidepressant known as a selective … If sertraline makes you feel dizzy, stop what you're doing and sit or lie down until you feel better. HRT wise I had to go through about 3 before finding the right one which suits me and I have been on that for a couple of years now. Jul-Aug 2002;10(4):484. Had blood tests etc by GP who put it down to peri-menopause but I am a bit young! But if your depression is not treated during pregnancy, this can also increase the chance of problems. Never take 2 doses at the same time to make up for a forgotten one. They're usually mild and go away after a couple of weeks. Sertraline comes as tablets, which are available only on prescription. Are there other treatments that will help? You can drink alcohol while taking sertraline, but it may make you feel sleepy. Try taking sertraline with or after food. Sertraline to treat hot flashes: a randomized controlled, double-blind, crossover trial in a general population Sertraline reduced the number of hot flashes and improved the hot flash score relative to placebo and may be an acceptable alternative treatment for women experiencing hot flashes. I am decreasing the dose of Sertraline slowly as I'm so fed up being swimming in sweat, it's awful! Page last reviewed: 12 January 2021 Some people who take sertraline for panic attacks find their anxiety gets worse during the first few weeks of treatment. (i'm too young to be menopausal) i get night sweats almost every night. Choosing a treatment that's most suitable for you depends on: Cannabis with sertraline can give you a fast heartbeat. Although other causes of night sweats are much more likely as a reason for your night sweats, it is clearly very important to have cancer diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Sometimes people respond better to one antidepressant than another. Book an appointment with your doctor if you get: In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to sertraline. Safety and efficacy have not been established in patients younger than 6 years. Headaches should usually go away after the first week of taking sertraline. These common side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people. Possible causes of night sweats, including questions to ask during consultations and suitable examinations and investigations. They are all selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. You can choose to take sertraline at any time, as long as you stick to the same time every day. Sertraline will not affect any type of contraception, including the contraceptive pill or emergency contraception. If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. Talk to your doctor if they last longer than a week or are severe. It works by increasing the activity of a chemical called serotonin in the brain. If you regularly wake up with soaking wet sheets you should get it checked by a GP. Do not stop taking sertraline suddenly, or without talking to your doctor first. Is there any food or drink I need to avoid? Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor. It's normal to sweat during the night if the room or your bedding is making you too hot. If you have trouble sleeping, it's best to take it in the morning. 1999 Feb 2;130(3):242-3. I know Celexa, lexapro andSertralineboth gave me night sweats. Your body naturally produces less testosterone as you get older. Visit Yellow Card for further information, read the leaflet about the best use of medicines in pregnancy (BUMPS), Depression and anxiety: videos of real stories, Depression and OCD: videos of real stories. If you have liver problems, your doctor might give you a lower dose or advise you to take sertraline less often. 1. Yes: Night sweats can be a side effect of antidepressants commonly referred to as SNRIs such as Effexor, Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) or Cymbalta. About sertraline. Methadone can increase the risk of side effects in people taking sertraline. Children aged 6 to 17 might have their dose increased up to 200mg a day, if needed. Sertraline can make you feel more or less hungry than usual, so you may lose or gain weight when you start taking it. If these symptoms do not go away after 1 or 2 weeks, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice. Some people feel worse during the first few weeks of treatment before they begin to feel better. There's some evidence that sertraline can reduce the quality of sperm. It is an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor), which means that it works by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain. Adults and children can get night sweats. If you have night sweats, you will not usually need treatment, but the GP will want to check if you have any other symptoms. I think since they both inhibit serotonin, that most likely is the reason you're sweating. The most common reasons for night sweats are: Sometimes the cause of night sweats is unknown. To contact your GP surgery: Find out about using the NHS during coronavirus. If this does not help, talk to your doctor. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. Sertraline has been linked to a very small increased risk of problems for your unborn baby. Do not drink too much alcohol. But it might be started at a lower dose, then increased gradually to a maximum dose of 200mg a day. Also Zinc is good take 25mg & magnesium 10mg! Author Ali Ahmed. