I Think I'm Really Writing This Just To Express My Frustration With This Disease. I Don't Think There Really Is Any Magic Pill To Help Me Mask This Left Arm Tremor When It Acts Up. I Started Back To Work This Week As A Nurse And My Employer Doesn't Know My Diagnosis. I Know It's Just A Matter Of Time Before They Find Out, But, I Was Wondering If Anyone Out There Has Found Anything Very Effective With The Tremors That Start With That Slightest Little Bit Of Anxiety And Won't Quit. I Hate This!! I've Already Tried Inderal And Ativan, Used Requip Too, And Seems Like Nothing Really Helps.

I Also Have The Worse Muscle Cramp In The Bottom Of My Left Foot Making It Really Hard To Walk Fot Two Straight Days, And It Came, I'm Pretty Sure From Upping My Sinemet A Little To Try To Help Myself And The Stress Of Starting Back. It's Been A Real Shocker This Week To See How Hard It Is To Keep On Keeping On. I'm Really Not A Quitter, And Won't Give Up In My Fight To Be Able To Earn A Living As Long As Possible. I Appreciate You Listening And Feel Like I'm Complaining, But Some Days Are A Real Pain, Ya Know?

Floridagal,
So sorry to hear your having such problems but then stress and anxiety will cause major problems in Parkinson's. Not being a doctor I hesitate to say anything. However, Amantadine and Artane are two drugs usually prescribed for tremors. They didn't work for me, but others I know have had great sucess with them.
You have a chronic non cureable disease, your allowed to complain just a little. As for some days being a real pain, you need to change that to read most days are a real pain.

GregD

Find some way to ditch the job or at least get away from the stress. It isn't an option and the sooner done the better. Find a local class in meditation or yoga or tai chi at a minimum. Check into self hypnosis too.

....read my ginseng thread. It has kept me going through three of the most stressful months I've had in a long time with minimal effects. No druggy feeling, just no stressful feeling. But don't do like another Rat did and use it as an excuse to push yourself even more. Big mistake on his part.

i have dystonia in my foot and had huge spasm problems. i was injected with botox. its not a very comfortable process but it really seemed to help. i had to have repeat injections every six weeks but you may want to look into it
lauren

I'm thinking about a botox injection also.

As for the tremor, when mine is acting up, it's 95% psychological and only 5%fact. I'm not saying that yours is as well, but what I learned is that me, myself and I play a huge part in how bad my tremor is.

If I think everyone is watching me, my tremor is horrible. If I know the people well, I just say, "Turn around and I can write much better." Eventually I'm able to put mind over matter (literally).

I'm sure it won't be that way when the disease progresses, but it does help for now. Convince yourself that you're really not much more than a dot on their radar screen and they aren't noticing you at all.

It takes a little practice, but it's worth it.

I sure hope tomorrow brings sunny days for you. Not only does it sound like you need it, but you DESERVE it! Hugs to you ...

Terri

Terri

Such support and helpful advice, I appreciate it so very Much. Today seems like a little better day and things seem a bit brighter. Botox will be painful, but if I can't walk I might do it. I'll look into Ginseng, artane and/or amantadine. I appreciate your wisdom and advice, and the hugs too! Tomorrow I'll try it again, one day at a time, and try not to think the whole world cares about my tremors! You were right on, teri! Thanks Guys!!!

Hi Floridagal,
I'm Angela from UK & I have the same left side problems BUT have relief from spasm since taking Amitripyline at night. No such luck with sudden onset severe tremor in left arm (see my other posts).

You might give an antispasmodic, antiepileptic drug a try. Klonopin is a benzodiazepine with more antiseizure properties than other benzos (you said that you tried Ativan, but that's more of an antianxiety benzo). An anticholinergic such as Artane has helped many tremor dominant PWP, so has the cardiac medication Inderal, Requip, Idunno, my experiences were horible with it, but many others have had good luck with it. Methocarbamol and Flexeril are both muscle relaxants (flexeril is interesting because it bears a very similar molecular structure to the so called "tricyclic antidepressants" such as Amitryptiline. Most neuros precribe the metabolite Nortryptiline, as a way of an attempt to control tremors in PWP by controlling or combatting depression, and as a sleep aid. I tried it but it, but it didn't do much for me). Neurontin coulld be another drug to try, i use it occasionally to combat tremors, but i am not a tremor dominant and only get the bad tremors when i am like totaly stressed out, but if i get that bad, i usually just go to bed, a luxury that I only got since i "retired", and one that i know what it feels like in the workaday world all too well. I use Amantadine regularly. I find it an " neccesssary addition to my sinemet"; for some reason the sinemet just isn't as effective without the Amantadine. I've mentioned in the past that alcohol is effective in controlling tremors, but this is a difficut drug to use, as addiction and other issues rear their ugly head all too often, and one certainly can't be drunk at work, and one also risks "falls" with alcohol use. Some people use the antihistamine Benadryl with some effect on trmors.
You have posed a difficult question, without any one good answer. It's going to be a "trial and error" thing. A lot of good advice has been given and i would tend to say that when you get bad enough, even though you have to accept maybe a drastic cut in lifestyle, quitting work is one of the best ways to cobat tremors.