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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
twitches & clonus after taking zoloft and continuing even after weaning off the drug?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
twitches & clonus after taking zoloft and continuing even after weaning off the drug?
by mdw77, Apr 17, 2007 12:00AM
Hello. I was having some anxiety due to chest pain that couldn't be easily diagnosed(later diagnosed as gallbladder). My GP prescribed zoloft, 25mg daily for a week, then 50mg daily in June. The first night I took the zoloft, I laid in bed and could feel my body jerking. From then on I had jerking movements (clonus) and small twitches everywhere, in my feet, arms, behind, legs.
In July I had an appt. with a neurologist for headaches, and asked her about the twitches. I had been on the zoloft for about a month, and she said they were side effects and would go away.
My GP was concerned and said zoloft doesn't cause this. I was tested for thyroid and metabolic problems, everything fine.
I was concerned and weaned off the zoloft in September.
I am still having twitches and clonus. The twitches have decreased greatly but are still there. Except for a rare twitch, I had NO problem before.
Can it be the Zoloft?
Also, I had an MRI and complete neuro exam about 1 month before this started, thyroid, electrolytes all normal.
In July I had an appt. with a neurologist for headaches, and asked her about the twitches. I had been on the zoloft for about a month, and she said they were side effects and would go away.
My GP was concerned and said zoloft doesn't cause this. I was tested for thyroid and metabolic problems, everything fine.
I was concerned and weaned off the zoloft in September.
I am still having twitches and clonus. The twitches have decreased greatly but are still there. Except for a rare twitch, I had NO problem before.
Can it be the Zoloft?
Also, I had an MRI and complete neuro exam about 1 month before this started, thyroid, electrolytes all normal.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Apr 19, 2007 12:00AM
, Apr 19, 2007 12:00AM
yes, it could be from the zoloft, and to follow through you should be examined by a psychiatrist who specializes in psychopharmacology.
