Treatment with Zoloft – The Commonly Prescribed Antidepressant | My Canadian Pharmacy

There are different types of antidepressant drugs that are available in the market. Zoloft is an example of an antidepressant drug that belongs to the SSRIs category.

SSRIs or the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are the most commonly prescribed antidepressant class. These are the most preferred antidepressant class compared other antidepressant categories like TCAs (Tricyclic Antidepressants) or MAOIs (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors). That’s because SSRIs are said to be less severe compared to the other antidepressant drug categories.

Zoloft Generics

Another name for Sertraline HCL, Zoloft is an effective depression treatment recommended for both adults as well as children (belonging to the age group of six years). The drug is effective for the treatment of problems like:

Obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD;
Major depression;
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
Panic attacks (or Panic disorder);
Social anxiety disorder (or social phobia);
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (severe menstrual syndrome).

The Effectiveness

It is an effective depression treatment where the medicinal drug works by balancing the chemicals present in the brain. Patients taking the medicine will experience an improvement in their appetite and mood. It can also help stimulate the energy levels in one’s body and reduce sufferings like fear, anxiety and compulsive behaviors. People who are usually found to be depressed will experience a dramatic improvement in the quality of one’s life. Zoloft is sometimes prescribed for off-label treatments like sleeping disorder and an eating disorder. Read also the article in which its therapeutic application is depicted.

Using Sertraline HCL

There are some things that are mandatory no matter which type of medicine you take. The same applies to when using Zoloft medicine. These are:

Consult with your doctor first in order to ensure that the medicine is safe for you or not. You may also follow the instructions as directed by the doctor when taking the medicine.
There is no particular rule when it comes to medicine intake. However, generally it is okay to take the medicine only once a day and that can be either in the morning or in the evening. You may take the tablet form with or without any food. The capsule form, however, is generally taken with food and that can after breakfast or after the evening meal.
If you are taking the medicine for reasons like a premenstrual problem, then the doctor might direct you to take the medicine at least either for two weeks or every day of the month until your period starts.

Average Dosage

The amount of dosage that you are going to take will depend largely on the medical condition and your response to depression treatment;
Your doctor can recommend you to start with a low dose first and then gradually increase the dosage;
Make sure that you take the medicine regularly in order to derive the best benefit out of it;
Be consistent with the time of your medicinal intake. Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.

In case if you want to stop taking the medicine, do it after consulting with the doctor only. Stopping the dosage intake suddenly can lead to adverse effect on one’s health. Some of the symptoms that can arise from putting an immediate halt to one’s dosage are:

mood swings;
tiredness;
headache;
brief feelings;
sleep changes.

In such cases, you need to immediately put your dosage intake to a halt.

Important Precautions

Inform your doctor in case if you have allergies. The medicine contains inactive ingredients that can give rise to allergic reactions. Do not forget to give the doctor a complete health history report in detail, especially if you are suffering from problems like a seizure disorder, bleeding problems, thyroid disease, liver disease or family history of glaucoma.

Intake of the medicine can often cause a person to feel drowsy or dizzy. It is therefore recommended that you do not do any such activities unless you are fully assured that you are safe.

Inform the doctor if you are already taking other medicines like nonprescription drugs, prescription drugs.

Untreated mental problems like panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder can be a serious condition. That is why; do not stop taking this medicine without consulting your doctor.