The definition of Essential Tremors - a rapid tremor that, in contrast to the slow, resting tremors of Parkinson's, increases with activity.
Now add some hypothyroidism for added stress on the body, a dash of silly hyper-ness that might look like ADD sometimes, and two fun filled boys that love to shake things up, and you have me. I grew up will benign familial essential tremors and I sometimes look like a squirrel on some sort of a caffeine kick. Several family members on my mothers side of the family have this lovely gift in their lives too, but I've been told I have it more than the everyone.....and so now I'm happily the guinea pig on this road to hopefully smooth out my shaky body.
Hello, and welcome to my little piece of life. I decided to start this blog because there is FINALLY something out there that can be done to help people with tremors, like me, but it seems like not too much is being said about it. I'm not sure if what I say here will help anyone, but if I help even one person, then I've accomplished what I set out to do here.
OK....to bring you up to speed:
A few months ago, my mother watched a piece on the Today show. She then had me watch the same piece on the shows website. (I'll post the link later. It is amazing!!!!) I didn't know it, but there is a surgery out there now that can basically calm down the majority of the tremors!!! I was so excited I cried! So I emailed the doctor in New York that was in that piece a few days later, and he answered back within 5 minutes!!! After visiting my family physician, I made an appointment with one of the four doctors that the doctor in New York referred me to. My future visits to the doctor will be down at the OSU Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. My first appointment was yesterday and I am so glad that I went! I am a good candidate for the surgery, but of course we have to try out a few meds first, just to see if they work. If not, the surgery will be in about a year. On one hand, it would be nice if the medicine works wonders and I won't have to have a surgery. But on the other hand, it would be nice to have the surgery and not mess with medications and deal with any grogginess. There seems to be pros and cons to almost everything!
So with that brief sum-up of whats been going on, I thought it would be good to share with anyone who has the same thing going on and might be interested in my little journey to fix my tremors. I'll be posting whatever I can over the next year or so whatever might be of any help to anyone. This is my first time attempting anything like this, so please bear with me....but also feel free to comment or ask questions. (I feel like I should state here that I am not a doctor and I'm not trying to pretend to be one...lol....this is obviously all just simple experience down a new road.)
So tonight.....I took my first little pill. It's called Primidone, 50 mg. It's really meant for people that have seizures. The doctor quickly decided on this medication because I had told him that whenever I have a glass of wine, the alcohol seems to calm my tremors. I took the pill about an hour ago and I am lightly feeling the effects now. The doctor said any medication that messes with the brain is going to make you somewhat groggy. So I'm starting out on the lowest dosage, one pill at night, for two weeks, and build up from there. I'm typically a night owl, but within about 30 minutes I got the heavy sleepy eyes. My head tremors don't seem as bad now. Yeah!!!
And so with that, I will say good night and head off to dream land. Maybe this could be a good thing to cure the night owl in me! lol.
