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Hello, everyone, I’m not responding to any particular person. I came across these posts and glad I did. I’ve been diagnosed with ‘Benign Essential Tremor’ AKA ‘Familial Tremor’ by a neurologist. It started several years ago, and was mild at first and only in one hand. Fast forward about 7 years and it’s in both hands, and noticeable, especially when I’m eating or doing things that require dexterity. I also have mild tremors in my head, which only my doctor has noticed so far. My father has it in his hands too. His followed the same course of intensifying over time, and is especially self-conscious when eating, and that only makes it worse.
For the time being, I’m not taking medication specifically for the condition other than 5MG diazepam occasionally to mask the tremors when I’m around people, as long as I don’t need to be alert for driving, and that helps some. I have chronic pain from degenerative disc disease, and don’t want to add another medication. The doctor has offered deep brain stimulation, which doesn’t appeal to me either.
I’d like to follow this forum to learn more about the condition. Thanks for reading.
Replies to "Hello, everyone, I’m not responding to any particular person. I came across these posts and glad..."
So sorry, I hope by now you are much better. I have had hand tremor for several years off and on but my Dr. says that many older people have it, and they do get better if I get my rest /sleep and do not get excited are upset they get bad then. Have not had any for a few years, mine is not as bad as yours. I do know how you feel. I just came across this and it was posted DEC.2018.
I have Essential Tremors (along with COPD, ALPHA1, AND TAKE WARFARIN FOR PEs) and am taking Clonezpam because the other drugs will mess with either my INR or COPD. i just read about a newer treatment, from MYCHART at UW MADISON, MADISON WI. it is called NEURAVIVE, and consists of brain ablation with ultrasound guided by MRI. Mayo Rochester is a treatment center and I will be going up there tomorrow 8/5/19 for other things but hope to talk to someone about this..... will advise. This is FDA approved and covered by MEDICARE.
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@coolnacart1892- I too was diagnosed with the same Essential Tremor approx. 15 years ago. It is only in my left hand and I am left handed so my writing has suffered greatly. I've always been ambidextrous, so that helps a lot. It does not effect my eating very much, but I find myself switching hands frequently almost w/o realizing I did. I can't say it has gotten much worse since being diagnosed, but my Dr. said it could be that way or it may get worst. I agree I do not want to take any drug for it unless it got so bad that I was having trouble eating, but thankfully I am not there. I notice that it is far worse for me after any exercising or much exertion. If I were to try and even sign my name after much of either it would not even be recognisable. I've done some research on this and there are hospitals that do specialized surgery on the brain, but I'm not sure how medicare would deal with that?
If you watched that documentary on the Mayo Clinic recently on OPB they showed a small snippet of a man who played the violin professionally that began suffering with ET and he had this surgery where he had to be awake and playing his violin while they inserted probes into his brain. It was truly a miracle for him. He was interviewed afterwards and he had this small hand device that he could switch on or off which literally enabled him to play his violin flawlessly and rejoin the orchestra. Just wonderful!
Keep in touch! All the best to you! Jim @thankful.