Does Zoloft-induced nausea go away?
By
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Milena’s Highlights:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.
Professional Experience:
With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.
Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.
In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.
A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Education:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
Relevant Published Work & Citations:
Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124.
Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).
Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231.
Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4).
Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.
Conference Papers:
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.
Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.
Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto.
Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.
You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira
Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361
Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ
Does Zoloft-induced nausea go away?
Yes, Zoloft-induced nausea does go away with time. This is one of the most common early side effects of Zoloft and it’s expected to go away as your body adjusts to the medication.
Nausea on Zoloft is usually coupled with stomach pain and acid reflux, which are also quite common among Zoloft users. The intensity of this nausea also varies. Some people may mildly experience it, whereas others may experience nausea and vomiting more intensely.
Just make sure you closely monitor your side effects and report them to your healthcare provider. It usually takes 2-4 weeks for the early side effects to go away, but some people may take longer to recover.
What does research suggest?
According to research studies, nausea is one of the most common gastrointestinal side effects of Zoloft. The intensity of nausea may vary, but it’s a commonly reported early side effect in new users.
Not just insomnia, such users were also subjected to other GI side effects, like stomach pain, acid reflux, indigestion, etc (1). Zoloft can also affect the sense of taste or cause an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth, which could also trigger nausea in some individuals.
According to a meta-analysis, Zoloft is one of the most intolerable antidepressants when it comes to GI side effects and a majority of the people taking this med have reported some kind of GI side effect, if not nausea (1).
This indicates that nausea is quite common with Zoloft, especially for someone who is just getting started with this antidepressant. The good thing is that most of the early side effects begin to fade away as the body adjusts to the medication.
What to do if Zoloft causes nausea?
If Zoloft causes nausea, there are a few things you can do. These include:
Consult your mental healthcare professional
The first thing you should do is consult your doctor. If you’re a new user of Zoloft or antidepressants in general, your body may act more sensitively towards the medication and it may take longer to adjust to it.
If your nausea is severe and it’s affecting the quality of your life, your doctor may reduce your dose a little to make Zoloft more tolerable for you.
However, Zoloft-induced nausea can take a few weeks to go away. Make sure you don’t stop your treatment halfway and properly follow your doctor’s directions.
OTC or prescription antiemetics
You can take OTC antiemetics to help with your nausea, like Pepto-Bismol. This can help overcome that feeling until your body adjusts to the med.
However, it’s best to ask your doctor about the most appropriate antiemetic you can take with Zoloft to safely counteract nausea.
Do not overeat
It’s best to keep your diet balanced when you’re new to Zoloft. Overeating or overfilling your stomach can increase your nausea. Sticking to lighter meals can be beneficial for you during the early course of your treatment.
Try natural remedies
You can also try natural remedies to help resolve your nausea while taking Zoloft. Ginger tea is well known for its antiemetic properties. You can simply boil a piece of ginger in some water and add a little honey for some sweetness.
This ginger tea can help control nausea, especially after your meals as it also aids in digestion. You can also try peppermint and lemon, which also possess some antiemetic properties.
Chamomile is also known to relax your gastrointestinal smooth muscles and prevent the backward flow of stomach contents. You can easily find chamomile tea bags in your local stores.
Manage your stomach acidity
Zoloft is also known for causing acid reflux and this is one of the most disturbing side effects of this antidepressant. If you have high acid in your stomach, nausea and vomiting can become even more painful.
This is because the excess acid not only causes abdominal pain and irritation, but those heavy vapours also damage the mucosal membrane in your throat and cause pain.
In case of vomiting, the excess acid can damage your entire upper gastrointestinal tract and cause ulcers in your mouth. This is why it’s important to manage your stomach acidity while you’re new on Zoloft.
You can try to manage it with your diet and OTC acid reducers, like Omeprazole.
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References
1.-
Singh HK, Saadabadi A. Sertraline. 2023 Feb 13. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 31613469. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547689/
2.-
Oliva V, Lippi M, Paci R, Del Fabro L, Delvecchio G, Brambilla P, De Ronchi D, Fanelli G, Serretti A. Gastrointestinal side effects associated with antidepressant treatments in patients with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021 Jul 13;109:110266. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110266. Epub 2021 Feb 5. PMID: 33549697. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33549697/
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