Zoloft jitters & shakes: when does it go away?!

[Fairyfloss123]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum - I've been on Zoloft for 5 weeks, slowly increased my dosage to 100mg, been on 100mg for 2 weeks and I've been experiencing the 'coffee jitters' for the past week. I know as soon as the jitters and shake go away I'll be cured from this terrible anxiety!
My question is: did anyone else have the jitters and shakes, if so, when will it go away?

[nursegirl6572]

Sounds like you're moving in the right direction, which is great!

Be careful with the alcohol, that can exacerbate anxiety, and really isn't a good idea to mix the medications with alcohol.

Keep updating us, it's good to watch your progress!

[Fairyfloss123]

Quick update - jitters and shakes have gone away but flares up quite a lot when I'm stressed or nervous.

I'm going to give 100mg another 2 weeks since the jitters and shakes have decreased significantly since my last update.

[Fairyfloss123]

Correction - I've been on it for 8 weeks :) I miscalculated lol

[Fairyfloss123]

I just checked my calendar and I've been on Zoloft for 82 days, that's almost 3 months :O and only now am I feeling the real benefits from Zoloft.
The tremors have decreased significantly, but they're still there, I'm positive that'll all go away in another 2 weeks, well I'm praying they do!
To sum up my experience:
Week 1 to 6: I went through all the side effects ie loose stool (sorry for the TMI), extremely heightened anxiety (worst from before I started Z, depression (suicidal thoughts), coffee jitters, insomnia, that drugged up feeling, night sweats, mood swings, mania., brain zaps, so basically the works.

Week 6 to now: mood started stabalizing, depression started lifting, SE's slowly went away bit by bit, each day.

At the beginning (wk 1-8) I wasn't confident that zoloft was going to work for, but I stuck it out. It was either take meds or live with anxiety and depression (which I didn't even acknowledge it had until I zoloft started working) and be and agrophobe for the rest of my life.

I tried natural therapies, I have CBT a chance, but those alone didn't work.

I just need to set goals now, challenge myself ie go out shopping, to restaurants, cafés, travel ect...

I'll update again, when I can.

The best way to summarise my experience: as soon as I started Z I started having good seconds, then the seconds extended to hours, hours turned to days.

[Fairyfloss123]

Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I've been forced to go out in public for the past week and I've been taking 10mg of valium and a glass or two of wine in the evening. I feel so normal right now.
I know benzo's are addictive so I'm planning to stop them in 2 days, I'm praying to God that my jitters and shakes will have vanished by then :) I don't mind my hands shaking, but it's the facial tremors that bother me the most.

I'll update again on my progress.

[lynnsee]

hi there. I've been on 50mg of Zoloft for a year now. I too had the shakes and jitters at first. I also had somewhat of a twitch. it all went away about a months in. except the twitch. sometimes I still randomly get where my hand or foot will just like jerk outta no where. sometimes I dont even notice it. other times when I'm doing something like eating it gets annoying. but its not constant and is tolerable. I also still like tap my foot or something like all the time. but that's tolerable too. no worries though. just cuz I twitch doesn't mean you will. your shakes will more likely go away completely. just give it time. best of luck c:

[nursegirl6572]

I think your plan is a good one.  If you can give this some time, you'll get a better idea of what's going on.  It's tough because many of the side effects of Zoloft also resemble the original anxiety symptoms (or even new ones).  Hang in there, and let us know how you're doing!

[Fairyfloss123]

So the tremors are still present at week 6 @100mg, I've been on 100mg for two weeks now. They have decreased, but they flair up when I'm in social situations.
I really don't know what to do....
I'll wait another 2 weeks on 100mg, if it doesn't improve I'll reduce my dosage to 75mg.

Question to all Zoloft users: has anyone reduced their dosage from 100 to 75mg, if so, what SE's did you experience?

[Fairyfloss123]

Thanks for responding Nursegirl, it was actually your great response to Zoloft that made me ask my GP for a script :)

I was frightened of trying a SSRI, but I literally had no other option! It was to either try the Zoloft or live as an agrophobe for God knows how long!

Unless you've experienced real anxiety, no one will understand you. Everyone keeps telling me to snap out of it,turn to God and Jesus for guidance, but it's near impossible. Being shy and reserved is one thing, anxiety is truly a debilitating mental disorder :(

My pdoc kept telling me that it was all in my mind, that I could overcome it by CBT, I know there are plenty of people who benefit from CBT but not me. Tried it for 3 months without success.

I asked my pdoc - if anxiety is all in my mind then why do SSRI's cause anxiety in the first few weeks? Why do some other meds cause anxiety as well? He couldn't answer that. I'm certain anxiety is both a chemical/ hormonal imbalance & destructive thinking.

I really pray that Zoloft works for me...

[nursegirl6572]

Oh yes, the "coffee jitters".  They can be very annoying.  

I too experienced that when I restarted Zoloft in November.  I started out at a low dose (25mg) then tapered up by 25 mg every week (with the exception of going from 75mg to 100mg, I waited two weeks to go up to 100), and EVERY time I bumped up my dose, the coffee jitters returned for a few days.  I WILL say that they got less severe and lasted for a much shorter time the longer I was on the Zoloft.

The bad news is, it's uncomfortable and not fun, the good news is they will resolve with time, you just have to be patient.  Keep your doc informed on how you're feeling (and let us know too!)  Hang in there!

[Fairyfloss123]

Thanks for responding :) What mg were on previously with Zoloft and what were you on during the 4 weeks?

I was fine at 75mg, the shakes and jitters are slowly going away, if it doesn't improve in another week, I'll try and reduce the dosage to 75mg.

[coh123]

I started Zoloft years ago and loved it, went off it 8 months ago and started back up last month, only lasted 4 weeks as it gave me the jitters, maybe you went up in mg's to fast?