Helping with tremors : What is generally... - Cure Parkinson's

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Helping with tremors

Bramma profile image
58 Replies

What is generally considered the best treatment to help tremors. I’m not keen to start on PD meds due to the side effects I have read about. Any thoughts gratefully received.

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Bramma profile image
Bramma
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58 Replies
MBAnderson profile image
MBAnderson

If you want to reduce your tremors without pharmaceuticals then you should try to do as much of everything else that's on the list as possible; 45 minutes of strenuous, aerobic exercise at 80% of your capacity every day, nutritional changes, supplements, intermittent fasting, testing for and correcting imbalances and deficiencies, weight/strength training, balance and flexibility exercises, sleep hygiene, social engagement, stress management, learning new things, and perhaps things like dancing, tai chi, Qigong, sports, yoga, acupuncture, massage, etc.

in reply to MBAnderson

And more or less in that order, too (starting with most important)! Great contribution.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to MBAnderson

Thanks for your reply, I do moderate weights for 45mins 5 days a week plus Tuesday Yoga, Wednesday PD warriors, Thursday Beat boxing, Friday dance. Not to keen on aerobic in general would rather do weights. I walk most days and exercise bike every other day. I have recently started taking 5g of mannitol twice a day. Tremor seems to be slowly getting worse. Maybe I should look at diet more.

MBAnderson profile image
MBAnderson in reply to Bramma

Doing good with exercise. I think diet/nutrition matters a lot.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to MBAnderson

Will certainly look at diet/nutrition although I do eat fairly healthy.

LAJ12345 profile image
LAJ12345 in reply to Bramma

Reduce anxiety and stress too if at all possible.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to LAJ12345

Thanks l find mindful yoga helps, hardly shake during zoom classes.

Johnfra profile image
Johnfra in reply to MBAnderson

Good advice 👍

honeycombe3 profile image
honeycombe3

Brama, while everything the respondents say is true that does not mean meds should be ignored. Is it just from myths that they exist? I hope not. I took part in a 10 y r med trial in UK which shows quite clearly that getting established on the first meds can give you more control over PDWhich can be used alongside any other treatments to make them more effective. At 16 yrs since diagnosis I feel I should share this.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to honeycombe3

Thanks Honeycomb3. It’s great to hear positives about meds I do have some levodopa which my Neurologist prescribed for me just can’t pluck up the courage to start taking them.

Gioc profile image
Gioc in reply to Bramma

Brama, but how much levodopa and what type did your doctor prescribe?

condor39 profile image
condor39

The best treatment yes Sinemet - and do not be scared of side effects, Mors people don;t get any.

Better take something with known effects and side efffects, than all these supplements wth unknown effects and side effects.

(I take no supplements at all.)

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to condor39

Thanks Condor39, that’s what my wife keeps telling me. I had a bad reaction to ropinirol a few months ago and passed out an hour after taking my first tablet. Fortunately my son was at home and called an ambulance so that’s probably the reason.

Design8 profile image
Design8 in reply to Bramma

My husband is very sensitive to meds so when we start something it’s very very slow. For c/l 3x -25/100 - 1/2 pill am for 1 wk - then 1/2 pill am & pm & so on. Took a few crackers but now it doesn’t need that at all and no side effects. He is right hand tremor dominant, it has not stopped it but has lessened it a bit. He takes B1 and several other things, exercises and goes to Parkinson’s Boxing, keeps busy almost all day if he can, need to work a little more on his diet though. It’s a head game too, stress does make it worse but keeping him physically strong and moving is so important, he is a contractor by trade and had to retire but he’s never been a sitter. He truly amazes me every day ❤️ best to you.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to Design8

Thanks for your advice, it’s refreshing to hear your husband is doing well. I guess I’m just getting used to life with PD. Keeping busy sounds the key. 👍

MBAnderson profile image
MBAnderson in reply to Bramma

Bramma,

A meaningful percent of the people on this forum take high doses of thiamine/vitamin B1 and say it provides them measurable relief. It's not possible to get that much thiamine from your diet.

I consider supplements to be the same as or a subset of nutrition .

Inflammation is the enemy. In exactly the same way that a anti-inflammatory diet is beneficial to us anti-inflammatory supplements are too.

Parkinson's causes a number of deficiencies and imbalances and as these accumulate and worsen, they accelerate progression. Identifying (nutritional) deficiencies through testing and then intervening could make a big difference. For example, Being a PWP and becoming deficient in vitamin B-12 could be very bad. Do you know with absolute certainty you are not deficient in some of the essential B vitamins?

There are millions of delicately balanced, complex molecular interactions and processes taking place continuously throughout our body that are necessary for optimal health. Many of those molecules involved cannot be synthesized internally and can only obtained by ingestion. Therefore, the functionality and efficiency of every single process in our body and brain is determined and limited by what compounds and foods are available for those molecular processes to interact with, that is, which molecules come down the gullet.

