Tremors from Zoloft?

[kickanxietysbutt]

I'm wondering if anybody here has had hand tremors due to taking Zoloft.  I spent two weeks being on 25 mg, three weeks at 50 mg, one week at 75 mg and have been on 100 mg for almost three weeks.  I noticed the tremors initially after being on the Zoloft for about a month.  They were pretty mild, though, so I may have had them longer and just never noticed.  They have gotten worse in the past few days, where I am starting to now notice them interfering with activities.  The other day I was trying to use a glue gun and was having a difficult time, and just a few minutes ago I was eating something out of a bowl with a plate underneath and I couldn't hold the bowl steady.  

When I told the psychiatrist that this was really the only side effect I was experiencing, she wasn't aware of tremors even being a side effect of the drug.  She looked it up, and apparently only about 10% of people who are on Zoloft have tremors.  My question is, do you think it is related to the drug, as it's taken such a long time after being on the drug for them to really surface?  I also notice shakiness if I am lying in bed in certain positions, which has never happened in the past either.  I'm 30 years old, have had my glucose levels tested, and aside from diabetes / hypoglycemia the only other ailment I'm aware of that causes tremors is Parkinson's and while it's possible in someone my age, it's not very probable.  

[FellowBPD]

Im glad this is posted, I couldn't quite figure out why I started to have tremors in my hands, almost constantly, to the point of affecting my job. I thought it was nerves, anxiety or caffeine, but that isn't the case. The tremors started 4 months ago, Ive been on zoloft 150mg(gradual increase from 50mg,generic brand) for 4 months. My tremors have gradually gotten worse. I will now talk to my doctor about this. Thanks for the responses!

[camjam1210]

ummmm i now have long-term possibly life long tremors in my jaw from takeing 50mg of Zoloft for 3 days.  So yes it is a possible side effect. And if they switch you it wont nessarly go away...... there is also called essential tremors. which if the cause is unknown or doesnt fit anything its classified in. There medication they can give you. Im on propranlolol. But be careful because these can lower your blood preassure, heart rate, cause insomnia, worsen asthma, and depression. They also dont nessarly stop the tremors just make them manageable

[Leah11111]

That's odd.  I've taken Zoloft for most of my adult life and have never experienced anything remotely resembling a tremor. I know what they are because I've seen other people with them, but I've never had them.

[Leah11111]

That's odd.  I've taken Zoloft for most of my adult life and have never experienced anything remotely resembling a tremor. I know what they are because I've seen other people with them, but I've never had them.

[Crystal413]

There are many meds that can cause tremors, hands and or face. It doesn't matter how small the statistics are. It can happen to any of us. I take Lithium and only have a small degree of shaking hand. My dr on the other hand held my hand and said I was really shaking (in my body), I could not tell.

I was on Neurotin for 4 days and had the worst facial tremors imaginable. I stopped it, they did not go away and went to a Neurologist. The Neurologist gave me med to take and they went away within the week. Does it happen to everyone, no, but it happened to me. It also caused my voice to change so I sound like I had a stroke. The severe side effects started in Jan 2014. My face is great but my voice the same.

Ironically enough if you ask the computer for side effects for Neurotin my symptoms aren't listed. I went to many kinds of dr's for my voice btw. It wasn't until I went on the Phizer Neurotin Side Effects site that I discovered that in fact my symptoms were listed.

Be assured these dr's a clueless when it comes to their knowledge of side effects. The just know the most talked about. It's up to us to read the med insert and research. My pdoc has said the same thing about diff meds, "I've never heard of that. I print out the side effects sheet just to prove it. They simply don't know everything, their not pharmacist. Who can be very helpful btw. We need, must be our own advocate when it comes to putting a drug in our body.
Lesson I learned, check out side effects really well and don't tolerate tremors/shaking. There are a ton of meds you can try that may not have this side effectsp. Why suffer? Sometime the med is just too high for that particular person whether, the standard starting amount says differently. If I take too much Lithium as an example I will have more hand tremors. Same goes for coffee and Lithium for me.

Visteral used for anxiety works well for me. It is not a Benzodiazepine and NOT addicting.

[Hasti2015]

Hi;

I am on 150 Zoloft and I have the same issue but it does not bother me. However when the others see my hands they think I am nervous and I always make fun of my shaky hands front of my friends :)

I know that this is the side effect of zoloft because before that I did not have this problem.

[birdie0907]

You may want to start your own thread, as comments get lost when they're tacked onto an older thread.  Click here to start a new thread:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/new_with_new_subject?forum_id=71

Thanks!

