Internal tremors: What specialist helped you?

Posted by mj953 @mj953, Apr 1, 2021

I have had internal tremors for the last five months. My doctors are perplexed. I have had heart tests bloodwork all normal. I am scheduled for a brain MRI very soon. The first serologist that I went to said I had anxiety. My general practitioner doctor says now this is not anxiety you have a medical problem That’s why am scheduled for an MRI and a new neurologist.I also might add That I fell last July and really hurt my hip and back. As soon as I went to physical therapy the tremors started. Maybe I have a pinched nerve?

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Hello from Ontario. I am 77, have a laundry list of medical issues but your mention of internal tremors caught my eye as I also have had internal tremors for around the same time frame. Previous to that one of my medical conditions is peripheral neuropathy from 2016 after taking a Quinolone drug for UTI... sort of from knees down and elbows down but did not go on medication as I could put up with the tingling and had other issues going on; but few months ago tingling went to pain and pain to numbness and sort of all over; and legs like walking n sticks: and then would wake up to spine tingling... then here and there and across back and shoulders on and off and when on was not painful in that sense but like someone shaking me from head to toe but not visible on outside!
I tried my own investigation and wondered what I had done, medications consumed etc. and the only correlation I found was visits to dentist! I searched and searched and although not exact, did seem the tremors were around the time of 6 dental treatments since last August and use of numbing agents... which include epinerpherine, and two others... Also there is a moderate drug interaction with Clonazepam and Lidocaine. However, ho one had my back,

I dont have a family doctor... dentist figured I had Essential Tremor as did his ex wife but did not say gum numbing agents were the cause. I had seen a neurologist years ago and he did a very brief teleconference with me 2 weeks ago and thought yes, Essential Tremor/Tremour. I spend a lot of time in or on bed and it is worse after moving around. I also fell in my kitchen last September onto my left side, tripped over bottom drawer of open dishwasher....just one stitch in hand and rib xrays but could have done something inside. Thing is they gave me needle of Lidocaine and Epinepherine and I got home from hospital 4am,slept til 6am and woke up shaking from head to toe for half hour. Then put it aside at the time. I just thought I would mention it because sometimes its a cause not obvious... and the neurologist "didnt think" has anything to do with dental freezing agents.. but .....???? Right now have strep throat on tope of everything else and am trying to decide whether or not to the antibiotic as dont agree with me and had C.diff a couple of yerars ago... seems one thing after another.

Hope you post results of your tests am quite interested as I have the internal tremors every day in one place or another plus the PN and some other good stuff!!! ....best of luck, J.

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@mj953, you may be interested in this related discussion:
- GI Disorder and Internal Shaking https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/gi-disorder-and-internal-shaking/

I'm curious to discover why you posted your question in the Digestive Health group. Your health care team has investigated possible heart issues and neurological issues. Do you think that there may be a gastrointestinal connection or would you like me to move your discussion to the Brain & Nervous System group?

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@colleenyoung

@mj953, you may be interested in this related discussion:
- GI Disorder and Internal Shaking https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/gi-disorder-and-internal-shaking/

I'm curious to discover why you posted your question in the Digestive Health group. Your health care team has investigated possible heart issues and neurological issues. Do you think that there may be a gastrointestinal connection or would you like me to move your discussion to the Brain & Nervous System group?

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I’m also experiencing internal shaking or maybe it’s best described as my body feels like jello and my coffee cup shakes when I hold it as I see tremors in my hand/fingers. This does not happen all the time. I keep wondering if miralax could cause the shaking? I have an appt with my GI Dr this week (teleheath visit only), cardiologist next week, and neurologist the following week. I worry about Parkinson’s or something worse.

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@judy75

I’m also experiencing internal shaking or maybe it’s best described as my body feels like jello and my coffee cup shakes when I hold it as I see tremors in my hand/fingers. This does not happen all the time. I keep wondering if miralax could cause the shaking? I have an appt with my GI Dr this week (teleheath visit only), cardiologist next week, and neurologist the following week. I worry about Parkinson’s or something worse.

