Essential tremors: any ideas on coping and managing tremors?

I was 43 when my ET started and I am 74 now. Mine started in my left thumb, couldn't turn a page in a book easily. Mine has progressed slowly I think. I can't drink out of glass without a straw or I dribble, I'm not too good at carrying a full glass. But I golf, garden, type, do all my own housework, walk 4 miles a day and I'm still very social. Those friends that know I have it, we laugh at times when it affects me in some way, like carrying a drink from a bar to a table and I am sloshing it around. Don't get depressed about this, you could have a lot more serious health problems. I have just developed head tremors where my head bobs up and down somewhat and that can be embarrassing but when I feel it starting if I relax my shoulders and it stops. The 3 year diagnosis from your Dr. is I think a little extreme since I've had it for 31 years and still function pretty normally. I have found that 2 drinks when I am out stops the tremors so I can eat normally such things as soup. Drinking isn't a cure all by any means but it helps me cope in social situations and I only do it when I am in a social situations, I don't drink at home. My Dr. said he could give me medications to help subside the tremors but also said all meds have side effects and I would know when I'm ready for them. So far I feel the alcohol in social situations is better than taking meds with side effects. Not a judgement call for those that do take meds, but it isn't for me yet. You will probably find, that an aunt, uncle, cousin, parent or sibling has/had it. I have a great aunt that had it and she was an alcoholic to cope. Exercise to keep muscles strong will help with dropping things. Lifting weights and squeezing a ball will help with the hand issue of dropping things. I hope this helps, I know it is frustrating and has increased the amount of times a cuss in a day1 LOL!

Alcohol does calm down the tremors. It has helped me in a situation when we are out to dinner and want to eat soup without throwing a spoonful on the person next to me. I find two drinks calms me down, but more than that makes it worse the next day for a few hours after I get up. Still better than taking meds with the side effects, but not against the meds when I feel I will eventually need them.

I have temors in my hands. Right much more than left. Thing is, sometimes none and then sometimes a lot! When I'm more stressed it's more. I also have aphasia and it's the same. All after a lot of strokes. Everything else is OK. My balance isn't perfect, but it's so much better than before. You think the temors will stop??

I have had essential tremor for years. I did try a shot of whiskey a day for 3 days. It actually stopped the shaking. However, I also have rosacea and the whiskey made my face really red so had to stop. darn.

I take 150 mg of primidone every day plus propranolol twice a day. Still I shake. Can't carry anything without making a mess. I've been thinking about the focused ultrasound they do these days that actually makes the tremors almost go away. Mayo Clinic does it as well as several other hospitals.

Right now I have to concentrate of my myasthenia gravis before I take on anything else.

God Bless and good luck .

😀