Essential tremor

[lisapb]

Hi everyone

I have just been reading some of the posts about tremors, it's strange and I thought nothing of it , but about a month ago, my hands started to shake, not so much visibly but I could feel it, is this part of HMS? If so does anyone know why? Do I need to tell docs and or physio?

Thanks

Lisa x

[iNeko]

My fingers on my right hand twitch like mad (I had to stop my artistic hobbies because of it, and sometimes I get random mouse clicks!) and my hands shake almost like a mobile phone vibrating when receiving a text message (if that makes sense, shake, stop, shake, etc) if I concentrate, it stops, but I can't stop the twitching in my fingers! When I was in hospital last month, my MRI was clean so no MS or C-word (thank god!) so could it be this essential tremor? I do get whole body shakes sometimes, but I've always put that down to not eating enough during the day - but all my bloods have always been clean (so no diabetes/thyroid problems), so could that be related too?

[paw]

I have just been reading some of the posts about tremors, it's strange and I thought nothing of it , but about a month ago, my hands started to shake, not so much visibly but I could feel it, is this part of HMS?

You should talk to your doctor. They might want to do some tests to make sure it is not anything else. It can be associated with Parkinsons or it could be a tremor that is not related to any other disease. They call the one that is not part of another disease "essential tremor". My Dad is the one with the tremor (DX as essential tremor) and he is not the side of the family who are hypermobile. Mom is developing a tremor but she thinks it is due to medicine she takes.

It was mentioned on the news in the USA recently because former President Clinton was noted to be shaking while at Senator Kennedy's funeral. He talked to a doctor about it in an interview. He does not have Parkinsons. He was tested and it is just essential tremor. They said it is common in older people and it does run in families. My family has a strong history of it and when we get tired we shake. I first noticed it when I was in my teens. I don't do it all the time. Sometimes even when I am resting I feel that super fine tremor in my arms.

When I get to the point of shaking I know that I need to go rest and also take my muscle relaxers. Continuing to try to be active just does not work at that point. It will get a lot worse if I don't rest.

[iNeko]

Then my shakes are most probably down to lack of energy! Except the finger twitching, I have no idea what that is, but it gets worse if I try and focus on doing something very delicate. All the nerves that way are supposedly fine too after extensive testing, but I must admit, it gets incredibly frustrating at times...

[paw]

I also had extensive testing, an EMG test on nerves and muscles both upper and lower extremities. I passed that except for damage in my ankle that I broke years ago. Due to that and the family history they said it was essential tremor. Mine is not painful unless I shake too long and can't rest. Then it overworks the muscles and that hurts. It has been doing better since I realized I HAVE to rest, not should rest when I get shaky.

I hope your tremor is not a problem for you.

[iNeko]

when I start to shake all over it's almost uncontrollable and I have to have a sit down/lay down and wait for it to pass - but as I said, I have no idea what it is, I just thought I hadn't eaten enough! Maybe I should bring it up with the GP next?

My twitching hand causes me no end of problems, it stopped me from drawing and graphic design and sometimes from using a mouse at all it can get that bad! I've had an EMG for my hand twitches, but it all came back normal and since then I've lived with it - I do wonder if it was caused when I badly dislocated my hand (but that would've shown up on the nerve tests, surely?)

The twitches seem to start at the wrist and sometimes even the elbow (I can feel the ligaments tugging and twitching coming from my arm) and it constantly affect my index finger (usually only slight twitching) but when it's bad, it affects all of the fingers (to the point where I can't do anything with them) except my thumb which usually locks, but on rare occasions it does join in... In some ways I'm lucky, because although my hands shake all the time, I have good control with my left (but I can only write with my right, which is a HUGE hinderance!) - so I'm not completely useless when my right hand decides to have a bit of a moment! (sadly, when it starts having a bad moment that's it for most of the day)

It has got to the point where I've had to buy an ambidextrous mouse as it has been getting worse lately... Which is a shame because my right-handed ergonomic one was expensive, but that stays at work now!

[l00pyp0u]

I was diagnosed with this at 27 when I collapsed in the middle of a busy rd. I am the first one in my family to have one, but for me it's mainly the legs, though it has progressed all the way up to the shoulders. I do take primadone to control it, but even that doesn't work if I am hurting or stressed or over tired.
I get a very fine all over body shake , and then the "major" attacks. If i fioght the majors, I end up sweating like a pig, so I have learned to not fight, and it's one of the reasons I am house bound at present, as there's no way I want to be seen by others in major attack mode, I have 2 very nasty neighbours, who think it is hysterical. Majors at the moment are jappening at least once a day, but at least it's letting me know I'm still not right, even though I have adjusted to the new pain levels, without medication.
Fine work such as cake decorating, and things requiring steady hand have gione out the window, and I do hate it when the book I am reading starts to judder. I remember when I was 18 amazing the then boyfriend, as I was attaching bits of metal to transformers, as my hand s shook so much that he couldn't understand how I could hit the punch and miss my fingers so I have had this for for quite a while.

