Essential Tremor

[livingwith]

I am a 28 year old woman who is troubled by essential tremors. Although most commonly seen in older persons, ET can affect anyone at any age. Some days, my tremors are so severe that everyday tasks are extremely difficult. Applying make-up, opening packages, or even buttoning my pants can often be very challenging.
I work full-time as a Registered Nurse in a busy emergency room. Routine tasks that are often required in this position are sometimes very frustrating, such as open medication pack...Read the full article

[Amy85]

I was diagnosed with ET when I was 13. I tried medications throughout the years, but none were of any help. I am no longer taking any medications for my tremors, and I struggle with them everyday. They get more severe when I am nervous, anxious, have to perform tasks with someone watching over my shoulder, and have to perform fine motor skills.

While in high school I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to do for a career. I tried limiting my searches to professions that wouldn't require fine motor skills, but I just couldn't give up the fact that I love health care and working/helping people. The downfall to this was the fact that I knew I had to have control over my tremors for tasks working in the health care field.

I am currently 24 years old, attending X-Ray school. When I am at clinical in the hospital I'm required to perform certain tasks (of which require steadiness): open sterile instruments for doctors, hold bottles of IV contrast for the doctor to administer, attempt to start IVs and draw blood, etc. I am a very competitive, hard worker, and a perfectionist. I want to learn new things and do my best, but I feel that my tremors limit me to do this. My tremors get in the way of learning a new skill and perfecting that skill. At times, I hold back from doing things or proving myself by dong a certain skill because I'm so embarrassed by my tremors. I try my best to hide the tremors, but they are so very obvious. I know that I work myself up because I want so hard for people not to notice them, but people always do.

My question to you is: how do you deal with your tremors working as a nurse? How are you able to perform tasks with the tremors? Do people ever ask you why you are shaking? And if so, do you tell them why? I have a fear of telling people because, with me still in training for my profession, I don't want them to think I can't do everything like other students can.

[aprilstar]

Hi like you i have had tremors since round about 12 and have been seen a specialist for this the last 7 years , the latest drug im on is for is for epilpsey and am up to the max on that it only just takes the edge off the shakes but hey its better than nothing. My middle son has also got mild shakes i feel its my fault as hes got them from my faulty genes and the trouble is he,s going to be going to medical school to be a doctor so im concerned how he will be able to keep the needles still and how this will effect his future also as it has burdened me throughout my life a great deal socially and generally with day to day things. I have come to notice its a lot easier to tell people you have tremors rather them stand or sit and stare at you as well as you know when you know your under pressure your shakes are a lot worse and there not going to go away soon , so take my advice don,t think about your shakes there for life just be upfront with everyone before they say are you cold love are what you nervous about .
Good luck to you and happy shaking !!!!

[ncooper1]

I am 34 and I developed my essential tremor about 5 years ago, about 6 months after I had a reaction to a couple bee stings and had to be treated for anaphylasis. My doctor said the tremors could be a result. However, my grandmother and son also have them. The doctors say that my son's is actually a side effect of his antiseizure medication for epilepsy. I am a returning nursing student. I sat out a semester after returning to school because I didn't want to continue nursing school if I wasn't going to be able to practice. I was on a beta-blocker for a while, but my blood pressure already runs low and the fatigue was terrible. My heart rate also runs pretty high and the tremor gets worse when my heart rate goes up for any reason. Drawing up medications or starting IVs somedays is very difficult. My patients often ask if I am nervous. It is very embarassing. I am going back to the doctor next week to see about starting the medications again. One thing I have found helpful is L-Theanine. A compounding pharmacist in our town recommended it. It has a mild sedative effect and helps some when the tremors get troublesome. It doesn't really make me sleepy either. I would be very interested to hear about anything that works for anyone else. I am willing to try about anything at this point!

[redbull]

I have had ET since I was 13 years old. I was in 8th grade carrying out a chemistry experiment in front of a small crowd, and my hands started to shake uncontrollably as I poured chemical from one test tube into another. Everyone started to laugh, and, needless to say, I felt very embarrassed and uncomfortable. I have tried so hard all those years to hide my tremors but people always notice. It gets worse when I perform tasks that require steadiness and when someone is watching. Alcohol does help; the tremor disappears totally after 3 beers or so. I'm now on beta blocker (propranolol) which seems to help a little bit, but the tremor is still visible. Last year, in desperation, I searched the Internet for solutions and ran across the following articles by Dr. Stemmler about the effectiveness of acupuncture on ET. There is no evidence to support/confirm the benefit of acupuncture; however, I'm wondering if anyone out there has ever tried acupuncture before. If so, please share your experience with us. You know, when you're desperate, you're willing to go as far as it takes and try almost anything. I'm so tempted to try Remothrax and Trematab. Does anyone know anything about these two herbs or has used them before?
Best,
RB

Dr. Stemmler's articles:

BENIGN ESSENTIAL TREMOR RESOLVED WITH ACUPUNCTURE
http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/aama_marf/journal/vol1_1/tremor.html

DR. STEMMLER’S MONTHLY TEACHING ROUNDS - JANUARY, 2001
http://www.integratedmedicine.com/monthly/2001_january.html

[diane sea]

[quote="redbull"]I have had ET since I was 13 years old. I was in 8th grade carrying out a chemistry experiment in front of a small crowd, and my hands started to shake uncontrollably as I poured chemical from one test tube into another. Everyone started to laugh, and, needless to say, I felt very embarrassed and uncomfortable. I have tried so hard all those years to hide my tremors but people always notice. It gets worse when I perform tasks that require steadiness and when someone is watching. Alcohol does help; the tremor disappears totally after 3 beers or so. I'm now on beta blocker (propranolol) which seems to help a little bit, but the tremor is still visible. Last year, in desperation, I searched the Internet for solutions and ran across the following articles by Dr. Stemmler about the effectiveness of acupuncture on ET. There is no evidence to support/confirm the benefit of acupuncture; however, I'm wondering if anyone out there has ever tried acupuncture before. If so, please share your experience with us. You know, when you're desperate, you're willing to go as far as it takes and try almost anything. I'm so tempted to try Remothrax and Trematab. Does anyone know anything about these two herbs or has used them before?
Best,
RB

Dr. Stemmler's articles:

BENIGN ESSENTIAL TREMOR RESOLVED WITH ACUPUNCTURE
http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/aama_marf/journal/vol1_1/tremor.html

DR. STEMMLER’S MONTHLY TEACHING ROUNDS - JANUARY, 2001
http://www.integratedmedicine.com/monthly/2001_january.html[/quote]
Dear RB, Thanks for the links. I have wondered about acupuncture. I hope we get replies to your question. At the site wemove.org there is an interesting forum on amino acids. I don't know what Remothax or Trematab are. I am going to check them out. We all need to support each other. These forums are a great place for that. As if we are not alone in this shakey situation. I think I may have screwed up this post.
Regards,
Diane