Sertraline and Grapefruit?!

[iLovee]

Hi everyone, I have been taking sertraline for years due to anxiety. Tonight I ate a segment of grapefruit by accident thinking it was an orange. I'm not allowed to eat grapefruit on my medication. Normally I would ring 111 for advice but I obviously can't now. What (if anything) should I do?! I am majorly panicking. Thanks!

I think it will be ok due to the small amount. Doesn't it just make the sertraline more potent? What dosage are you on ?

Thank you so much for replying!! I'm on 50 mg.

I've googled what happens if i eat grapefruit and it confused me! I couldn't find any credible websites so thought I would ask for peoples opinions.

I normally take it in the morning so if I dont take it tomorrow I hope I will be okay... I'm so cross with myself!

It will be fine, don’t worry

Thank you

Grapefruit affects a vast amount of medications and it's largely not realised by people. It won't cause you a problem.

It can effect the way your Medication works making it more or less effective. However, one segment is unlikely or have don't much at all. Drink 2 litres of grapefruit juice would be a different matter

Thanks both! Feeling a wee bit better now

Hi, I also have been on Sertraline for years due to depression. I also love grapefruit and often ate or drank grapefruit juice for breakfast before I knew there was a potential problem. The problem is that grapefruit enhances the effect of the medication and a large amount increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. However as I understand it (from googling, I am not an expert} Serotonin Syndrome ,presents very quickly so if you don't have any symptoms hours later you will be fine. Just avoid grapefruit for a few hours after taking Sertraline and you'll be fine.

To summarise, half a grapefruit or a glass of juice, even taken at the same time as the sertraline will not have caused a problem. Just keep mixing them to a minimum from now on.

Thank you @Hurricane10. It's great to hear from someone who is also on sertraline. I hope the current situation isn't affecting your MH too badly.

I ate it around 6 (ish) so I'm hoping I'll be okay! Just feel like a massive plonked Haha.

Plonker not plonked...

I used to work for NHS direct and we often got drug queries. Almost without exception, the answer would be to do nothing, because nothing is going to change the outcome. Basically no one can do anything unless it's a 'serious' overdose which needs treating.

Hey! First off, take a deep breath—you're gonna be fine. I've been on Zoloft for quite a while, and it’s been a total game-changer for me. As for grapefruit, yeah, it's generally not recommended because it can mess with how your body processes the med, potentially increasing its levels. But honestly, a single segment isn’t likely to do anything serious. The main issue comes with regular or large amounts of grapefruit.

If you're feeling okay, just keep an eye on how you’re feeling and don’t stress too much (easier said than done, I know). Maybe avoid grapefruit in the future, but this one-time thing? Not worth the panic.

Oh, and if you’re on sertraline, the most important thing is making sure it’s high quality for the best effect. If it helps anyone, I always get mine from this trusted pharmacy—they have top-notch quality and it works great: delivery-service24.com/buy-zoloft-uk.html.

Hope this helps, and try not to worry! ❤️