Is it okay to miss Sertraline for a week? 

Is it okay to miss Sertraline for a week? 

No, it’s not okay to miss Sertraline for a week or even for less than that. Sertraline is an antidepressant. It increases the amount of active serotonin in your brain by inhibiting its reuptake.

With time, your body gets used to the presence of this medication for the process of release and working of serotonin. If you skip the medication abruptly, this can cause a number of side effects associated with Sertraline withdrawal syndrome (1). 

This is why you should NEVER stop Sertraline abruptly. If you’re struggling with side effects, talk to your healthcare provider. Most side effects are expected to fade away within 2-3 weeks, but if yours are taking longer or are severe, your doctor will determine the best possible way to reverse them.

What are the side effects associated with skipping Sertraline for a week? 

When you skip Sertraline for a week, your body may respond in a negative way and you may experience a number of disturbing side effects. 

However, the intensity of these side effects varies from person to person as it depends on the dose of Sertraline at which you and the overall duration of your treatment. 

The higher the dose, the greater the side effects of skipping it. The same is the case with a longer duration of treatment. The most common side effects associated with skipping a Sertraline dose are (2):

  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Diarrhoea
  • Vomiting 
  • Nausea
  • Headaches 
  • Excess sweating/night sweats
  • Disturbed sleep, insomnia, nightmares
  • Dizziness or vertigo
  • You might feel something called brain zaps, which feels like a shock firing in your brain 

What to do if you have skipped Sertraline for a week? 

If you have skipped Sertraline for a week and now wish to start it again, talk to your mental healthcare professional. Your doctor may adjust your dose a little if needed. It is never safe to stop your treatment with antidepressants halfway. 

Another important thing is to know why you missed your antidepressant for an entire week. If you were concerned about the side effects that made you skip the med, talk to your doctor. Sertraline is known for causing some side effects, especially during the early course of your treatment.

Not just Sertraline, but a lot of other antidepressants cause somewhat similar side effects. However, these side effects do get better when your body adjusts to the antidepressant and eventually, they fade away. Skipping your doses is not a smart way to deal with them. 

If forgetfulness is the reason why you did not take Sertraline for an entire week, find a way to help you remember. This is a modern era and you can do something as simple as setting daily reminders on your phone to help you remember to take your antidepressant. 

Final words

To sum up, it is never a good thing to skip antidepressants as these meds can negatively affect your brain if you don’t take them in the right way. If you’re concerned about something, talk to your doctor. Sertraline has to be taken daily for as long as your doctor has prescribed. 

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References

1.-

Haddad P. The SSRI discontinuation syndrome. J Psychopharmacol. 1998;12(3):305-13. doi: 10.1177/026988119801200311. PMID: 10958258. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10958258/

2.-

Fava GA, Gatti A, Belaise C, Guidi J, Offidani E. Withdrawal Symptoms after Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Discontinuation: A Systematic Review. Psychother Psychosom. 2015;84(2):72-81. doi: 10.1159/000370338. Epub 2015 Feb 21. PMID: 25721705. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25721705/

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