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How do you manage this leg shaking symptom?

Mental Health | Last Active: Apr 10 11:29am | Replies (6)

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@ejr

@vrosegarden291
You have my sympathies. Shaking can be quite worrisome, or embarrassing. I also take a form of methylphenidate medication for ADHD, but even before being diagnosed and starting medication I worried about shaking from time to time. Mostly hands but definitely sometimes legs.

I found out that all shaking is not created equal. By that. I mean a doctor finally explained to me that there are different kinds of tremors and shaking. One thing to ask yourself is does the shaking happen when you're at rest? Does the shaking happen when you attempt to perform an action? Are there times of day when it is worse? Does it seem worse if you've also had a lot of coffee? Or perhaps right after taking the methylphenidate on an empty stomach?

I asked those questions not because I know the answers or what the answers mean. But just to say that it helped me to be open about the problem and ask questions with doctors and I learned that like a lot of other things it can be a medical condition that is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. Just something we need to learn about and live with.

Allow me to offer one example of what I mean by asking you when does the shaking happen. In my case, after worrying about shaking hands (and sometimes legs) for years, I finally found out from a doctor that I actually suffer from "essential tremor". It's a fairly benign condition and for me it was easy to treat, but it results in shaking only when I attempt to perform a task. For example, eating soup with a spoon in a restaurant can be an adventure, reaching across a table to hand someone something or take something being offered can be risky if the item will rattle like a spoon on a saucer or spill like a drink that's filled to the brim without much ice. If I hold my hand still on the table it doesn't shake. But if I pick up a pen and try to draw a spiral it looks like a cartoon illustration, all jagged.

So we're all different. I have no idea if any of this resonates with you, but my main point would be to say not all shaking is created equal and it would be good to ask a doctor about it and explain how it happens, when it happens, are there any triggers.

Good luck to you!

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Replies to "@vrosegarden291 You have my sympathies. Shaking can be quite worrisome, or embarrassing. I also take a..."

Hello, I sincerely appreciate your detailed response. This definitely opened up a whole new perspective