Hand tremors

Posted by basketcase @basketcase, Dec 8, 2018

Hi Im not sure if this has been discussed before please point me in the right direction if it has. I ve been having hand tremors for a few years now and I reckon its getting worse. I have been on Chlolipmarine Hydrochloride for about 20 years for anxiety, depression and obsessive thinking. They have always worked for me but i think one of the side effects is hand tremors. Ive had blood tests and all ok there. the Doctor suggested coming off the CH and trying Sertraline, which I did but just felt like sleeping all the time, so back to CH. Its like Ive got too much adrenaline! It is worse in company and at work even though Im not stressed or anxious. As Im typing this my hands are shaking. It doesn't stop me doing anything but its annoying and I often have to drink holding the cup or glass with both hands and my writing is awful. My Uncle had awful hand tremors but was also on antidepressants, my mother too but less so. Any advice would be most welcome.

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I have them too and no dr knows why take clonmzapan to help tremors I was on trazadone and Zoloft when I got tremors

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There are multiple drugs that will reduce your hand tremors: Clonidine, Propranolol, Lorazepam (all are generic and thus cheap). The first two are cardiac drugs and Lorazepam is a benzo.I have a mild tremor in my Rt hand. I take propranolol 20 mg in the morning along with 1mg of lorazepam. At night, I take lorazepam 1m and .2mg of clondine.

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@odikaflog - thanks for the information on medications that may help reduce hand tremor. Do you know what the origin of your hand tremors is?

@cathy514 - sounds like you are taking clonazepam for tremors. If so, did your tremors go away entirely, or are they reduced from where they were?

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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.

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@sjd416

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.

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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.

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I too have experienced essential tremors of the hands. It came and went away. I feel for anyone experiencing Dystonia, since I've seen it in my family and at Dystonia Symposiums. My thoughts and concerns are with you all. God Bless You!

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When I am in a anxiety attack. I had a tremor in my right hand. It is different. It did not happen before. I will keep an I on it.

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@rosegold

When I am in a anxiety attack. I had a tremor in my right hand. It is different. It did not happen before. I will keep an I on it.

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I too had terrible anxiety attacks, plus dizziness to the point that I was on another planet. Lights bothered me. I knew something was wrong but didn't know what it could be. It only got worse and my throat would tighten up, mouth tighten to the point I could not smile, and then my neck starting moving involuntarily to the left and back. When I was in elementary school, they could not get me to smile for pictures because I could not smile. I had this as a kid. It got worse and reached a plateau! Thank you Jesus! This disease has effected my jobs, my relationships with men, and everything in general. My life was hell. The only thing that made me feel normal was drinking alcohol. Only Howard Thiel who has the disease diagnosed me. I take Klonopin because it helps relax my muscles and helps with the dizziness. I get Myoblock injected into my neck every 3 to 4 months. I've had Selective Denervation where they severed 7 nerves in my neck. Life has been hell with Dystonia. It sounds like you may have Dystonia.

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I am on cymbalta which causes tremors in my left hand regularly, even at low doses, worsens with higher doses. On a low dose, my tremors will get worse with fatigue and i will have tremors in my right hand and legs. Low dose valium decreases tremors but i ry to not get over fatigued as that is the trigger. I have had a neuro exam to rule out any neurological problems; so we are pretty certain the tremors are related to medications as I am on many secondary to having fibromyalgia and mass cell activation syndrome.

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I just found this discussion. I had a craniotomy for a brain tumor removal on August 28th 2018 and have had hand tremors ever since surgery. The tremors are in both hands and very noticeable especially when eating. I won't see my neurosurgeon again until March, 2019. Could this be related to the brain surgery and does anyone recommend being seen before March?

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