Essential tremors: any ideas on coping and managing tremors?

I have been diagnosed with Essential tremors. Left hand is worse than right and some shaking of head . I have been prescribed
Primidone and Propanadol 2x a day.
I also use a special utensil to eat fuel to weakness in my hand. My neurologist wants me to see a Motion doctor. Has anyone gone to one and what did they do to help?
I hate to add another doctor but will it will help. My sister also has essential tremors but not as bad. I was told that they are generic but I don't know any relatives that ever had it. Thank you

Hello @purpleturtle. You will notice that I have moved your post into an existing discussion on Essential Tremors, which you can find here:
- Essential tremors: any ideas on coping and managing tremors?:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/essential-tremors-1/
At Mayo Clinic, you may find more information when searching for Movement Disorders in place of Motion Doctors. I have provided a link for you to learn more about the type of care that is offered to see if this is the direction you were advised on before sharing more.
- Movement Disorders: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/movement-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20363893

How long have you been living with essential tremors?

<p>Does anyone know anything about MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) for essential tremor? Weighing over risks and benefits. Worried about side effects.</p>

jenny51/ I have essential tremor since I was 20, I am now 82, I looked into focused ultrasound, but they
still don't no how long it will last, some people say a year, they have to shave your hair in the place there working.
you can watch the operation on u-tube. I am sure there are side effects. They only do one hand, then you come back in so many months they do the other.
marcia115

Jenny51,
Thank you for sharing.

For 30 yrs took Neuronten/gabenpentin. A "new" drug (just like a "new" medical treatment) "Fantastic! This will definately eliminate that problem now. Jump in!"

Chronic Kidney Damage (stage 4 out of 5) - serious, long-term, chronic -
per neurontin/gabepenten.
"No side effects. People taken long-term, 10+ years. Dosing up to 10,000 mg a day with no side effects".

Kidney Damage - now I have (CKD) Chronic Kidney Damage - stage 4 (out of 5) - then that causes anemia and heart disease. I became anemic 3 yrs ago.

Like you: Very cauious. One side? Have to come back for another head shaving?
3 hours? - what are the procedures being done that take 3 hours?
Thalmus is very deep in the brain, in the center.
How does killing this area, leaving a lesion,
a dead area or a scar (scars grown) effect surroundiing tissue & organs, now & over time?
I also have had vertigo. I did not see vertigo mentioned.

Then I read side effects "gait disruption" and "advanced (?) kidney disease". NOOOOOO!
No way I'm risking that adding to what I have now.

Both Jenny51 & I would appreciate any of your sharing. Thanks.

Hello @jenny51. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You will see I've moved your post into an existing discussion on essential tremors so that others may join you if they, too have had interest or experience with the treatment you are considering, and I see that @marcia115 has joined you.

You can find your post here:
- Essential tremors: any ideas on coping and managing tremors?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/essential-tremors-1/

Has this been recommended to you as a viable option for your tremors? What about it appeals to you?

colleen young : Here it is 2023, I am now 82 and tremors are very bad, I do take Klonipin and
prop. 10 mg. in the morning. nothing really works great, but a glass of wine at dinner. I just
have to deal with it, since I was 20. I make a lot of work for myself with all the spills, eat with a spoon sometimes, People that don't have this really don't understand it. you would be surprised
a lot of people in the health fields don't no what it is. staying tough and doing what you can do is the answer, it is hard for me to button my blouse, put on earrings so many things, even
doing my hair, the hair blower has hit my head a lot of times.

Check with your doctor about Propanolol (sp?)
I am 80 and My dr changed one of my blood pressure meds to it and tremors subsided.

glowe920/ I have been on propranolol 10mg. for ages and Klonopin, I have had this in my 20's.
I hate it so much. The only thing that helps is a glass of wine before dinner. I am not on blood
pressure meds. I have low blood pressure. what blood pressure meds did he give you that helped you?
marcia115

I'm leaving my lane and maybe the roadway, but I wonder if your dosage of propranolol is sufficient. I started with 40 mg, either once or twice daily. It reduced my tremors within a few weeks. Eliminating them took a yr. I reduced my dosage whenever I could, as I don't like drugs and propranolol has side effects, like any drug. Just short of a yr, I tried stopping propranolol, but a small tremor returned. A few wks later, I tapered again, but very slowly, and the tremors did not return. (Very impt: don't quit propranolol abruptly; always taper! Or else you may encounter a cardiac side-effect.) It's been 17 mos and I've only had a minor recurrence of tremors twice, each for an hr or so--both times when I was under stress and failed to address it.

A variable may be the type of tremors. Mine were active, not passive, and arose quickly and hard. I'm not sure if a doctor ever classified them as "essential tremors" or left them as tremors--"not otherwise specified"--the NOS subtype appearing to apply to everything involving my neurological misfirings!!

Also, I guess the wine works as a calming agent. Of course, it's a central nervous system stressor. I had to quit because I just don't have any cognition to lose. For calming, I now drink a glass of whole milk, sour cherry juice, or valerian tea, but I wonder if these remedies would have worked when my tremors arose; I don't know because, back then, I didn't drink the tea or juice and didn't drink much milk.

I hope you find some relief from the tremors.