[dragoninpain]

Hello ALL
My son has been taking Zoloft 50 mg for about 2 years. He is experiencing stomach sickness leading by shakes all while he’s asleep.  In one occasion he had a convulsion, he wakes up feeling dizzy with stomach upset and after couple of minute’s starts to shake. Has anyone heard about something similar? Thanks

[nursegirl6572]

You may want to start your own thread, as comments get lost when they're tacked onto an older thread.  Click here to start a new thread:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/new_with_new_subject?forum_id=71

Thanks!

[Lulu367]

I asked my psychiatrist about the tremors today.  I am on 200 mg Zoloft daily.  He said he had never heard of this side effect.  My tremor is pretty bad.  

[kickanxietysbutt]

Did the hand tremor develop before or after your mom increased the Zoloft by 50 mg?  If the tremors started before the increase, I agree with Nursegirl that it is probably not related to the drug.  However, if it started after the increase, it could be what caused the tremors.  When I first started on Zoloft I didn't have any problem with it, but once I got to 100 mg my tremors got horrible and didn't go away until a couple of weeks after being off of the drug.  My psychiatrist first told me it shouldn't be caused by the drug, as she wasn't aware that tremors was even a side effect, but it does affect 11% of the people who take it.  It's not a huge percentage, but a fair amount.  However, if your mom has been off the Zoloft for a while and is still having the tremors, I don't think it is likely that it's related to the drug.

[nursegirl6572]

Sorry to hear about your Mom's trouble.  I'm glad to hear she's going to see a Neurologist for her symptoms, while it could be the Zoloft, termors are not all that common with it.  The other thing that is curious is the timing of her symptoms.  You would think if the Zoloft was the culprit, it would have started much sooner, being that she's been on it a good long while.

Anyway, definitely update us and let us know what the doctor says.  I hope they get to the bottom of it soon, and I hope your Mom starts getting some relief.

Best of luck!

[Skywolf7]

My mom was on Zoloft for 7 years and in the last year developed a hand tremor. She was taking 100 mg. and the doc tried to increase by 50 mg. and then decided to take her off completely. So she went from 100 to 150 mgs to nothing. Talk about hell. She is on 22 mgs now and is still suffering and still has the tremor. We went to neurologist and we are going back after she gets off zoloft completely to see what to do next. It is a crime.

[kickanxietysbutt]

Advice,

The psychiatrist's nurse called me today and she said that even after looking on the computer and reading that 11% of the people on Zoloft have tremors, she doesn't associate them as being a side effect of the drug.  That seemed like a dumb statement to me.  :)  As for staying on it, I'm willing to try it for another couple of weeks if that's what they want me to do, but I've been on the drug for two months now and feel no better than I did before.  I am now worrying about the anxiety constantly, which didn't happen when I was on the Lexapro.  The psychiatrist talked about adding another drug, like Buspar or Abilify, so I'm guessing she will want to do that.  We both would've preferred that my MD left me on the Lexapro and tried this option first, but didn't see a point in turning back after I'd been on the Zoloft for a month.  

[nursegirl6572]

If these tremors are intial side effects, they should start resolving soon.  I believe my side effects started improving somewhere between weeks 3 and 4.  I had the "shakes" pretty bad at first too....it was more all over feeling  jittery and shaky...it wasn't limited to jusdt hands/arms.

My advice (as you all know by now, lol) is to always try to stick it out....at least to the 4th week (6 would be even better), to allow ample time to see what is going to happen.  I know some people have to wait a bit longer to see improvement with their side effects...and a lot of times, the wait is well worth it when the meds start doing their thing.  Obviously, if the side effects are severe, or you just can't tolerate them, then that's a different story.  

Look at it this way...if you can withstand the side effects to the 6 week mark and see no improvements, you can still decide to discontinue the med, and the side effects will resolve while you taper off.  It's not like you're going to feel this way forever.  Plus, a few weeks is worth it if you end up finding out the Zoloft is great for managing your anxiety.

You're at 3 weeks.  My advice to you would be to TRY to make it to 6.  I know that seems like a lifetime.  My fingers are crossed that tghe tremors let up soon for you, and the Zoloft works.

Let us know!  

Hugs!

[anxietyadvice]

You know I had to stop Zoloft due to tremors.  I have them on Lexapro, but not as bad.  It says on the list of side effects that tremors are a possible side effect.  Do you plan to stay on Zoloft?  

[kickanxietysbutt]

Thanks for the response!  The psychiatrist had never heard of it and made it seem like it wasn't from the drugs.  Fortunately, I haven't had any other side effects.  Unfortunately, I don't notice any improvement in my anxiety.

[29sillygirl]

Yes.  Also exacerbated panic attacks.  And almost fainted a few times when getting up suddenly....a blood pressure drop.