Overview

Upon testing, it showed that it varies from person to person on ‘how long does Zoloft stay in your system.’ Although there are no specific rules for this, there are still some physiological factors on the basis of which the timeframes of Zoloft to stay in your body vary. This includes but is not limited to age, weight, genetics, and gender.

Half-Life of Zoloft (sertraline)

The half-life of a medication refers to the duration it takes for half of that medication to be eliminated from the body.

As per Wisnerbaum the half-life of Zoloft is approximately 26 hours. This means that within this timeframe, half of the sertraline will have left a person’s system, resulting in 50% remaining. After another day, the remaining amount decreases to 25%, then to 12.5% the following day, and so on, until there are no traces left of Zoloft.

The time it takes for Zoloft to be fully cleared from the body can vary based on several factors:

• The dosage taken
• The amount of medication that has already accumulated in the body
• The individual’s age, weight, and metabolic rate
• Other biological factors

Additionally, Zoloft is metabolized into a substance called desmethylsertraline, which has a significantly longer half-life of 56 to 120 hours. As a result, traces of this metabolite may remain in a patient’s system for a much longer period.

How Long Does Zoloft Stay in Urine, Blood, Saliva, or Hair?

Zoloft stays in Urine

It can be found in urine for a maximum of 9 days.

Zoloft stays in Hair Follicle

Traces in hair follicles remain for the longest period of time – up to 90 days.

Zoloft stays in Saliva

Traces in saliva remain for the shortest period of time – about 2 days.

Zoloft stays in Blood

Zoloft remains can be found in blood for up to 5 days.

All the above time frames are denoted after the last use of Zoloft (sertraline) in patients.

These Factors may Affect how Long Zoloft Stays in Your Body?

It is important to note that reactions caused by substances like sertraline may vary from person to person. Likely the effects on how long Zoloft stays in your body may also vary.

Physiological Factors

Individual responses to the drug can vary significantly, influenced by factors such as body weight, age, and genetic makeup.

Mental Health Disorders

The presence of additional conditions, such as panic disorder or depression, can extend the duration Sertraline remains in the system, particularly when accompanied by substance use disorders.

Drug Half-life

Zoloft has a half-life of approximately 22 to 35 hours, indicating that half of the medication is cleared from the body within this period.

Renal & Hepatic Function

Proper functioning of the kidneys and liver is essential for the metabolism and elimination of substances like Zoloft. Impaired function in these organs can slow down the drug’s processing and clearance.

Do you know that several medications have proven to react individual differently? And certain medicines have a label showing they act differently based on genetic makeup.

How long does zoloft stay in the system

As per Pubmed antidepressant discontinuation syndrome develops in nearly 20% of patients following an abrupt stoppage of or marked reduction in the dose of an antidepressant taken regularly for 30 days. These symptoms are usually noticed within 2 – 4 days after the drug consumption is stopped, and they may last for up to a week in most cases. However, in some cases they may take up to a year as well, but that’s not a usual scenario. In case the patient resumes the same drug or a like drug, the symptoms will stop within 1 – 3 days.

Stopping Zoloft cold turkey

As per Mayo Clinic following are the discontinuation syndromes that may be noticed within 1 – 3 days after quitting an antidepressant:

• Anxiety
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Dizziness
• Tiredness
• Achy muscles and chills (flu-like symptoms)
• Nausea
• Electric shock sensations
• Depression being returned symptoms

PGx testing has helped a huge number of doctors to only prescribe medicines which do not react abnormally. Check out how.

Conclusion:

On the basis of multiple studies, it has been proven that there is no hard and fast rule to the question how long does Zoloft stay in your system. Usually, the half-life of a drug is considered to measure this time and in case of Zoloft the half-life is approximately 26 hours. However, this may vary from person to person based on certain factors which are defined above.

Please note that the knowledge provided in this blog is only for informational purposes. Always consult a doctor before taking any medical action.

Faqs