Supplements are not just vitamins. They can be transporters, inhibitors, co-factors, precursors, substrates, chaperones, inducers, amino acids, proteins, enzymes, hormones, metabolites, etc. of these molecular interactions.

In my opinion, making an absolute rule against supplements makes no sense. It's exactly the same as saying nutrition doesn't matter.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to MBAnderson

Thanks for your comprehensive reply sounds like I need to speak to my Dr to find out if I’m deficient in any essential areas.

MBAnderson profile image
MBAnderson in reply to Bramma

You might want to look up the blood panel that Dr. Laurie Mishley recommends. It tests for the things most important to us. (If you cannot find it, it's under my profile.)

ddmagee1 profile image
ddmagee1

Sinemet works for me! I do not have side effects, taking Sinemet. I’ve been on it for 5 years. Low dose Sinemet might work for you.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to ddmagee1

Thanks for your advice guess I just need to get over my anxiety and give them ago.👍

dadcor profile image
dadcor

Vit B1 .. I would read all about it here in the forum and try..

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to dadcor

Thanks dadcor, I have started reading about Dr Constantine and high dose B1 I will certainly investigate further 👍.

Gioc profile image
Gioc in reply to Bramma

hi Neil, three months ago I read that you were using thiamine, What exactly are you using?

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to Gioc

Hi I did start on 100mg of B1 for a short while which made me feel unwell bought some 500mg tablets but not used them as yet.

Just using mannitol and multi vitamins.

Gioc profile image
Gioc in reply to Bramma

Brama, poorly dosed vitamins can increase tremors. what vitamin mix do you use?

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to Gioc

I take vitamin D3, fish oil and turmeric.

Gioc profile image
Gioc in reply to Bramma

too vague and controversial to help you on this point.

BUSHPILOTS profile image
BUSHPILOTS

Great advice above! Any cognitive issues. If not ask mds about anticholinergics.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to BUSHPILOTS

Will do, thanks

JohnPepper profile image
JohnPepper

If you have a Resting Tremor, all you must do is use the hand, like clenching the fist. You must not do it too hard. You can also splay your fingers out, which immediately stops the tremor. So, if you are trying to hide the tremor, the easiest way is to hold your hand down by your side and splay you fingers out and hold them like that.

If you have a tremor wile trying to use to use the hand then consciously go slowly, concentrating hard on what you are doing. It takes time to be able to do that, but if you are trying to write then concentrate hard on each letter and move your hand slowly. The more you do it the quicker it gets. CONCENTRATING ON THE MOVEMENT TAKES THE CONTROL OF THAT MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE SUBCONSCIOIUS BRAIN AND PUTS IT INTO CONSCCIOUS CONTROL.

I hope that helps you.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to JohnPepper

Hi John

Thanks for your advice, yes my tremor is resting and it’s fairly still when I occupy it with a task, great advice thank you I will give the things you suggest a try. 👍

JohnPepper profile image
JohnPepper in reply to Bramma

My Pleasure. I hope you know about lots of other tips on dealing with Pd symptoms. If you don't then contact me on my website, which you can find if you google my name.

Gioc profile image
Gioc in reply to JohnPepper

Hi JP, you haven't written here in a while, how you doing? I just add that there was a post from your fans and not here recently.

healthunlocked.com/parkinso...

JohnPepper profile image
JohnPepper in reply to Gioc

Hi GioCas. Thanks for your interest. I have been through some tough time these past eighteen months, with heart problems. Have had that all sorted out but am now having problems as a result of taking blood thinning meds.

Hopefully I'll make 86 in October.

Gioc profile image
Gioc in reply to JohnPepper

thought you might like to read it.

take care of yourself first of all.

Hu PM would have been what it is without you.

PS. Did I read posts from many years ago where you and Hikoi were friends? 😀

JohnPepper profile image
JohnPepper in reply to Gioc

I didn't know we were enemies! We both say it the way we see it.

dcpambrose profile image
dcpambrose in reply to JohnPepper

Take care John.Praying for your good health.

Regards

JohnPepper profile image
JohnPepper in reply to dcpambrose

Thanks! It is very kind of you. Ill do my best! John

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to JohnPepper

👍thank you.

MBAnderson profile image
MBAnderson in reply to JohnPepper

Concentrating may work for some, but no amount of concentrating would allow me to write again.

I was checking into a hotel and the woman behind the counter said, "Here, fill this out." I told her I can't write. She said, "You can print then." DUH??? Why didn't I think of that??

JohnPepper profile image
JohnPepper in reply to MBAnderson

Hi. As a matter of interest, were you quite stressed at the time? I can print in block letters, when I am not stressed, but am unable to write anything when I am stressed.

