my husband aged 78 has suffered from severe GAD for over a year now. We are at a loss as to what started it. He has made progress as he can now go into shops and cafes etc with me, however he still feels anxious but manages to contain it. He has been on various medications, none of which have seemed to help his main problem which is near constant shaking of his arms and shoulders. He is sure if he could only control this then he would feel much better. At the moment he is on 150mg venlafaxine, 15mg of mirtazapine and 1 5ml oral trazadone. He can also have up to 2 1mg doses of lorazepam per day. The lorazepam seems to take a couple of hours to calm him down and sends him to sleep. He has tried all the techniques given by his psychiatry consultant to stop the shaking but nothing seems to help. Can anyone offer any advice please?
Cant stop shaking: my husband aged 78 has... - Anxiety Support
Cant stop shaking
Has he had a thorough medical check up? If not, he should have one.
The first thing to decide is whether your husband has the anxiety because he has the shakes - or has the shakes due to anxiety.
Among the tests the doctors did was there one for thyroid. An over/under active thyroid can cause symptoms similar to anxiety disorder. Now doubt they did but worth double checking.
IMO it's not acceptable for the consultant to say that it's non urgent: anything that causes your husband deep distress IS urgent. Suffering from anxiety disorder doesn't make something non-urgent compared to organic illness.
Were the tests thorough? Did they rule out Parkinsons and other physical causes? If you're not happy about having to wait for a scan ask your doctor to hurry them up because of the distress it's causing.
I hope the matter is resolved soon.
thanks so much for your reply. All his blood tests including thyroid came back normal. Neurologist ruled out parkinsons and ms. I agree about the scan, been trying to get one for ages and its only this last psychiatry consultant who has agreed to refer him. If I get no joy in a couple if weeks we will go privately. Its such a shame as he has made good progress with the anxiety if he could just get rid of this shaking.
You shouldn't be forced to go privately, I would suggest getting your GP to chase the department or consultant in charge of the scan.
I thought I knew all the symptoms of Anxiety Disorder but couldn't recall shaking arms and shoulders. Then I remembered seeing film of WW1 soldiers recovering from shell shock (which is a symptom of nervous trauma). They too experienced uncontrolled shaking of limbs though they were in a much worse condition than your husband. But it made me realise that shaking limbs and shoulders most certainly can be a symptom of anxiety disorder. The power of anxiety to mimic organic illness in immense.
Given the choice, it is better to have symptoms caused by over-sensitised nerves than by some organic disease like Parkisons or stroke. That's because with the right treatment GAD can be readily overcome leading to a return to normality. Not necessarily so with true organic illness.
Perhaps time spent with a good therapist would be helpful and might answer the important question of what is it that has triggered your husband's GAD? Overwork, disappointment, loss, constant worry about younger members of the family: the list goes on.
When the stress goes beyond a certain level of tolerance our nerves become over sensitised; in this state they begin to play tricks on us ie the symptoms of anxiety. Even when the original cause of the sensitisation passes the sensitisation can continue. We become caught in a circle of fear producing symptoms producing more fear producing more symptoms producing more fear etc etc
The right kind of therapy can heal over-sensitive nerves and replace bewilderment with reassurance.
thank you for your reply. Trying to get an appointment with a gp at our surgery is a nightmare and all the psychiatric consultants are locums . He has seen 5 different ones since december. Such is the state of the nhs at the moment sadly. He has just finished a 6 month course of weekly visits with a psychologist. All the professionals seem to think the shaking is down to anxiety but it would be good to get a brain scan for our own peace of mind. I know we shouldnt have to pay to go private but the nhs is broken! Thank you for all your suggestions though it is appreciated.
One last comment, besides meds and therapy there is a third remedy for anxiety disorder: a good self help book. One such that has stood the test of time is "Self help for your nerves" by Doctor Claire Weekes. This book has sold mollions of copies since it was first published 50 years ago and has helped untold thousands to recover from General Anxiety Disorder.
It is a short easy to read book that offers understanding, reassurance and a road to recovery based on the protocols: Face. Accept. Float. Let time past.
I commend this book to you available new or used for a few pounds from Amazon or Ebay. I am one of many to whom it gave back my life.
thank you for that suggestion. I have heard about this book and will order it. Much appreciated.