Lou

[SAMMY]

My god. This the first time have been able to talk about tremors. I too have an all over shake that never goes away and gets very noticeable as well. No one seems to understand it and my doctor said the only thing I could take is beta blockers but I can't cos of asthma. It is so nice to meet a bunch of people who understand. I do agree with others, alcohol is the only thing that works!!! SAMMY

[l00pyp0u]

The one thing that I must stress is that if you do experience shakes then you must ask your GP to refer you to a neurologist to rule out any other condition.
I ahve had multiple tests for MS, etc, and spent time as an inpatient in a neurological hospital, to make certain that it was just a tremor, as I have no family history of this condition.
There is more than one treatment for the Tremor, and it does depend as to what other conditions you may have as to the options available, Beta blockers, Steroids, and anti epilepsy medications are available, but do depend on what you suffer from. I have Raynaulds, and I can only use anti eps because of it.
When it was just minor, I controlled it with Alcohol, but as it has progressed, I now can't touch the stuff because of the anti eps I take.
One good thing about the tremor is that you know when you have over done it, and after a major attack, I also experience no pain at all, anywhere, for about an hour. especially good when you have slipped a disc

LOU

[SAMMY]

The whole thing says to me I have to keep taking more drugs. This is why I can't work!! SAMMY

[l00pyp0u]

Sammy
this isn't going to go away unfortunately. The only thing you can do is use what is best for you. I do NOT like taking tablets, I am incredibly poor at remembering to take anything, the pill, painkillers, and so on. But they do help, yes, it takes sometime for my body to adjust to the effects of the medication, but not too long, and in the long run, much better for me than having to drink to control it, as eventually I was drinking quite a lot.

It's worth dicussing with the GP, other alternatives. The neurologist explained to me that my nervous system was misfiring, like an old car engine, and that is what causes the tremor. There's nothing that can be done for it except medicate, I am afraid.

Lou

[SAMMY]

All of the above!!! I don't think my doctor understands. Advice I have already received from this site. I will be taking print outs to my doctor on my next appointment. Maybe then she will refer me to a neurologist. I still can't work out why we live with such an unknown condition? SAMMY

[SAMMY]

oh dear!! I have just found out that some one at work is scared of me as I shake a lot and growl at the computer!! SAMMY

[MrBeard]

HI All Years ago before I know I had HMS or even any obvious symptoms I had an odd episode of tremors starting with my right hand and travelling up my arm until it took over my entire body. My friend called an ambulance and I was admitted to Leeds hospital where my tremors increased until I bucked and thrashed until I broke a hospital bed. Whereupon 4 nurses and my parents were forced to hold me down while a nurse administered a heavy sedative. A few days later I was released to my parents with follows up in my local hospital. I managed through the use of Meditation and muscle relaxation techniques managed to show the doctors that I could "relax past" the tremors and I was released. Over time the tremors subsided and vanished. Since I caused myself some damage to my nervous system in 2004 and am now on Gabapentin and DHC. Unfortunately I have now started to get the tremors again and none of the relaxation techniques are working.

I am using the same “push” and concentration that some of you have mentioned and this is allowing me to be typing at the moment with but my whole body is vibrating and it’s really knackering.

What I can’t figure out is what sort of tremors this is, and whether it has anything to do with the hot flushes I also get:

The following is a description of Essential tremors from the Neurology Channel

Essential Tremors
Overview
Tremor is involuntary trembling involving a certain part of the body. Essential tremor (ET) is tremor that occurs with purposeful movement (e.g., holding a glass to drink, shaving, writing, or buttoning a shirt). It occurs most often in the hands and head but it also can affect the arms, voice box (larynx), trunk, and legs.
Essential tremor is caused by abnormalities in areas of the brain that control movement and does not occur as the result of disease (e.g., Parkinson's disease). ET usually does not result in serious complications.

Here is a bunch of types and treatments to help.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes


MrBeard

[SAMMY]

Wow!! Very informative!! A strange thing since I started back on the nortriptyline is the tremors have subsided a lot. I don't know why this is? Possibly it is a muscle relaxant. Does anyone know? SAMMY