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@judy75, I'm glad that you are seeing the gamut of specialists. Did you learn anything from the GI doctor or cardiologist? I assume you haven't seen the neurologist yet.

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@colleenyoung

@mj953, you may be interested in this related discussion:
- GI Disorder and Internal Shaking https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/gi-disorder-and-internal-shaking/

I'm curious to discover why you posted your question in the Digestive Health group. Your health care team has investigated possible heart issues and neurological issues. Do you think that there may be a gastrointestinal connection or would you like me to move your discussion to the Brain & Nervous System group?

Jump to this post

ok

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Hello, about 4 months ago I started noticing numbness and tingling in my right hand, with some arm and shoulder pain. I saw my GP who thought it could be arthritis and carpel tunnel. I told her I had also been feeling anxious after returning to work five months earlier after a year long break. She recommended physical therapy and prescribed Lexapro. Shortly after this I started experiencing numbness and tingling in my other hand and sometimes in my feet when sitting. I saw a new GP (because my old one left) three weeks later. I was still having lots of numbness and tingling and terrible insomnia from Lexapro. I had also started to notice a very slight tremor in my face only when I held my mouth open. The new GP thought this was probably anxiety and Lexapro was not a good choice for me. She switched me over to Zoloft and Clonazepam. After about 10 days on this combination I began to notice an internal vibration, more on my left side and some more pronounced aching and mild weakness in my shoulders and arms. She told me Zoloft can cause tremors and I should stop taking it, but to continue taking the clonazepam. A week later I was still noticing an internal vibration, aching and weakness, she told me to stop clonazepam as well. In the interim, she ordered a brain MRI, which I had and was normal. I have now been off all of these medications for 5+ weeks and if anything the internal vibration, while still intermittent, feels more noticeable, especially in my lips. Over the last week I have also been noticing more neck pain and pain in my right collarbone area. I have an appointment with a neurologist in about 5 weeks. I also saw a nurse practitioner in psychiatry who has recommended that I take gabapentin and lorazepam. Not sure I want to do this as I had no tremor before taking anti-depressants. Are there providers I should be talking to in addition to neurology at this point? Thanks for any insights.

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@concernsinphoenix

Hello, about 4 months ago I started noticing numbness and tingling in my right hand, with some arm and shoulder pain. I saw my GP who thought it could be arthritis and carpel tunnel. I told her I had also been feeling anxious after returning to work five months earlier after a year long break. She recommended physical therapy and prescribed Lexapro. Shortly after this I started experiencing numbness and tingling in my other hand and sometimes in my feet when sitting. I saw a new GP (because my old one left) three weeks later. I was still having lots of numbness and tingling and terrible insomnia from Lexapro. I had also started to notice a very slight tremor in my face only when I held my mouth open. The new GP thought this was probably anxiety and Lexapro was not a good choice for me. She switched me over to Zoloft and Clonazepam. After about 10 days on this combination I began to notice an internal vibration, more on my left side and some more pronounced aching and mild weakness in my shoulders and arms. She told me Zoloft can cause tremors and I should stop taking it, but to continue taking the clonazepam. A week later I was still noticing an internal vibration, aching and weakness, she told me to stop clonazepam as well. In the interim, she ordered a brain MRI, which I had and was normal. I have now been off all of these medications for 5+ weeks and if anything the internal vibration, while still intermittent, feels more noticeable, especially in my lips. Over the last week I have also been noticing more neck pain and pain in my right collarbone area. I have an appointment with a neurologist in about 5 weeks. I also saw a nurse practitioner in psychiatry who has recommended that I take gabapentin and lorazepam. Not sure I want to do this as I had no tremor before taking anti-depressants. Are there providers I should be talking to in addition to neurology at this point? Thanks for any insights.

