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Last Updated: 12/27/2024

Sertraline

Drug Name(s): Zoloft, generic

Class: Antidepressants

Type: Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI)

Used off-label to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and muscle pain in fibromyalgia).

Dosage

Form(s): capsule, tablet, oral solution 

50 mg to 200 mg once a day.

Special Instructions

Do not drive or perform other potentially dangerous activities until you know whether the medication will impair your ability to do them safely.

Take with food.

Talk to your doctor before stopping the drug. Your dose may need to be slowly reduced.

Potential Side Effects

Anxiety; constipation; diarrhea; drowsiness; high blood pressure; insomnia; loss of appetite; nausea, sexual difficulties; sweating; trembling

Be Aware

Antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric and young adult patients. 

Closely monitor for clinical worsening and emergence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

This drug can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising, especially if taken with aspirin or other blood thinners or NSAIDs.

Combining any of these drugs with alcohol or other depressants (including antihistamines, narcotics and some dental anesthetics) can make side effects more severe. Also, many of the medicines used to treat fibromyalgia work by boosting the amount of serotonin in your body. Taking two or more of these drugs together could lead to a potentially life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome. Symptoms usually begin within hours of combining the drugs and include confusion, agitation, irregular heartbeat, unstable blood pressure, tremors, muscle rigidity, nausea and vomiting. If you have these symptoms, stop taking your medication and seek immediate medical help.


The Arthritis Foundation’s Drug Guide is meant for education — not self-medicating. The Arthritis Foundation does not endorse any products mentioned in this guide. While we endeavor to keep the information up to date, we make no representations or warranties about the completeness of the information provided.