Can you take Sertraline and Quetiapine together? (5+ common side effects) 

In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, “Can you take Sertraline and Quetiapine together?”. Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic, whereas Sertraline is an antidepressant. 

This blog will cover the safety and efficacy of the concomitant use of these two drugs. We will also talk about the clinical significance of this combination and how you can ensure its proper use. We will also talk about some common side effects. 

Can you take Sertraline and Quetiapine together?

Yes, you can take Sertraline and Quetiapine together, but only if your healthcare provider prescribes this combination. The concomitant use of Sertraline and Quetiapine does hold some clinical importance, but it is also associated with some risks and common side effects that we will discuss shortly. 

The purpose of combining two meds together is to increase efficacy and decrease the risk of side effects by lowering the dose of each of the drugs. This is why you should always stick to your doctor’s recommended dose. 

Both Sertraline and Quetiapine are good medications. Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It works by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin by blocking serotonin transporters (SERT). 

This way more serotonin becomes available to bind to its respective receptors. Serotonin is an excitatory neurotransmitter responsible for modulating mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and various other psychological processes. 

This is how it works to counteract the symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, and several other mental health conditions. Quetiapine, on the other hand, is an atypical antipsychotic medication.

It is primarily used for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The drug can be used for other conditions as well, including autism, irritability and major depressive disorders. 

Its exact mechanism of action is still unknown. However, experts believe that the drug acts as an agonist of some of the dopamine receptors including D2 receptors and some of the serotonin receptors including 5HT1A receptors. 

The experts have also added that Quetiapine can inhibit serotonin 5HT2A receptors actively. As Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic, it is considered safer than typical antipsychotics which possess a higher risk of causing extrapyramidal side effects.

As both of these medicines work on your brain and brain-related problems, the doses at which you take them play a huge role. Lower doses, especially when a combination is used, are your best bet, and many people respond well to well-adjusted doses. 

What are the common side effects of Sertraline and Quetiapine? 

Both Sertraline and Quetiapine are associated with some common side effects. These include:

• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Diarrhoea/Constipation 
• Flatulence 
• Upset stomach 
• Abdominal pain 
• Confusion 
• Weakness 
• Dizziness 
• Joint pain 
• Irritability 
• Impairment of motor coordination 
• Nightmares 
• Numbness, tingling, or pins-and-needles sensation 
• Loss of libido in both males and females. Males may suffer from an inability to release, while females may suffer from an inability to have a climactic experience. 

Some serious and rare side effects include:

• Allergic reactions associated with symptoms like redness of skin, itching, burning sensation, blisters, blue-purple patches, tightness of chest, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, hoarseness etc. 
• Auditory or visual hallucinations 
• Nose bleeds
• Severe headache
• Arrhythmia or abnormal heartbeats
• Impaired memory and concentration 
• Convulsions 
• Swelling or tenderness in different parts of the body.

These side effects can vary from person to person. Some people may not develop these side effects, especially when the doses are adjusted. 

If you accidentally take more than your prescribed dose or if you’re sensitive to the side effects caused by both of these medicines, that’s when you suffer from these symptoms. For those who do suffer, the intensities are different for different people. 

The way your body responds to the medication is the most important factor. However, there is one possible complication associated with the concomitant use of Sertraline and Quetiapine. 

Studies suggest that the combination may cause some cardiac side effects, especially arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat. This can affect people differently and it can limit the use of this combination in people with active heart diseases. 

This is why you should always ask your healthcare provider what works best with your pre-existing health conditions. It is also quite important to make sure that you properly inform your doctor about your current prescription medications. 

Some meds will not work well with this combination. If you have other chronic conditions which need daily medication, you should consider your healthcare provider regarding the combination use of Sertraline and Quetiapine. 

What is the clinical significance of using Sertraline and Quetiapine together? 

The concomitant use of Sertraline and Quetiapine does hold some clinical importance. We all are aware of the fact that antidepressants, especially SSRIs, take some time to kick in. 

Sertraline usually takes 4-6 weeks to start working, and in some cases, it could take as long as 8-12 weeks. Meanwhile, the drug may cause some side effects, but you have to wait for your body to become adjusted to Sertraline, after which the side effects begin to subside. 

When we combine Sertraline with Quetiapine, your antidepressant kicks in faster. With Quetiapine, you might begin to notice some changes in around 2 to 3 weeks. This indicates that Quetiapine enhances the effects of Sertraline and it turns out to be in your best interest. 

Depression is a nerve-racking illness and it is not easy to deal with. You can imagine how you would feel while waiting for your antidepressant to kick in and battling the side effects.