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@concernsinphoenix Hello and I wanted to give you a warm welcome to Connect. I think a neurologist is the right specialist for you to see right now. I have had the pain you describe near the collar bone, neck, shoulder, and arm pain. My symptoms are from thoracic outlet syndrome, and a cervical spine issue. I had a whiplash many years ago, and eventually a ruptured disc that started compressing my spinal cord. I was already in physical therapy for the TOS at the time I started having spine symptoms. I hope your neurologist will send you for a cervical MRI and test you for TOS.

I had spine surgery which helped a lot, but the TOS remained. That is a long term physical therapy treatment and my PT also does myofascial release which does help a lot. A lot of doctors do not understand TOS and miss it. If you are near the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, that would be a good place for a TOS diagnosis because this is something that Mayo can diagnose and treat. There is a compression point under the collar bone and near the arm pit that a can be painful spots. If you do also have a cervical spine issues, Mayo is a great place to be seen for that as well if it is in your insurance network. Nerve compressions can cause the tremors. TOS also restricts blood flow to the arms and head.

Here are some links to information.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thoracic-outlet-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353988
https://mskneurology.com/how-truly-treat-thoracic-outlet-syndrome/

Here is our Myofascial Release discussion:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

Have you heard about Myofascial Release therapy before?

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Thanks so much for this information. Have not heard of the Myofascial Release therapy. My symptoms however are quite different from yours. I have no pain of any kind just a sorr of jittery feeling in my upper chest occasionally. Your discussion is very informative and I read it all. Good to know. Thanks so much.

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@concernsinphoenix

Hello, about 4 months ago I started noticing numbness and tingling in my right hand, with some arm and shoulder pain. I saw my GP who thought it could be arthritis and carpel tunnel. I told her I had also been feeling anxious after returning to work five months earlier after a year long break. She recommended physical therapy and prescribed Lexapro. Shortly after this I started experiencing numbness and tingling in my other hand and sometimes in my feet when sitting. I saw a new GP (because my old one left) three weeks later. I was still having lots of numbness and tingling and terrible insomnia from Lexapro. I had also started to notice a very slight tremor in my face only when I held my mouth open. The new GP thought this was probably anxiety and Lexapro was not a good choice for me. She switched me over to Zoloft and Clonazepam. After about 10 days on this combination I began to notice an internal vibration, more on my left side and some more pronounced aching and mild weakness in my shoulders and arms. She told me Zoloft can cause tremors and I should stop taking it, but to continue taking the clonazepam. A week later I was still noticing an internal vibration, aching and weakness, she told me to stop clonazepam as well. In the interim, she ordered a brain MRI, which I had and was normal. I have now been off all of these medications for 5+ weeks and if anything the internal vibration, while still intermittent, feels more noticeable, especially in my lips. Over the last week I have also been noticing more neck pain and pain in my right collarbone area. I have an appointment with a neurologist in about 5 weeks. I also saw a nurse practitioner in psychiatry who has recommended that I take gabapentin and lorazepam. Not sure I want to do this as I had no tremor before taking anti-depressants. Are there providers I should be talking to in addition to neurology at this point? Thanks for any insights.

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Hello @concernsinphoenix. I would like to add my welcome along with @jenniferhunter, who has joined you with some questions.

Since we already have an existing discussion going on Internal Tremors, you will see that I have moved your post here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/internal-tremors/

I will let you respond to Jennifer. Glad to have you on Connect!

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Four years ago I had thyroid problem which left me with daily episodes of internal tremors, body weakness, and anxiety symptoms.

The episodes are unpredictable. I can wake up in the middle of an episode in the morning or at 3 AM. These episodes can last hours if I don’t medicate. Regular sleep is impossible without medicating. This can go on for months then subside for weeks only to return.

The condition has left me unable to travel, avoid people and family events. A bad period can leave me in bed for days. Medications tried include Lexapro, lorazepam, gabapentin, topaz, and CBD.

My doctors include a neurologist, chiropractor, psychiatrist, and thyroid specialist.

No diagnosis or one pill solution found.

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