This book changed my life I'm so glad Jeff has suggested it
Dr Harry Barry is very good his videos are on You Tube
Also The Dare Response book
I'm so sorry that you may have to go private but have to say I had a private consultation for something and it was worth every penny and I was seen within a week
Wishing your husband all the very very best and you too x
thank you . I have now got this book on kindle and hubby has just started reading it. I will have a look at the dr on youtube too. We have paid for private consultations in the past for other problems and I agree it is worth it to rule out the extra worry caused by waiting. Thank you for your good wishes it is much appreciated .
just ordered it from eBay
I think the majority of G P's are bringing the N H S into disrepute. They and the unions are holding the Kingdom to ransom, because they see so few people. Their telephone systems don't work, their receptionists are not trained sufficiently to know how to react with people. Symptoms are going unreported and therefore undiagnosed. I have lost count of the number of times I have gotten through to surgery, been told I am Number 20 in queue, gone down to No 1 and then been cut off by the surgery. I think this is a nationwide problem. If you have more trouble wait until your GP surgery has closed and call 111, they will assess you and get you in to see a GP on the Out of hours system - much better than waiting and getting worse! I hope all will be well with you
I disagree, NHS doctors do their very best and the unionised staff work their butts off for 12+ shifts for low pay. The problems are all down to the fact that the NHS is underfunded and understaffed and that's not the fault of the GPs and unionised nursing staff who have never gone on strike.
yes you are right. I did not mean it was the nhs staff that is running it down. It is the underfunding and needs a thorough overhaul to cut out waste. It is a marvellous institution and all who work in it are heroes. Just on its knees at the moment.
Hi Jeff - I just had to come back on this - I believe NHS doctors - in hospitals and clinics are the very best they can be. We are truly blessed to have them. Nurses and healthcare workers in hospitals and in the community are excellent - my granddaughter is a Senior Nurse Manager in London and has gone way over and above her duty especially throughout the pandemic, I know how many hours she spent trying to organise beds for people once they were through the infectious stage of COVID, she along with other managers was thwarted at every turn by so called senior management. It is without a doubt the problems lay with GP's and their practice staff. In the majority of areas of UK there is the same problem - GP's - will not see many patients, if they do it is a brief 2 minutes - if your lucky. I was sent for a colonoscopy 4 months ago, it was a necessary procedure, but my GP would not see me to examine me, I had a 'virtual/colonoscopy with C T scan', I have never been so embarrassed in my life, despite telling my GP on our phone consultation, - that I did record - that my muscles in that area were not working, I had a letter 3 weeks after the procedure to say results inconclusive because of the muscle problem. She still has not called me back to 'give me the results', or to discuss the next stage of diagnostic procedure. If your area is working well, I am pleased for you, but as a counsellor/facilitator I have many people I am working with who are distraught at the way their GP's treat them. Too many GP's are working part time from home AND full time in the private sector, and being handsomely paid by both, they have just received a £10.000.00 per year NHS raise, whilst the nurses, physio's, health care workers are coming home with about £5.00 extra in their pay packers - taking into account, extra tax, insurance, pension. I am in the process of taking a legal process with our GP's through their lack of care, for both my husband and me - (not for financial gain, but to highlight where things are going wrong, and the chance to get it right.) Nye Bevan must be turning now! I know of several other patients at our practice doing the same. UNION s are the scourge of not only the NHS but of all areas of trade and commerce, we will never see a 'poor union person.' They feed off the anguish of others. I do not believe for one minute the NHS is underfunded - but I do believe that from the time hospitals/surgeries, etc; were able to receive the funding to manage their own practice they have abused and wasted precious money on high pay for too many of the so called 'Managers' and others who have unnecessary positions of high pay and pensions. Too many Chiefs with exorbitant salaries - not enough workers i.e. doctors, nurses, etc: I also fully believe that ALL medics trained by NHS should be made to work solely for the NHS for at least 10 years before dividing their time between the public and private sectors. Sorry to bend your ear.
That is just awful having to wait and wait for a brain scan.. I guess that’s why most people of the USA don’t want socialized medicine..If I needed a scan here it would be scheduled within a week for any medical reason...I feel so badly for your husband and you… That is just WRONG!!! 🤦🏻♀️😢
Dixie9326 - Who said you have to wait ages for a brain scan under the U.K.'s National Health Service? You just made that up.
Anybody with urgent symptoms is always prioritised.
If that's not good enough you can go private and pay for a scan or any other procedure and take out private insurance. You are free to do so in the U.K.
The description you heard of our NHS, which you call socialised medicine, is most certainly not typical.
I can see a G.P. same day just by phoning up. I was referred by my GP to see a Rheumotology consultant on a Thursday. The department phoned me next day with an appointment for the following Monday. The treatment was superb - and completely free regardless of cost.
