Zoloft Health Risks

In addition to the health risks announced in the FDA alerts (above), there may be other dangers associated with Zoloft use.

Do not stop taking Zoloft suddenly. Doing so may result in harmful side effects. Your healthcare professional should slowly decrease your dose as necessary.

The risks of using Zoloft include:

• An increased risk of having suicidal thoughts or actions
• Bleeding problems, especially if taken with aspirin, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen), or other drugs that affect bleeding
• Mania (becoming hyperactive, excitable, or elated)
• Seizures (even if Zoloft is not taken close in time with a MAOI)
• Weight loss. Children who take Zoloft for a long time should have their growth and body weight measured regularly.
• Increased risks if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Babies born to mothers taking Zoloft late in pregnancy have developed problems such as difficulty breathing and feeding
• Sexual problems including impotence (erectile dysfunction), abnormal ejaculation, difficulty in reaching orgasm, or decreased libido (sexual desire)

Other side effects of Zoloft use include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty sleeping
• Dry mouth
• Sleepiness

What Should I Tell My Healthcare Professional?

It is important to tell your healthcare professional about all known medical conditions, especially if you have liver or heart disease. Tell your healthcare professional if you breast-feed or are planning to breast-feed your baby.

Can Other Medicines or Food Affect Zoloft?

In order to avoid dangerous interactions with any medicines you might be taking, tell your healthcare professional about all prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements that you take.

Tell your healthcare professional about all medications you take that affect bleeding or that treat anxiety, mental illness, depression, or heart problems.

If you plan to drink alcohol while taking Zoloft, talk to your healthcare professional.

Zoloft - Getting Legal Help

While most medications have certain anticipated side effects, a drug manufacturer has a duty to make its products as reasonably safe as possible, and to inform the medical community and the public of known risks associated with its drugs. If a manufacturer fails to do so, it can be held legally responsible if patients are injured as the result of inadequate warnings or the unreasonably dangerous nature of the drug, under a legal theory called "product liability."

If you or a loved one have experienced any dangerous symptoms or unusual medical conditions related to Zoloft use, you should first contact your doctor or other healthcare professional. You may also wish to meet with an experienced attorney to discuss your options and to protect your right to a legal remedy for any injuries caused by Zoloft use.

• Go here to learn more about an attorney's role in a pharmaceutical liability case.
• To find an experienced attorney, use the "Find a Lawyer" tool on the left side of this page, or click here.