Tremor intensity/manageability: daytime-evening, why the difference? Solar effect(?)

[BUZZ1397]

The first meeting I ever had with a priggish, fat, movement specialist (I have no more use for) they inquired whether my tremor was better in the morning or evening. I answered evening, as it is so. The prig was mum about why. Anyone care to offer an explanation for why our tremor is easier after sundown. Should we break out the tin foil? I consider would it be wise to just start keeping vampire hours. Odd the way tremor intensity weakens with sundown. And it is not the heat as I stay in a very cool home.

[JohnPepper]

Why don't you examine why the tremors worry you? Are they painful? Is it because it is unsightly? Is it because you don't want others to know you have Pd? I am asking you this because some people are prepared to spend a fortune on finding ways to hide the tremors, even though they do nothing really to us. We can still perform normal functions with our hands, if our tremor is a resting tremor If it is not a resting tremor that happens when we try to do fine motor actions then it is a different story.

If you said yest to the unsightly question or the privacy question then you need to discuss this with a professional and get over it. Get you priorities right.

[Hikoi in reply to JohnPepper]

I have to say John that I dont recognize your description. Some may have a resting tremor that doesnt interfere but my resting tremors are severley debilitating and painful and I certainly cannot easily perform everyday tasks. I have to wait until the medication works to be able to function.

I dont think people would have a dbs, brain operation to control an inconvenient shake.

[JohnPepper in reply to Hikoi]

I don't want to argue with you about what is and what isn't a resting tremor. My understanding of a resting tremor is that, as the nae suggests, your hand shakes when at rest. The moment you do something with your hand, the tremor stops. Are you saying that this is not the case with you?

[Rosabellazita in reply to Hikoi]

I agree ...my tremor interferes with alot of things

[BUZZ1397 in reply to JohnPepper]

Tremor is unsightly, yes. I care not that any adult may witness my tremor, unless it is a child and they are concerned for me, I do care that it may upset a child. My post is to learn if there is a known reason why tremor weakens after sundown. Please excuse yourself if you have nothing helpful to write and be kinder in the future.

[Rosabellazita in reply to BUZZ1397]

Mine does not weaken

[BUZZ1397 in reply to Rosabellazita]

Why do you suppose it stays the same intensity?

[asmckay]

I wonder if this is because your melatonin level is higher and your parasympathetic nervous system ( rest recovery) activated? Naturally, serotonin in our body is converted by the action of the pineal gland into melatonin at dusk. The production of serotonin requires foods which contain B vits, & tryptophan), Vit D (from sunlight) and LIGHT (not necessarily sunlight) of the right spectrum - light that occurs a naturally from dawn to c 2 pm - so vampire hours won't do it I'm afraid. Better perhaps to get light, including sunlight, in the morning, and then make sure that you experience a "dusk" (need not coincide with the real dusk) - after which you avoid blue light (which decreases our melatonin). You might find the sleep tips on my website, zeez.org.uk useful. And I'd be really interested to hear of your experiences over time - what makes things better.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to asmckay]

Awesome!!

[Rosabellazita in reply to asmckay]

Im not sure what to do about it i just know i dont want prescription drugs. I ve i wed ur website..i cant afford the gadget to help sleep

[asmckay in reply to Rosabellazita]

Hi Rosa, Have a good look at the stuff Gary Sharpe has on his site - there are lots of exercises one can do to help relaxation / strengthen the vagus nerve / strengthen the parasympathetic nervous system which may have a good effect on tremor. And I'd work on increasing your melatonin naturally - lots one can do. If there isn't enough int he short sleep tips on my site, send me an email and I'll send you a longer version. Better to increase naturally than to supplement with melatonin - you risk reducing the body's ability to make melatonin itself.

[Rosabellazita in reply to asmckay]

What site is it?

[asmckay in reply to Rosabellazita]

Gary has a couple of sites and Facebook pages. Try this one facebook.com/outthinkingpar...

[asmckay]

John's reply reminds me that there can be different reason for tremor. In the case of the person closest to me who has bad tremor, it is associated with stress - the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, beta brain wave activity, high cortisol, low melatonin, and addressing those things helps.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to asmckay]

Wow, you are so into my head with that rreply.

