Other Tremors

[MnM]

It kind of went from unwanted, focused, intense, violent muscle contractures to full freeze state to extreme pain, then to nervous lightning storms anywhere and everywhere to feeling like I was having a heart attack. The whole time it felt like being connected to a low level electrical pulse. Then it got stronger and refocused, constant tremors, very stable and noticeable. Can't use scissors or use knives the way I normally do, can't put a pen to paper - looks like Parkinsons. I've told my psych and he groaned. I'm getting blood tests, but it's keeping me awake all night cuz my hands won't stop shaking. Normally I sleep with my hands near my face or chest, but they vibrate so hard I can't have them touching my body at all. It's moved into my face and legs, and the random violent muscle contracture are still there. Trying to fall asleep is a nightmare. The only relief I have is walking outside in very cold temps, after doing hot/cold shower treatment, CBD, and the cat purring on my chest - just 🤩😭

From what I've read, it just gets worse... I know I need to stop working so much and have told work to hire someone to take stuff off my plate.

Anyone have tips for calming or decreasing this damn syndrome?

 

[Sideways]

Just to clarify:

looks like Parkinsons.

As in, a doctor has suggested these tremors are likely the early stages of parkinsons? Because there's sooo many things tremors can be, right?

 

[MnM]

Just to clarify:

As in, a doctor has suggested these tremors are likely the early stages of parkinsons? Because there's sooo many things tremors can be, right?

No. My handwriting appears such.

 

[enough]

check engine light is on for you, hope you get the help you need there MnM

 

[Sideways]

I've told my psych and he groaned.

So, is this the psych prescribing your sertraline, who wants you to try a different med? Because tremors are a side effect of sertraline.

No. My handwriting appears such.

Sorry - I genuinely don't understand this. You don't have parkinsons...?

When you say, "can someone help me with this syndrome"?, that's "this symptom"? As in: can someone help me with my tremor?

If so? I can have a crack!

Take your pdoc's advice, and try a new med. I got bad tremors from lithium, and it's crazy-making. A blood test for your genetics can tell you in advance which psychotropic medications you're likely to have side-effects to. Ask your pdoc about it, or your GP. No need to be a guinea pig when trying new meds!

Having a panic disorder means chronic muscle tension, and lots of energy and blood flow to your extremes. So, plenty of exercise, probably yoga would be immensely helpful, and absolutely a solid half hour of guided relaxation each day.

And, of course, head to your GP for a check up. Not just to rule out stuff like Parkinson's (seriously, hand tremors are a symptom of sooooo many things, including really common stuff like diabetes), but also for a comprehensive blood analysis to check your nutrients.

It can be near impossible meeting nutritional requirements with mental health issues on board, and a quick test can let you know if there's problems you never considered (like vit D deficiency) that have a crazy-easy solution.

Finally - caffiene, processed sugar, alcohol. They all either need to go entirely, or go way way way down to almost nothing, for optimal results with both tremors, and mental illness management...

So, lots of ideas, because yup, I've dealt with tremors that reached physically-disabling status myself, and it sucks! Hope something there is helpful!

 

[Friday]

- When my anxiety is running hot I get the shakes like that, and worse.

- Half the reason I can’t take muscle relaxers (the sole reason I can’t take half the muscle relaxers out there?) is a side effect I lovingly call “the electrocuted jellyfish”. It came on slowly over years, the last time being a hell to the f*ck no, never again.

- Weirdly enough? My arthritis behaves like that in the cold/damp (above freezing, below 75F or so) as the muscles/ligaments/tendons are fighting wih each other, attempting to not pull on the painful parts of my bones / shake with exhaustion & cramp & spasm after having been holding themselves “away” from the bones as long as the possibly can, or whilst attempting to splint around painful areas.

- When I have severe pain I’m dissociating from -or- are below more serious injuries, ditto.

- When my nutrition levels (particularly potassium) are f*cked, often from the above, ditto again. Think very mild version of a marathon runner’s collapse.

- My ADHD in desperate need of stimulants will also create a bit of a fish flopping on land / strictures / and other muscle jerks/shaking in an attempt to generate enough adrenaline to relax, often tipping my anxiety up to start running hot & causifnthe same durn problems in an attempt to fix this here other problem.

All 6 of these thing in my life cause tremors, most of them feed into each other, so I have to be mindful to try multiple methods of dealing if I’m not getting traction with any one way. As all 6? Also have veeeeeeery different methods of best sorting each out.

