Essential tremor

[chocklate]

Hi all. Does anyone battle with tremor made worse with asthma inhalers? My GP won't give chronic script for sedatives as it is additive. Any advice on non addictive meds that may help but will not clash with asthma and diabetes meds.Thank you.

[sassy59]

Hi choklate, is your tremor affecting your everyday life? If so, your GP should be more helpful as there are meds to help. My hubby Pete has a tremor but doesn’t use his inhaler often so it could be other meds causing it. Do go back to your GP and explain how your issue is making you feel.

Wishing you well xx

[chocklate in reply to sassy59]

Thanks sassy 59 it makes my daily activities impossible. The GP advised only taking symbicort inhaler at night instead of twice daily but I worry that it won't help to keep asthma controlled. He really could not come up with any alternative.

[Sunshine404 in reply to chocklate]

Maybe adjusting the dosage might help. For instance when I was prescribed with seretide 25/250, it made me tremble too. But instead of taking double puffs twice, i started with single puff twice and as i was adjusted to it, I gradually increased the dosage to normal i.e 2 puffs twice.

[chocklate in reply to Sunshine404]

Thanks sunshine 404 will try again.

[Will57]

tremors after using inhalers is not uncommon and can affec each individual quite differently. Sorry for the bad news but didn't your GP explain what the side affects are. Also can increase heart rate

[chocklate in reply to Will57]

Hi Will 57 no they did not inform me or offered very little assistance

[Patk1]

Have u been diagnosed with ET

[chocklate in reply to Patk1]

Hi Patk 1 no I diagnosed myself as GP said it's not Parkinson's.My dad had it as well .

[Patk1 in reply to chocklate]

Mine did too.i see a neurologist and take primidone at night.it doesn't stop all tremors,but has improve them.x

[chocklate in reply to Patk1]

Hi Patki thank you. Have seen people user Primidone but problem is it seems to flash with my other chronic meds like hypertension and diabetics.

[chocklate in reply to chocklate]

Meant clash

[Patk1 in reply to chocklate]

I'm ok with my diabetes+ BP meds.ive had no probs with it but we're all different x

[chocklate in reply to Patk1]

Thank you Patki1 I should ask my GP and try it out.

[Patk1 in reply to chocklate]

I would.the tablets are 50mg.they start u on that.im now on 4= 200mg.i got noticeable benefits from 3tablets,better on 4.i didn't find any added benefits on higher dose than that

[chocklate in reply to Patk1]

Thank you Patki1 I will definitely check with the Go as I feel helpless and cannot carry on living like this.!

[Patk1 in reply to chocklate]

Yes it's hard.if he won't treat u,ask for referral to neurologist.i was already on beta blockers for heart+ gabapentin for neuropathy, so primidone was his drug of choice but there r other treatments x

[chocklate in reply to Patk1]

Thank you Patki1. A neurologist will surely be the answer but it's not possible for me to travel to see one as I live very far from cities in a rural area but will try and see one when when there is an opportunity. As a Gp he can give me a script but there is another Gp in a nearby town (a woman) who I can see to get help. A bigger town Mthatha is 100 km away and I am going to check and see if there is a neurologist.

[chocklate in reply to Patk1]

Patki1 sorry I meant to ask you if you are taking Glucophage for diabeties?

[Patk1 in reply to chocklate]

Metformin,occasionally glicazide

[chocklate in reply to Patk1]

O k yes I take 4 x 500 metformin daily slow release.

[Ern007]

I have tremor in my left hand, I was given gabapentin for this, other options are beta blockers. I take Lorazapam but not for tremor, some doctors will refuse this class of drugs. Read the link below, it gives an idea what your doctor may prescribe.

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

[chocklate in reply to Ern007]

Thanks Een for your reply.

[chocklate in reply to chocklate]

Een/Ern

[Pwkav1]

Hi i saw a neurologist for my tremors few years back and was told essential tremor they said if it gets worse to go back to them and they would treat me. My dad has parkinsons i just hope it doesnt develop into it. Id definately see a neurologist as they can tell you how bad it is. Karen xxx

[chocklate in reply to Pwkav1]

Thank you Karen. I will make a plan to go. Middle of winter here now and it's freezing here! Appreciate all help from this group. xx

[Tykelady]

My mother. elder sister and myself all suffered from this. I found when my inhaler was changed to Fostair it became worse but only temporarily.