[Rosabellazita in reply to asmckay]

Do y ou know of anything natural that helps tremor

[asmckay in reply to Rosabellazita]

Hi Rosa, I think that anything that strengthens the parasympathetic nervous system could help. There is a lot on this on Gary Sharpe's website and Facebook page- he has been exploring many ways of doing this. e.g.facebook.com/outthinkingpar... - exercises etc. And we have developed a device designed to prompt alpha brain frequencies (relaxing) . Our Zeez Sleep Pebble does this, but only for 10 minutes. With limited use, we have seen it help a few people with Parkinson's zeez.org.uk/product/zeez-al...

[Rosabellazita in reply to asmckay]

My Stress is high

[BUZZ1397 in reply to Rosabellazita]

So true for many. Stress they say is a killer. My primary stress I put on myself by worrying that someday soon I will not be able to help my wife (advanced MS) anymore with her physical management need.. I really worry about her being neglected if it comes to the day when I cannot perform her care and she is taken to a long-term care facility. That is my stress. What causes yours?

[Rosabellazita in reply to asmckay]

I have ordered melatonin..10 g powder

[Rosabellazita in reply to asmckay]

W hat do u do about high cortisol

[asmckay in reply to Rosabellazita]

If you raise your melatonin (best way is naturally, thro eating right nutrients and light - see my sleep tips ) you'll keep cortisol in check - and as you sleep better, cortisol will fall naturally - you'll become more resilient. You are probably doing all you can to avoid stress/ relax - useful to add things which strengthen the vagal nerve to that. Good Luck

[Johnny-bravo in reply to asmckay]

If your tremor improves with melatonin, is that an indication that PD may not be the cause of the tremor?

[asmckay in reply to Johnny-bravo]

I don't think it necessarily is. I think it is an indication that too high cortisol, stress, poor vagal tone, are linked with tremor. Those things may also be linked with PD or may exist independently. In any event, raising our melatonin naturally will be a positive step.

[Hikoi]

The question could be a way of asking whether you have worse symptoms in am or pm. I presume this was before meds and often sleep restores some of our dopamine levels, could he have been checking if that happened. Essential tremor has to be ruled out at original diagnosis. Perhaps there is a different pattern there.

But We are all guessing,

[BUZZ1397]

Yes, they migh have asked to learn whether sleep was stil restoring dopamine levels. Your insight is amazing

[GymBag in reply to BUZZ1397]

I think it is a weakness in this forum that people do not know the qualifications, long experience and high level of expertise of some of the people here like Hikoi.

Seems a waste

[GymBag in reply to GymBag]

Oh one more thing Buz.

Your Movement Disorder Spec. may have already read your post and if you drop a name after that tirade you may get letters from Lawyers.

Careful

[BUZZ1397 in reply to GymBag]

Tirade...which tirade? I try to vent here in a safe place. If the fat poop that remains nameless pursues me for saying how rude his office are, I kept copies of the messages they sent in rude reply to my messages asking for instructions and trying to explain how Azilect made me feel ill. They were apparently more focused on keeping me (a peg) in a hole to fill their need for patients in a medication study , and cared nothing for me as an individual patient. ...See? that is a fair amount of complaining but not by any definition a "tirade". Not worried but thanks for the care.

[Serenity_finaly-1 in reply to GymBag]

I knew from the start that Hikoi was a voice of reason. I like it when the discussion gets a little off track and she gently gets it back on course.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to Serenity_finaly-1]

How can you be gender certain? Here at this buletn board you never reallly know. Hikoi if you are reading this, reveal your gender if you wish to.

[Hikoi in reply to BUZZ1397]

Serenity is correct. 🤗

[BUZZ1397 in reply to Hikoi]

Thank you for sharing

[Serenity_finaly-1 in reply to BUZZ1397]

Boy, do you have that right. Also age.

[Serenity_finaly-1]

In poker a tremor is a major tell. You would think ah " you have something to hide you must be bluffing". What it does mean is that you have a killer hand. I always FEEL that if I am talking to someone and I start to tremble it's because I have some thing to hide when it's just the opposite.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to Serenity_finaly-1]

Yep, its our vulnerability

[KERRINGTON]

Hello, I too have less tremor in the evening, esp after a good meal. I have often wondered about it.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to KERRINGTON]

Still wondering too. A niece/care giver says maybe due to being in bed& inactive all night and needing to get my levodopa.

[Johnny-bravo]

My tremor is almost non-existent in the morning and in the late evening. Not sure why. Ive only recently been diagnosed with PD and am NOT on levodopa (yet).