---
title: Does dosing sertraline continuously or just before the period work better for severe PMS?
description: Both dosing schedules worked about equally well, significantly better than placebo.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/continuous-or-intermittent-dosing-with-sertraline-for-patients-with-severe-2004/
---

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- Does dosing sertraline continuously or just before the period work better for severe PMS?

Randomised trial, 2004

# Does dosing sertraline continuously or just before the period work better for severe PMS?

Both dosing schedules worked about equally well, significantly better than placebo.

 Strong study design

Women with severe premenstrual syndrome with impaired functioning

## What they did

Women with severe premenstrual syndrome and impaired functioning were randomly assigned to receive either continuous sertraline, intermittent sertraline just before their period, or placebo for 3 treatment cycles in a double-blind trial. The study was stratified by postmenstrual symptom severity and depression history.

## What they found

Both sertraline groups improved significantly more than placebo, with particular improvement in mood and physical symptoms. Improvement occurred swiftly in the first month. Women with higher baseline postmenstrual symptoms remained more symptomatic regardless of treatment. More sertraline-treated women reported improved functioning in family relationships, social activities, and sexual activity.

## What it means for you

Sertraline works for severe PMS whether taken daily or only before your period. If you have symptoms after your period ends, the medication may not help as much. The study only lasted 3 months, so longer-term effects are unknown.

50-100

mg/day dose

3

treatment cycles

## About the study

Original title Continuous or intermittent dosing with sertraline for patients with severe premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Freeman EW, Rickels K, Sondheimer SJ et al. Journal The American journal of psychiatry Year 2004 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Sertraline 50-100 mg daily, continuous versus luteal-phase dosing only Read the paper [doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.161.2.343](https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.161.2.343)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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