This is why some healthcare providers combine these two meds together which not only complement each other but can also be used for the treatment of a huge number of mental health-related problems. 

However, make sure you ask your healthcare provider before taking this combination. Another beneficial effect of the combination of Quetiapine and Sertraline is the fact that Quetiapine balances the activating effects of antidepressants and it may save you from Sertraline induced insomnia and anxiety. 

In fact, the drug will help manage your insomnia and anxiety to some extent and will help calm you down. However, as we have just discussed, do not consume these two meds at the same time without first discussing them with your healthcare provider. 

There are a number of factors which might make this combination unbearable for you and only your doctor can rule out those factors. This is why I always seek medical attention for such matters. 

The concomitant use of Quetiapine and Sertraline has proven to be safe and effective in the management and treatment of the major depressive disorder (MDD). MDD is not considered a normal type of depression. It is clinical depression that does not usually respond to normal monotherapies. 

This is why Quetiapine makes a good pair and it helps to make Sertraline’s onset of action a bit quicker than it usually is. This is why many healthcare providers prefer this combination. 

It also works in a safe and effective manner for the management and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As PTSD progresses, you become subjected to terrible panic attacks that are combined with physical signs and symptoms. This is why you should always take your mental health seriously. 

Conclusion 

In this blog post, we have discussed the concomitant use of Sertraline and Quetiapine. This combination has been used for decades now for better and more effective treatment of depression, anxiety, psychosis, and related mental health conditions. 

However, it is not recommended to start using this combination without your doctor’s approval. Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic medication. It is primarily used for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. 

Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and is an antidepressant. Both of these meds, when combined together, can help treat a number of mental health conditions. Make sure you always stick to your doctor’s advice and do not take anything that is not approved by your healthcare provider. 

FAQs: Can you take sertraline and quetiapine together 

What antidepressants can be taken with quetiapine?

Seroquel can be paired with a number of antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (DNRI), etc. Only your healthcare provider can determine which combination holds the best therapeutic importance in your case. Make sure you always stick to your doctor’s advice and do not take anything that is not approved by your healthcare provider.

What drugs should not be taken with sertraline?

• Monoaminoxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The combination use can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. 
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). The combination use can increase the risk of bleeding. 
• Pimozide. The concomitant use can increase the plasma concentration(availability of a drug in the blood) of pimozide to much higher levels. It can result in life-threatening arrhythmia.
• Controlled substances, including all narcotic analgesics. The concomitant use can cause severe psychological side effects. 
• Mood stabilisers 
• Alcohol 

What drugs should not be taken with quetiapine?

• Certain antibiotics including macrolides. Examples are clarithromycin, azithromycin, and erythromycin. 
• Antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Examples are fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, etc. 
• Some antifungal agents like ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole etc. 
• Certain antiarrhythmic medications like quinidine
• Medications used to treat HIV, including ritonavir, indinavir, etc.

Can you take antipsychotics with sertraline?

Yes, you can take antipsychotics with Sertraline, but only if prescribed by your healthcare provider. The concomitant use can be beneficial for a number of psychological conditions like major depressive disorder (MDD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychosis, mania, insomnia, etc. However, there are risks associated with this combination that should be an important concern before using these two meds together. Make sure you always stick to your doctor’s recommendations. 

Can you take an SSRI with Seroquel?

Yes, you can take an SSRI with Seroquel, but only if your healthcare provider prescribes this combination. When we combine SSRIs with Seroquel, your antidepressant kicks in faster. With Seroquel, you might begin to notice some changes in around 2 to 3 weeks. This indicates that Seroquel enhances the effects of SSRIs and it turns out to be in your best interest. Seroquel also balances the activating effects of your antidepressant. 

What does Seroquel do to a normal person?

Seroquel is an atypical antipsychotic medication. It is most commonly used for the treatment of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Seroquel can also be used for the treatment and management of irritability, autism, and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, this medicine is also associated with some side effects and it may severely damage the mental health of a person who has no psychological illness. 

References 

• Drug Interactions between Seroquel and sertraline https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/seroquel-with-sertraline-1979-1274-2057-0.html#:~:text=sertraline%20QUEtiapine&text=Using%20QUEtiapine%20together%20with%20sertraline,is%20a%20rare%20side%20effect. 
• Ella J Daly and Madhukar H Trivedi – A review of quetiapine in combination with antidepressant therapy in patients with depression https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656328/ 
• J M Goldstein. Drugs Today (Barc). (1999) – Quetiapine fumarate (Seroquel): a new atypical antipsychotic https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12973385/
• National Library of Medicine – Sertraline https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697048.html