Does anyone else on here have body quivering at night when you're trying to sleep or awaken and it starts? Just trying to figure out if it's the medicine or my anxiety. It's very annoying and affects my sleep that I don't get much of as it is. Any comments or suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks
Hi Dawn,
I was started on Sertraline last November because I woke up with body tremors. My GP thought it was anxiety (I was scared it might be Parkinsons), and put me on 50mg. This was increased to 100mg, and for the last two months, 150mg.
Like you, I'm confused because I still wake up every day with the trembling, and because it's been going so long I've almost become used to it. Problem is, tremors are a well known side effect of Sertraline, so, like you, I don't know if it's anxiety or the drug.
I've also thought it might be low blood sugars or thyroid issues, but the standard tests say neither. I'm currently taking magnesium and B1, B12 and vitamin D supplements as these are known to be useful in these sorts of conditions
. I am currently weaning myself off Setraline, but very slowly to try to avoid problems, to see if my (supposed!) anxiety increases.
In its favour, the one good thing I can say about Sertraline is that it appears to have stopped me becoming emotional at the slightest sad news item on the TV, or the sound of the Last Post being played, or seeing or hearing a Spitfire fly over! (Is that really a good thing :-) ?).
So the only comfort I can offer is to say that you are not alone with these symptoms, and they seem to diminish for me once I'm up and about, and especially if I am preoccupied.
Best
Sondar
Thanks for your reply. It's annoying when I wake up and my arms and upper body just quivers for a few and then quits. I just wish I knew how to make it stop. It's weird. If I lay on my right side is when it's bad but if I lay on my left side it's not as often. I don't know why. Guess I'm weird.
I don't think you're weird Dawn. When I try to get back to sleep on my right side it's very difficult so I turn to my left and if I don't get my position exactly right I start with palpitations. But it does seem that although I wake up exhausted and trembling most days, the tremors that used the return around teatime seem to be getting fewer now that I am getting a lot of exercise (long dog walks and cycling). Though I do feel very tired from time to time.
I'm pretty sure that anxiety is a real factor, made worse by 'being anxious about feeling anxious all the time', but being aware of that can at least make you feel you know what's causing problems and try to learn to live with it in the hope that it will fade as time passes and things don't get worse.
Hope that makes sense☺.
Best
G