Essential Tremor- Propranolol or Primidone
 

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the site so sorry if this has been covered already.
I was diagnosed with ET about 6 months ago, I was prescribed propranolol and after a month or so it seemed to be working slightly.

Over the last few months I have found that the side effects (extreme fatigue) is getting quite bad to the point I can't get anything done at work and find it difficult to concentrate or remember anything! so I have stopped taking it.
Has anyone tried Primidone or anything else with success?

Like you when I first started Propranolol I was tired all the time(but couldn't sleep at night) but it passed after about six weeks or so.

Primidone is a barbiturate analogue, and is metabolized to phenobarbital. Barbiturates are well known for the sedation they cause- that was and probably still is their primary use.

oops, scratch that, epilepsy has to be phenobarbital's primary use, and butalbital is primarily used to treat migraine.

The rest of the enormous class are primarily used for sedation and sleep.

A few are effectively relegated to lethal injection as they were so heavily abused and sought after that they just aren't used by physicians anymore. Benzos are just so much better.

Welcome to NeuroTalk...

There is another thing you could explore about your tremors.
This new video is about low B12, not being addressed by doctors, today. One of the people in the video, a woman, has severe tremors that went away after she was diagnosed with low B12.

Here is the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvEiz...ature=youtu.be

We, here on NeuroTalk, are familiar with B12, as it is critical for proper neurological functioning. People with neuropathy often are low. So I for one, am very happy that someone has made this video recently to illustrate this potentially serious nutrient deficiency. Today with the OTC availability of acid blocking drugs for heartburn, the potential for blocking B12 is very great now in the US.

This is my B12 thread, should you want more information on it.
Basically you can do oral (not addressed in the video) today for
about 6 cents a day, over the counter....for the activated form of B12. It is amazingly inexpensive and just about the least costly medical intervention out there!

If you decide to get tested...get your results. Do not accept "normal" as lab ranges in US go wayyyy down to 200 -- we know now that significant damage can occur in people that low.
The new low is now 400pg/ml, and it would be best to be ABOVE that level. (other countries may use different range numbers and typically I can convert them for you if you need that)

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread85103.html