JeanieBeanie profile image
JeanieBeanie

Try Mucuna Pruriens. If you are in UK there is a very good one on Ebay from Nth Yorkshire or Scarborough. Use in conjunction with PD meds. You need to be building up your dopamine levels

Not letting them deplete.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to JeanieBeanie

Thanks for your advice I will certainly give it a try. I live in North Yorkshire so should not be a problem accessing them👍

JeanieBeanie profile image
JeanieBeanie in reply to Bramma

Start with 5 grams in a bit of fizzy pop. Its easier to drink it through a straw. If you need more just increase.

movinngroovin1 profile image
movinngroovin1

DBS

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji

Belladonna extract is better remedy for tremor as compared to any other treatment

MBAnderson profile image
MBAnderson in reply to Farooqji

Have you been keeping Belladonna secret? Never heard of it. I must have missed you prior threads re it??

I just skimmed this. Not encouraging. You must have other info.

"It's a rare plant and dangerous: the ingestion of 10 bays would be toxic to an adult, 2-3 for a child. "

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

"Though widely regarded as unsafe, belladonna is taken by mouth as a sedative, to stop bronchial spasms in asthma and whooping cough, and as a cold and hay fever remedy. It is also used for Parkinson's disease, colic, inflammatory bowel disease, motion sickness, and as a painkiller."

"Uses & Effectiveness?

Insufficient Evidence for

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Early research suggests that taking belladonna along with the drug phenobarbital by mouth for one month does not improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Asthma.

Whooping cough.

Colds.

Hay fever.

Parkinson's disease.

Motion sickness.

Arthritis-like pain.

Nerve problems.

Hemorrhoids.

Spasms and colic-like pain in the stomach and bile ducts.

Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of belladonna for these uses.

"

webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingre....

Farooqji profile image
Farooqji in reply to MBAnderson

i had been taking it some while ago. Found it effective for excessive sweating and tremor.:

"It is used to cure rigidity tremor and perspiration related to Parkinson's disease

"

1mg.com/otc/dr.-reckeweg-be...

Vawomann profile image
Vawomann

When you do decide to start, start small. I would cut my husbands pills into fifths! We could see an improvement with 1/4 of a pill! Then went to half & so on. It helps the body adjust gradually. Good luck.

Bramma profile image
Bramma

Thanks for your advice i Will certainly attempt to cut the tablets 👍

ge1shh profile image
ge1shh

I have been taking Madopar for three years now, and it has been great for me. I don't take anything else alongside it. It has suppressed the tremor well. I guess we are all different, but so far, this is the best way forward for me, with as much exercise as I can persuade myself to do!

Bramma profile image
Bramma

Thanks for your reply is Madopar a prescription drug or is it available to buy over the counter, I’m in the uk.

ge1shh profile image
ge1shh in reply to Bramma

It's a prescription drug, similar to Sinemet. You can't buy it over the counter.

Bramma profile image
Bramma in reply to ge1shh

Thought so thanks, I have an appointment with my Neurology consultant next month I will mention it to her. I’ve been trying to avoid PD medication but think the time has come. Thanks for your advice good luck with your health.

Neil

ge1shh profile image
ge1shh in reply to Bramma

Neil, I would say do go ahead with the medication. They usually start you with a small dose and it may take a while to take effect. You may not notice much difference for a few weeks. They advise you to take it at least an hour before or after meals as it may not be so effective alongside eating protein - but it works all right for me at any time. Hope you get on well. Sue.x

Bramma profile image
Bramma

Thanks Sue

I’m a little apphrehensive as I did try ropinirole which was prescribed by my consultant and after taking the first tablet ended up passing out and calling an ambulance. Guess I need to try PD meds again and hope for the best.

Thanks again for your advice

Neil.

JohnPepper profile image
JohnPepper

When most people think of 'treatment' they normally have some form of medication in mind.

Have you considered that there are other forms of treatment that are not medicinal and have no side effects?

I have been able to reverse many of my Pd symptoms by doing fast walking and have been medication-free since 2002.

What do I mean by fast walking, especially for people who shuffle and battle to walk properly?

Pd affects the part of our brain that controls our involuntary movements that we make. You don't think about what your arms and legs are doing, when you walk, your subconscious brain has looked after those movements since you were a child.

Now, you have to think about what your legs and arms are doing, if you want to walk properly. I call that 'conscious control' of movement and it has to be learned.

I am not allowed to mention my book here as it is regarded as advertising, but you can Google my name or look on 'Amazon' for my book titles.

My Pd started in 1963 and I have managed to overcome most of the symptoms by doing fast walking, and I started at a very low level and built it up very slowly.

Good Luck?

John Pepper

Bramma profile image
Bramma

Thanks John I will have a look for your book.

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