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. They may want to review your treatment. Night Sweats. Night sweats - red flag symptoms. Sertraline will not change your personality or make you feel euphorically happy. Sertraline and N-desmethylsertraline are both extensively metabolized in man and the resultant metabolites excreted in faeces and urine in equal amounts. Scientists researching Sertraline have discovered the antidepressant may actually function differently to how they previously thought. Your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks, or longer if you have been taking sertraline for a long time. Talk to your doctor if you think you might use recreational drugs while taking sertraline. If it is an s/e, it is probably temporary. Sertraline should not be used in patients with severe hepatic impairment (see section 4.2). It might be best to stop drinking alcohol until you see how the medicine makes you feel. Some of the possible negative effects may include: Sexual side effects usually pass after the first couple of weeks. Certain medications can also lead to night sweats. Close menu. As men age and get past 40, testosterone levels drop as much as one percent per year. Night sweats is found among people who take Zoloft, especially for people who are female, 50-59 old, have been taking the drug for < 1 month. Sertraline is a type of antidepressant known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Sertraline is not any better or worse than other antidepressants. These are not all the side effects of sertraline. Antidepressants are a common medication that can lead to night sweats with as many as 22% of people taking antidepressants reporting night sweats as a side effect (especially sertraline and venlafaxine). You may see an improvement in your symptoms after 1 or 2 weeks, although it usually takes between 4 to 6 weeks before you feel the full benefits. Effexor is an SNRI, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. You'll hopefully take in your stride little things that used to worry you. However, very rarely, they can be long lasting and may not get better even after stopping the medicine. Speak to your doctor if you are worried. Sertraline has a relatively short half-life compared to other SSRIs—about one day. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby. Menu If sertraline makes you feel tired or weak, stop what you're doing and sit or lie down until you feel better. Sertraline is the generic form of the brand name drug Zoloft. Take the sertraline packet, or the leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine with you. Sertraline-related night sweats Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. If these happen and are a problem for you, go back to your doctor to see if there's another treatment you can try. have had an allergic reaction to sertraline or any other medicines in the past, have a heart problem – sertraline can speed up or change your heartbeat, have ever taken any other medicines for depression – some rarely used antidepressants can interfere with sertraline to cause very high blood pressure, even when they have been stopped for a few weeks, are trying to become pregnant, already pregnant or breastfeeding, chest pain or pressure, or shortness of breath, painful erections that last longer than 4 hours – this may happen even when you're not having sex, any bleeding that's very bad or you cannot stop, such as cuts or nosebleeds that do not stop within 10 minutes, headaches, trouble focusing, memory problems, not thinking clearly, weakness, seizures, or losing your balance – these can be signs of low sodium levels, thoughts about harming yourself or ending your life, fits, feelings of euphoria, excessive enthusiasm or excitement, or a feeling of restlessness that means you cannot sit or stand still, yellow skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow – this can be a sign of liver problems, vomiting blood or dark vomit, coughing up blood, blood in your pee, black or red poo – these can be signs of bleeding from the gut, bleeding from the gums or bruises that appear without a reason or that get bigger, changes in your periods, such as heavy bleeding, spotting or bleeding between periods, weight gain or weight loss without trying, you get a skin rash that may include itchy, red, swollen, blistered or peeling skin, your mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat start swelling, any medicines that affect your heartbeat – sertraline can speed up or change your heartbeat, any other medicines for depression – some antidepressants can interfere with sertraline to cause very high blood pressure even when they have been stopped, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, men getting painful erections and problems with getting an erection and ejaculating, women having some vaginal bleeding and not reaching orgasm the same way as before, talking therapy (such as cognitive behavioural therapy), whether you have had any previous periods of depression, how likely you are to stick with your treatment, stimulants like MDMA (ecstasy) or cocaine, novel psychoactive substances (which used to be known as legal highs) like mephedrone. