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What Are The Withdrawal Symptoms And Side Effects Of Sertraline?

Posted on Tue, 23 Aug 2016

Question: My gp has withdrawn sertraline, i now take citalopram 20mg, titrating up at 10mg/week. I stopped sertraline one day, started citalopram the next. Will i be having withdrawal symptoms AND side effects

Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (17 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
not likely

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thanks for writing to us.

Sertraline and citalopram both are same group drugs - SSRI. No possibility of withdrawal is there.
Dry mouth, more sleep or insomnia, increased sweating and tremors are common side effects of citalopram but these are not always there in all. All are reversible.

Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Chintan Solanki (2 hours later)

When you say that side effects are reversible, does this mean when my body gets used to citalopram, or are there meds to take to reverse side effects? Thankyou xxxx

Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
with time they go away or stop the medicine

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for follow up and sorry for the delayed response.

In most of the patients side effects (if at all they are there) go away as body get used to. In few, medicine should be stopped due to side effect.
There is no need to take any medicine to reverse the side effects.

Take care.

http://bit.ly/drchintansolanki (for future communication this is a link to contact me directly by clicking on 'Ask me a question' on same page with three follow up questions )

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar