---
title: Does taking more antidepressant just before the period help depression that worsens then?
description: Yes. Women who increased sertraline dose during the premenstrual phase showed no worsening of depression at that time, while women on placebo still had signif
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/variable-dosing-of-sertraline-for-premenstrual-exacerbation-of-depression-a-2008/
---

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- Does taking more antidepressant just before the period help depression that worsens then?

Randomised trial, 2008

# Does taking more antidepressant just before the period help depression that worsens then?

Yes. Women who increased sertraline dose during the premenstrual phase showed no worsening of depression at that time, while women on placebo still had significantly worse depression before their period.

 Moderate study design

9 women with depression that worsened before their period despite constant-dose sertraline

## What they did

9 women with depression that worsened before their period despite taking constant-dose sertraline received either a dose increase or placebo during the premenstrual phase in a double-blind crossover. Depression was measured twice monthly using two different rating scales.

## What they found

With variable dosing, depression scores showed no significant difference between follicular and luteal phases (p=0.32 and p=0.53). With placebo, the luteal phase still showed significantly worse depression (p=0.02). Sertraline blood levels were higher during the luteal phase when the dose was increased.

## What it means for you

Temporarily increasing antidepressant dose before the period can eliminate worsening depression at that time. Main limit: very small sample of 9 women.

9

women studied

p=0.32

Beck Depression Inventory with variable dosing

p=0.02

Hamilton scale with placebo

## About the study

Original title Variable dosing of sertraline for premenstrual exacerbation of depression: a pilot study Authors Miller MN, Newell CL, Miller BE et al. Journal Journal of women's health (2002) Year 2008 Study design Randomised trial Participants 9 What was tested Sertraline dose increase vs placebo during luteal phase Read the paper [doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2007.0491](https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2007.0491)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[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/)

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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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