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of drug commonly used to treat depression.The drugs help normalize brain function in people with certain mood disorders by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned. Your doctor can explain the risks and the benefits, and will help you decide which treatment is best for you and your baby. thank you." You can take sertraline with or without food. Night sweats are when you sweat so much that your night clothes and bedding are soaking wet, even though where you're sleeping is cool. There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking sertraline will reduce fertility in women. Sertraline-related night sweats. Sertraline can be taken by children aged 6 to 17, but only for obsessive compulsive disorder. For more information about how sertraline can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, read the leaflet about the best use of medicines in pregnancy (BUMPS). Taking sertraline for more than a year has also been linked to a small increased risk of getting diabetes. Initially I had awful side effects of nausea, dizziness etc and I started getting night sweats. Woke up last night to one of the worst episodes of night sweats I’ve ever had. If you become pregnant while taking sertraline, speak to your doctor. Low Testosterone. This is to help prevent any extra side effects you might get as a reaction to coming off the medicine. Take sertraline once a day. Antidepressants, including sertraline, are just one of several approaches to treating depression. Once you're feeling better it's likely that you'll continue to take sertraline for several more months. You have taken too much sertraline and have symptoms such as: If you need to go to A&E, do not drive yourself – get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance. Night sweats only, otherwise well with normal FBC – these patients should be investigated in primary care as are unlikely to have lymphoma; ... Lothian NHS Board Waverleygate 2-4 Waterloo Place Edinburgh EH1 3EG Main Switchboard: 0131 536 9000 YOUR RIGHTS. If sertraline is administered to patients with hepatic impairment, a lower or less frequent dose should be considered. If you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual or seems unusually sleepy, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your health visitor or doctor as soon as possible. Ann Intern Med. Night sweats is found among people who take Sertraline, especially for people who are female, 60+ old, have been taking the drug for 1 - 6 months. It can be potentially dangerous to take sertraline with: Sertraline has not been properly tested with recreational drugs. Sertraline belongs to a group of medicines known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It's often used to treat depression, and also sometimes panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most doctors recommend that you take antidepressants for 6 months to a year after you no longer feel depressed. :) I am sure someone with more info will be on to help shortly. The usual dose of sertraline in children aged 13 to 17 is 50mg a day. Sertraline-related night sweats. Sertraline-related night sweats. You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. Good luck and post anytime:) Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medications may also induce night sweats as a side effect. The amount of sertraline that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person. More than half (56%) of people quitting antidepressants experience withdrawal symptoms.2 The experience is different for everyone, with some people experiencing mild symptoms while others have symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily life. Do not drive or use tools or machinery if you're feeling sleepy. Cannabis can also make drowsiness worse with sertraline, especially in people who have just started taking it. Night sweats are when you sweat so much that your night clothes and bedding are soaking wet, even though where you're sleeping is cool. PMID: 10049212 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] The positive effects of sertraline may, after a while, improve your sex life as your mood lifts and you become interested in life and relationships again. Hi, increased sweating is a potential side effect from taking Sertraline, as well as fever. Do not drive or use tools or machinery if you're feeling tired. Do not expect to feel better overnight, though. Sertraline is an antidepressant medication used to treat depression, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This means that within a few days you will have very littl… You may notice that you sleep better and get on with people more easily because you're less anxious. This usually wears off after a few weeks, but speak to your doctor if it bothers you – a lower dose may help reduce your symptoms. Several different types of prescription and over-the-counter pain relievers … Only a small amount (<0.2%) of unchanged sertraline is excreted in the urine. Next review due: 12 December 2021. The night sweats I imagine could be part of that, or hormonal in nature. aside from stopping the drug, is there anything i can do to help with this side effect? Take your next dose the next day at the usual time. Like all medicines, sertraline can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones. 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