Cannabis Use While Taking Zoloft: What You Need to Know

If you take Zoloft and marijuana at the same time, you may have more adverse effects. Furthermore, using cannabis may make prescription antidepressants like Zoloft less effective.

Before beginning to use marijuana for medical purposes, it is always advisable to speak with a marijuana doctor. After determining whether or not marijuana is appropriate for your circumstances, the doctor will give you a medical marijuana card that entitles you to use marijuana legally in your state. 

Find out more about the possible negative effects and interactions between Zoloft and marijuana.

What is Zoloft?

A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is a class of antidepressant that includes sertraline (marketed under the name Zoloft). The medication, which is only available with a prescription, is used to treat a number of mental health issues, from crippling panic disorders to situational depression.

Zoloft may interact with other medications, just like most prescription drugs do. It is advisable to consult your physician before taking this antidepressant medication in combination with marijuana use, as there may be significant interactions.

Uses and How It Works

For patients treating depression and other psychiatric conditions, doctors recommend Zoloft. The following are a few authorized uses for Zoloft:

  • Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PDD), a form of PMS
  • Panic Disorder
  • Social anxiety disorder
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

When one of the aforementioned conditions is treated with Zoloft, the brain’s serotonin levels are brought back into balance.

In the brain, serotonin is a chemical messenger that controls mood, memory, reward reactions, and other processes. People who have low serotonin levels may develop depression or other related disorders (such as social anxiety).

The Pros and Cons of Combining Cannabis with Zoloft

Some people may have negative reactions when they combine cannabis and Zoloft, while others may not have any negative side effects. However, it is impossible to predict whether combining the two medications will be harmful to you or have no effect at all, so you should speak with your doctor before doing so.

The Pros

There are no established advantages to combining Zoloft and cannabis. To find out whether taking cannabis and Zoloft together could be beneficial, more research is required.

The Cons

It’s critical to keep the body’s serotonin levels in check, particularly for those who are struggling with mental health concerns.

Depression may result from low serotonin levels, but elevated levels can also cause issues. When serotonin levels are too high, a potentially fatal illness known as serotonin syndrome develops. Serotonin syndrome symptoms include:

  • A high fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or above
  • Rapid heart rate
  • High blood pressure
  • Loss of muscle coordination
  • General weakness
  • Insomnia and panic attacks
  • Agitation and confusion

Immediately get medical help if you encounter any of the aforementioned symptoms. Even if you do not experience these severe (and potentially fatal) complications, you may still have other symptoms.

For instance, taking Zoloft and cannabis together may make some pre-existing conditions worse, such as OCD and panic disorder.

Combining the two medications may also make the adverse effects worse, particularly if they are shared.

Common side effects of taking both Zoloft and cannabis at the same time include drowsiness and dry mouth, which can become much more severe.

The following are additional, potentially more severe side effects:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Nervousness
  • Insomnia and other sleep issues

Consult your physician out of caution, even if these symptoms are mild to moderate.

What to Consider If You Need to Use Both Zoloft and Cannabis

It makes sense that high dosages of cannabis and Zoloft would be more dangerous than low dosages.

If you do choose to use both, try to take the lowest dose possible, as it is not a good idea to combine the two. Do not, however, alter the dosage that your doctor has prescribed for you; for instance, do not cut a Zoloft pill in half in order to reduce the dosage. Rather, find out from your physician what the lowest dosage of Zoloft might be that might work for you (e.g., 25 mg instead of 50 mg).

Additionally, unless your doctor instructs you otherwise, don’t stop taking Zoloft.

The Closing Words!

In general, it is not a good idea to combine cannabis and Zoloft, as it may have serious health consequences.

The effects of taking Zoloft with cannabis have not been thoroughly studied, but it is obvious that higher concentrations of both drugs carry a higher risk. Combining cannabis with Zoloft can result in serotonin syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal condition.

Consult a medical marijuana doctor prior to combining cannabis with any prescription medications.

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About the author

Hello! My name is Zeeshan. I am a Blogger with 3 years of Experience. I love to create informational Blogs for sharing helpful Knowledge. I try to write helpful content for the people which provide value.

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