[chocklate in reply to Tykelady]

Dear Tykelady. Thank you for the reply. I will see if my GP will change my script

[mozart27]

I have a hand tremor and a few years ago I saw a neurologist. Parkinson's was ruled out and she suggested a Betablocker. I now take a small dose of Propanolol which not only helps with the tremor but also helps control my hypertension and without side effects.

[chocklate in reply to mozart27]

Thanks Mozart 27 My se gave me a different bp pill to protect my kidneys so cant take Beta blocker as well x

[MoyB]

Has your doctor ruled out other possible causes of the tremor? Some years ago, I saw my GP about a tremor. He sent me away saying I didn't have one, but I did.

It was eventually found to be due to an undiagnosed overactive thyroid which showed up in a blood test. The GP only did the test because he got frustrated when I kept going back. Once properly treated, the tremor went away.

I do get a slight tremor if I have to use my Ventolin several times in quick succession, but it wears off quickly.

Xx Moy

[chocklate in reply to MoyB]

Dear Moy. It May be thyroid so will ask him. What medication did you get for thyroid?

[MoyB in reply to chocklate]

I can't remember the name. I was put on beta-blockers to start with and had really bad asthma attacks so was changed to something else. I didn't have an asthma diagnosis until then, but I think I was asthmatic without knowing it. My thyroid levels returned to normal after about 12 months of treatment and so meds were stopped. I was given a diagnosis of Graves disease but have had no problems since 2002.

[chocklate in reply to MoyB]

Thanks MoyB will take thyroid blood test at GP.x

[sunshineday]

Hi chocolate, sorry to hear of your problems. Have you discussed this with your lung consultant or were your inhalers prescribed by a different clinician. Whoever prescribed them should listen to your concerns and discuss other options with you. Best wishes you eventually find the right med to help you. x

[chocklate in reply to sunshineday]

Thank you sunshine day. A specialist physician diagnosed me with asthma in June 2022 and prescribed these. I have tried to speak to his nurse on en.mail but got no reply. Live very far from that city so cannot pop in easily it's a 6 hour drive! I do appreciate all the help and advice and wil try to get answers here from the two local g.p. s The local DR.will give foxair if I ask him for a script.x

[janedivney]

Hi chocklate. I have ET too. As you can see from this link, there are quite a few medications available but either they clash with other drugs, or don’t do anything, or I can’t tolerate them. Like Patk1 I had the most benefit from primidone, but it made me feel mentally unstable! However I’m getting desperate so might give it another try. There are some good tips on this website tremor.org.uk/medication-tr...

I’ve seen a neurologist but apart from confirming it’s not Parkinson’s - which I knew from my gp anyway - there isn’t much he can do. There are two brain procedures, Deep Brain Stimulation & Focused Ultrasound (explained on the website) but I don’t fancy either, and given your remote location they don’t sound realistic propositions for you anyway. So personally I don’t think it’s worth breaking your neck to get to see a neurologist.

I’d say your best bet is probably to try primidone. You start on a very low dose & increase really slowly. Hopefully you’ll be ok on it and there’s a good chance it’ll work for you. Propranolol is said to be good too, but it’s a beta blocker so not suitable for asthmatics.

[chocklate in reply to janedivney]

Gosh Janedivney thanks so very much for all the info. I can just try Primidone and hope and pray that it works. A six hour drive to a specialist will cost a fortune in fuel. I will let all know what the results are . Xxxx

[Bingofox007]

Salbutamol and the long acting relievers found in combined inhalers work on the beta receptors in the lungs to relax the muscle bands and open the airways, due to gaseous exchange some get into circulation and some people find that the beta receptors in the heart pick these up and get a shake/tremor/panic type sensation. Try a different reliever, terbutaline for example or ask to try an inhaler without a long acting reliever in it in first instance. I had to change mine as it happened to me, all good now. Take care 🦊x

[chocklate in reply to Bingofox007]

Thanks Bingofox007 for your reply with info. I will ask my GP. Gosh what a long road to walk and research all medicine side effects and different causes of tremor.

[Germantara]

Yes I do ventolin is the cause for me in hands I have copd to be honest I just live with it

[chocklate in reply to Germantara]

Thanks Germantara. Problem here is shake very badly and almost cant do any work baking cooking as I spill and mess all the way😕

[Germantara in reply to chocklate]

I didn't relize how severe it is for you I hope there is something that can help so you can enjoy things you like doing even every day task must be very frustrating for you take care

[chocklate in reply to Germantara]

Tks Germantara I think I will try Primidone as it has helped other's.xxxx