---
title: Is taking sertraline just during the premenstrual phase as effective as taking it year-round for severe PMS?
description: Half-cycle dosing worked about as well as full-cycle dosing for overall symptoms. However, some mood symptoms like nervous tension and feeling out of control
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/full-or-half-cycle-treatment-of-severe-premenstrual-syndrome-with-a-serotonergic-1999/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Is taking sertraline just during the premenstrual phase as effective as taking it year-round for severe PMS?

Randomised trial, 1999

# Is taking sertraline just during the premenstrual phase as effective as taking it year-round for severe PMS?

Half-cycle dosing worked about as well as full-cycle dosing for overall symptoms. However, some mood symptoms like nervous tension and feeling out of control improved more with half-cycle dosing.

 Moderate study design

31 women with severe PMS

## What they did

A randomized double-blind trial comparing half-cycle versus full-cycle dosing of sertraline in women with severe PMS. Some had improved during a prior treatment trial and some had not. Both groups received their assigned dosing schedule for 3 months.

## What they found

Total premenstrual scores were lower in the half-cycle group each month but not significantly different overall. Mood swings, nervous tension, feeling out of control, and confusion were significantly lower (p < 0.05) at endpoint in the half-cycle group. About half the subjects who were unimproved at entry improved, regardless of dosing regimen.

## What it means for you

Taking sertraline only during the premenstrual phase may work about as well as taking it continuously, potentially reducing side effects and cost. This is a small preliminary study, so the finding needs confirmation in larger trials.

31

women in the study

3 months

treatment duration

p < 0.05

significance for mood symptoms

## About the study

Original title Full- or half-cycle treatment of severe premenstrual syndrome with a serotonergic antidepressant Authors Freeman EW, Rickels K, Arredondo F et al. Journal Journal of clinical psychopharmacology Year 1999 Study design Randomised trial Participants 31 What was tested Sertraline half-cycle dosing versus full-cycle dosing for 3 months Read the paper [doi.org/10.1097/00004714-199902000-00002](https://doi.org/10.1097/00004714-199902000-00002)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)

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.

## Related studies

Randomised trial, 1995

Does fluoxetine help premenstrual dysphoria?

Study, 2026

Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition?

Review, 2023

Can herbs and supplements help with PMS symptoms?

Randomised trial, 2017

Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)?

Survey study, 2012

What non-hormonal medications and therapies help severe PMS and PMDD?

Cohort study, 2012

How quickly does fluoxetine start working for PMDD symptoms?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