= Very strong second to
a) Easy Button // changing meds which have tremors as a side effect to see if that sorts it
b) the whole diagnostic rigamarole to source the cause, or causes, definitively. As knowing what one is dealing with is incrediably key to finding ways to work with & around it.

 

[MnM]

@Sideways
So sorry, damn brain glitches. Things people think make sense don't make sense to me and things I think make sense leave people gapping... 😣

So, is this the psych prescribing your sertraline, who wants you to try a different med? Because tremors are a side effect of sertraline.

Only have one psych, and yes, aware.

You don't have parkinsons...?

Good lord thank fk no. Nor do I suspect I have Parkinsons. Wishing I could just delete this thread. I don't have energy to explain, was just looking for tips.

Take your pdoc's advice, and try a new med..... So, plenty of exercise, probably yoga would be immensely helpful, and absolutely a solid half hour of guided relaxation each day.

Definitely going to. And definitely do. Am as active as I can handle. I'm more someone who pushes limits 😬

And, of course, head to your GP for a check up.

Done. Waiting for blood clinics to open. Had bloodwork a couple months ago, everything was "normal". Got my hands on some magnesium oil yesterday and it seems to be helping? 🤞

Finally - caffiene, processed sugar, alcohol.

Did *way* back. I miss coffee, and I don't even like coffee 🙄😂

So, lots of ideas, because yup, I've dealt with tremors that reached physically-disabling status myself, and it sucks!

It is insane! I'm sorry you've been affected so deeply also. Last night the fireworks went off and the dog started crying - threw her under the blankets and held her and we both laid there trembling till it was over 😵‍💫🥴 Anything else you're finding helpful?

 

[Sideways]

Anything else you're finding helpful?

Tbh, laughing at it.

My sister and I had the same issue, both from lithium, at the same time. I think in the long run, I coped with it better (as in, it seemed to cause less distress) primarily because I made a point of laughing at it.

Once I knew it was a side effect of the lithium, in my mind, it became a mostly harmless eccentricity. My handwriting was bad for example, so I laughed at that. Some people have bad hand writing, some people have a bad tremor for all sorts of reasons.

Once I knew my tremor was mostly harmless? Laughter definitely helped!

 

[MnM]

@Friday
There's certainly nothing simple about the body/brain going haywire is there?!

“the electrocuted jellyfish”

GENUINELY made me laugh - incredible visual and entirely appropriate metaphor! Thank you 😆

All 6 of these thing in my life cause tremors, most of them feed into each other, so I have to be mindful to try multiple methods of dealing if I’m not getting traction with any one way. As all 6? Also have veeeeeeery different methods of best sorting each out.

Right?!?! I'm trying to think of a clever metaphor but think maybe I should leave that to you 😝 I have my "checklist" too, but as I'm sure you experience, sometimes I get tired and can't go through that list or perhaps things are missing from my checklist that I've forgotten or don't know about. Thanks for sharing your mudpits (what I call this mess).

a) Easy Button // changing meds which have tremors as a side effect to see if that sorts it
b) the whole diagnostic rigamarole to source the cause, or causes, definitively. As knowing what one is dealing with is incrediably key to finding ways to work with & around it.

a) Will do
b) Am in process. I've been more wrong in the last six months than I have in my life, so am curious to see!
🙏

Tbh, laughing at it.

Lifesaver. Literally. Any possibility there is! 🙏

 

[MnM]

Update: switching meds to prozac. Psych said I'll have some pretty nasty side effects based on what's happened so far, he didn't sound hopeful, so I asked about psychadelic treatment, he said he supported that. Would way rather try that.

 

[MnM]

Update: tremors seem to be PTSD-based. I apparently contracted a virus (allegedly not covid) and it turned the tremors violent. As is usual for me, I did not present with a fever, though I felt like I had one and I sweat through my sheets every night for at least a week. Don't have my notes on me. I'm on Prozac now. Tremors are still present at the same level pre-immune system ramping up, except for days where I'm heavily dissociated - tremors are insane.

Now I'm wondering if not presenting with a fever when one is normally present is common among people with PTSD. Or if normal body temperature runs below normal?

 

[MnM]

Virus is done. Stopped Prozac. Tremors definitely ptsd-based. They get worse with any fatigue or stress.