I am saddened when I read postings from non-U.K. English speakers saying they can't afford to see a doctor or that their private insurance won't let them have any more scans for 2 months regardless. This in the richest and most powerful country in the world.
That's why we would fight like lions to preserve our National Health Service socialised medicine rather than profit-driven medicine.
Please don't make up stories about having to wait for urgent brain scans on the NHS. And if Babe1213 isn't happy with his or her doctor the NHS gives another freedom - the right to transfer to another doctor.
I wrote a reply to you yesterday and it is gone!! Who has the authority to remove posts?
Only HealthUnlimited Admin have the right to delete posts. Dixie9326, sorry for shooting from the hip. But if we don't defend our NHS free-for-all medicine (since 1948) then we Brits will surely lose it.
Let me clarify the situation for brain scans here: anybody considered to urgently need a brain scane will get one quickly. But the GP and consultant of Beadlady's husband are convinced it's anxiety and not a stroke so the brain scan is not classified as urgent - thus it takes longer.
Beadlady could chase the doctor or consultant pointing out that waiting for a scan is causing a serious worsening of anxiety disorder and her husband needs more immediate reassurance. Or she could pay to have the scan carried out privately.
There were strong protests from the medical profession in the U.K. in 1948 when our socialist government introduced medical care free at the point of need* (NHS). But when they realised they could still have private patients they gave way.
Likewise in your country there is a powerful medical lobby who will do everything to prevent free medicare because they think their income will be eroded. Thus the use of pejorative descriptions of U.K. NHS as 'socialist medicine' and even 'communist medicine'.
*NHS care is funded by National Insurance contributions paid only by people during their working years and not other beneficiaries such as children, students, pensioners, the sick and the unemployed.
I agree with you totally and I stated I was for socialized like care here!! I spent a great deal of time responding and you found it necessary to shut down my opinion !!! I’m really p…..!!!! 
I was upset a Dr can say it’s not necessary right now but he’s not the one suffering:(. That just plain sucks..
thank you for replying. Yes it is wrong. The NHS is a brilliant institution, and if the consultant deemed it urgent it would be done immediately as an emergency, however over the last few years it has been underfunded so it is broken 😥 needs a thorough overhaul. However we do have the option of paying for a private scan which would probably only take a couple of weeks.
First thing to think about Beadlady is that like me and many millions of other people around the world, at 78 he is not getting any younger, I am 75 and in the same position. Elderly people are prone to such tremors which as you know leads to anxiety. The can be caused by a vast many single or multiple reasons, Multiple Sclerosis , stroke, liver or kidney failure - retaining urine, U T I's, PTSD, alcohol or drug abuse, hyperthyroidism, depression, diabetes either type 1 or 2, magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, Parkinson's - or simply not enough fluid entering the body - which is a huge problem for me, I need at least 2 litres of fluid every day. If I don't get that amount I have all the symptoms your husband is displaying. I know from experience when I took lorazepam I was like a zombie. I haven't experienced the other two you mention. The constant shaking of arms and shoulders could also suggest a hormonal imbalance. Worth talking to GP again, or asking for second opinion. Worth striving to take more fluid input - I now usually have a small - medium glass of water every time I pee. The anxiety issue could also be fed by unresolved issues from our lives, and may need to be dealt with - you're never too old to do that. The other alternative is some form or relaxation. If you want some suggestion on meditation, please let me know on this forum and I will respond. Also prayer is the best solution for many - including me,
thank you for your reply. Will definitely look into these suggestions.
Besides the thyroid potentially causing it, low testosterone was contributing to my mood/anxiety and improved once I started getting testosterone shots. Also check adrenal glands, they can cause anxiety if not functioning properly.
I have a shaky right arm that gets worse if I'm anxious about it so i've decided to just let it shake and be ok with it. Anxiety really is a paradox in the more you focus on it the worse it makes it so tell him to try relaxing and accepting it and get on with his day it is a choice.
thanks for replying. Yes he has had thyroid and testosterone checked and a full body scan which would have shown any adrenal gland abnormality I believe ? He has had psychologist call once a week for the last 3 months to help him look at this more positively and keep himself distracted. All the professionals say what you are saying. Accept it for now. I wish I could get him to do that.
Propanalol, a beta blocker, can be hugely helpful for the physical bodily effects of anxiety. Particularly tremors, shaking, feeling wobbly and feeling like there is too much adrenaline coursing through your veins.
Xx
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