Pamelor vs. Zoloft

• Are Zoloft and Pamelor the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Pamelor?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Zoloft?
• What Is Pamelor?
• What Is Zoloft?
• What Drugs Interact with Pamelor?
• What Drugs Interact with Zoloft?
• How Should Pamelor Be Taken?
• How Should Zoloft Be Taken?

Pamelor (nortriptyline HCl) and Zoloft (sertraline) are used to treat depression.

Zoloft is also used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Pamelor and Zoloft are different types of antidepressants. Pamelor is a tricyclic antidepressant and Zoloft is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant.

Side effects of Pamelor and Zoloft that are similar include dry mouth, constipation, weight changes, dizziness, nausea, decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm.

Side effects of Pamelor that are different from Zoloft include fast heart rate, blurred vision, urinary retention, tingly feeling, weakness, lack of coordination, unpleasant taste, ringing in your ears, or breast swelling (in men or women).

Side effects of Zoloft that are different from Pamelor include sleepiness, drowsiness, tired feeling, nervousness, sleep problems (insomnia), skin rash, headache, diarrhea, upset stomach, stomach pain, changes in appetite, or abnormal ejaculation.

Both Pamelor and Zoloft may interact with alcohol, other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (sleeping pills, narcotics, muscle relaxers, or medicines for anxiety or seizures), cimetidine, St. John's wort, other antidepressants, or heart rhythm medications.

Pamelor may also interact with bupropion, reserpine, terbinafine, medications to treat mental illness, bladder or urinary medicines, bronchodilators, cold or allergy medicines that contain an antihistamine, medications for

Parkinson's disease; medications to treat excess stomach acid, stomach ulcer, motion sickness, or irritable bowel syndrome; decongestants, diet pills, or stimulants.

Zoloft may also interact with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), digoxin, fentanyl, linezolid, lithium, tramadol, 5-hydroxytryptophan, valproate, blood thinners, cough and cold medicines, or migraine headache medicines.

Do not stop using Pamelor or Zoloft suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Common side effects of Pamelor include:

• fast heart rate,
• blurred vision,
• urinary retention,
• dry mouth,
• constipation,
• weight gain or loss,
• dizziness upon standing (orthostatic hypotension),
• tingly feeling,
• weakness,
• lack of coordination,
• unpleasant taste,
• nausea,
• ringing in your ears,
• breast swelling (in men or women),
• decreased sex drive,
• impotence, or
• difficulty having an orgasm.

Common side effects of Zoloft include:

• sleepiness
• drowsiness
• tired feeling
• nervousness
• sleep problems (insomnia)
• dizziness
• nausea
• skin rash
• headache
• diarrhea
• constipation
• upset stomach
• stomach pain
• dry mouth
• changes in appetite
• abnormal ejaculation
• impotence
• decreased sex drive
• difficulty having an orgasm
• dry mouth, and
• weight loss.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Zoloft including:

• very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, feeling like you might pass out;
• agitation, hallucinations, fever, overactive reflexes, tremors;
• nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, feeling unsteady, loss of coordination;
• trouble concentrating, memory problems, weakness, fainting, seizure, shallow breathing, or breathing that stops.

Pamelor (nortriptyline HCl) is an antidepressant that is used to treat mental/mood problems such as depression.

Zoloft is a prescription medicine used to treat a certain type of depression called Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Zoloft belongs to a class of medicines known as SNRIs (or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors).

Zoloft is also used to treat or manage:

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Panic Disorder
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of treating depression and also the risks of not treating it. You should discuss all treatment choices with your healthcare provider.

Zoloft is safe and effective in treating children with OCD age 6 to 17 years.

It is not known if Zoloft is safe and effective for use in children under 6 years of age with OCD or children with other behavior health conditions.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you do not think that your condition is getting better with Zoloft treatment.

Pamelor may interact with narcotic pain medicines.

Pamelor may also interact with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, or medicines for anxiety, depression, or seizures), bupropion, cimetidine, reserpine, St. John's wort, terbinafine, other antidepressant or medication to treat mental illness, bladder or urinary medicines, bronchodilators, cold or allergy medicines that contain an antihistamine, medications for Parkinson's disease; medications to treat excess stomach acid, stomach ulcer, motion sickness, or irritable bowel syndrome; decongestants, diet pills, stimulants, or heart rhythm medications.

Do not stop using Pamelor suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

• take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are not sure if you take an MAOI, including the antibiotic linezolid.
• have taken an MAOI within 2 weeks of stopping Zoloft unless directed to do so by your healthcare provider.
• have stopped taking an MAOI in the last 2 weeks unless directed to do so by your healthcare provider.
• take any other medicines that contain sertraline (such as sertraline HCl or sertraline hydrochloride).
• take the antipsychotic medicine pimozide (Orap^®) because this can cause serious heart problems.
• are allergic to sertraline or any of the ingredients in Zoloft. See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in Zoloft.
• take Antabuse^® (disulfiram) (if you are taking the liquid form of Zoloft) due to the alcohol content.

People who take Zoloft close in time to an MAOI may have serious or even life-threatening side effects. Get medical help right away if you have any of these symptoms:

• high fever
• uncontrolled muscle spasms
• stiff muscles
• rapid changes in heart rate or blood
• confusion
• loss of consciousness (pass pressure out)

Pamelor is administered orally in the form of capsules or liquid. Lower than usual dosages are recommended for elderly patients and adolescents.

Take Zoloft exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. Your healthcare provider will tell you how much Zoloft to take and when to take it. If you take too much Zoloft, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Zoloft is a benzodiazepine medicine. Taking benzodiazepines with opioid medicines, alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, breathing problems (respiratory depression), coma and death.

Zoloft can make you sleepy or dizzy, and can slow your thinking and motor skills.

Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how Zoloft affects you.

Do not drink alcohol or take other drugs that may make you sleepy or dizzy while taking Zoloft without first talking to your healthcare provider. When taken with alcohol or drugs that cause sleepiness or dizziness, Zoloft may make your sleepiness or dizziness much worse.

Do not take more Zoloft than prescribed.