Enhanced Physiological Tremor
 

Just wondering if anyone has links or information on support for Enhanced Physiological Tremor (8-12hz, very low amplitude but that doesn't mean it won't keep you up at night :-) . My first neurologist diagnosed ET, but beta blockers, gabapentin, and primidone (as well as alcohol) made no difference. He referred me to a movement neurologist that said I had enhanced physiological tremor that should go away with time and took me off all drugs except clonazepam at night for sleeping. It's been 11 months now and might be getting better but hard to tell some days. Any one have a link for others with this type of tremor? Not a lot out there on it. Like how long it traditionally lasts, or if any general anti-anxiety CNS drugs help speed up recovery? I am finding outdoor walks in the morning may be the best remedy that I've found so far. Thx

Hi Jim,

Welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups.

You could try reposting over on the Movement Disorders Forum

You mentioned your doc taking you off all drugs. Did the tremors start while you were on a particular medication or mix of medications or do you mean he took you off the "beta blockers, gabapentin, and primidone" that the other doc had prescribed?

Have you figured out if there is a link between any anxiety or medications or caffeine or anything else that seems to make the tremors worse? You ask about anxiety meds so I wondered if you deal with anxiety issues.

If you see a connection with anxiety then it would be worth talking to your doctor about treatment for that (whether that be by medication or natural treatments or by cognitive behaviour therapy or both).

If the outdoor walks are helping keep that up and any other physical movements. I know there are heaps of excellent posts in the Parkinson's Disease forum about how helpful movement/exercize can be for them.

We also have a search feature here that you might like to check out.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/search.php

take care there. Keep walking! :)

Welcome Jimflint01. :Tip-Hat:

Nice to meet you!!
 

Thx Darlene.
 

My tremors started with a stress event where I thought I was having a heart attack ( chest pains radiating down the arm) but turned out to be nerve issues. PT fixed those several months later. Then a few days later after the chest pain issue, it felt like my feet were standing next to a washing machine on the spin cycle. Then I also found out two months later that I had a benign brain schwannoma requiring gamma knife surgery. Tremors just went through the roof. Clonazepam was the only thing that let me sleep. But I am now down to .25mg per night on plan to be off by February 1st. I can finally sleep. Tremors are very low amplitude but 10-12 hertz, and I am hoping that by March or April, after a couple months, that tremors recede or reduce. I think Clonazepam is a double edge sword. Great at first but could be causing tremors to hang around (known medical issues I have found research on the effects of Benzodiazapine). Thought this forum might be a place that others that have ET or Enhanced Physiological tremors can share their issues/remedies. No question exercise helps take ones mind off tremors during the day. I Will post more in a couple months on my experiences after off the benzodiapines for a couple months. I was only on them for 3.5 months, then off for 6 weeks (using 75mg Benadryl instead to sleep), but movement neurologist said there are known memory loss issues with higher doses of Benadryl, so recommended I go back to Clonazepam at .5mg. I found that worked for a month or two, but needed to go to 1.0 mg to still sleep (typical problem of the PAM's that they lose effectiveness and you need to increase dosages to have them still help. Some research I have found shows that after a while you can have withdrawal symptoms even while on the PAMs so it was just time to get off. Some British research has good taper plans but I am finding a 6 week plan is pretty good for me and my PCP Dr agreed. Walks and exercise really does seem to help. I know, way too much information but thought someone else might be in my shoes and appreciate info on enhanced physiological tremor. Very little support out there and most dr's just recommend beta blockers. :-)

Hi again Jimflint01,

Just wanted to mention that there is a

Movement Disorders Forum
Movement Disorders Including essential tremor, dystonia and Restless Leg Syndrome Forum(RLS).