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Essential Tremor and anxiety

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ThomasBennett
ThomasBennett

Hi, I'm 19 years old and I have ET and anxiety because of that.

So, I went to my second appointment with my neurologist and I told him about my tremors and my anxiety. And that the dose I was taking (10mg Inderal 3 times a day) was not working. I was feeling no side effects or improvements on my tremors and anxiety. So this time he raised the dose to 20mg 3 times a day and he said that If 60 mg per day doesn't improve my tremors It's not worth to give me a higher dose. So, I told him If he could give me some medicine to take in anxious situations. He gave me Alprazolam 0.25 mg to take only in anxious situations in a maximum of one per week, because taking it in long term can affect my mental ability. 

So, let me ask you some questions:

If 60 mg of Inderal per day doesn't improve my tremors, it means that's not worth taking a higher dose?

There is something alternative to improve my tremors If Inderal can't?

There is any anti-anxiety medicine that's not too strong that could calm down my anxiety and I could take it long term? (I only need to take it in 6 months or less depending on how I'm adapting, because I'm going to work for the first time outside my country for 6 months and I will feel very anxious because of my tremors.)

Since my doctor prescribed me Alprazolam 0.25 mg in stressfull situations to calm down my anxiety, can I take a higher dose, like 0.50 mg If I feel that 0.25 mg doesn't get me more relaxed?

If you want more info about my situation and my 1st appointment here is the link:

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/inderal-10mg-3-times-a-day-not-working-426667

P.S: Sorry for my bad english :D

0 likes, 41 replies

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  • Tezes
    Tezes ThomasBennett

    Posted

    The last comment reminded me that my specialist neurologist told me that anxiety can trigger dystonia. Dystonia causes anxiety and Also anxiety makes the tremors worse so it's a vicious circle. For me BEFORE I started treatment my tremors and jerks were significant and constant. So for example I wasn't safe driving and had some near misses on the road. I fell down the stairs at home twice, broke various bones each time and have scars on my thighs from spilling hot drinks. I also had to take early retirement from work. They are just some of the problems that were caused by my tremors. AFTER treatment I am back driving and am safer on my feet and when holding things. I'm also back at work albeit part time. Having said that the drugs don't get rid of the tremors completely but have made a massive difference to my life.

    As I said before you need to get diagnosed first then you know what you are dealing with.

    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett Tezes

      Posted

      Yeah, you're right about that. But the problem it's when the meds don't work on my problem. But yeah, I can do daily tasks still without the meds, but i don't know why I have this extreme anxiety, and this affects my tremors a million times! So, like I said on the last comment I will start do to a treatment for the anxiety instead. When i'm fully relaxed my shakes are negligible. But the problem is that Victan (Ethyl Loflezepate) that my psychiatrist recommended doesn't work on my anxiety.I have to wait for escitalopram to start to take effect and the only med who really works on my anxiety so far is Xanax 1mg.

      So, what would you advise me?

      Should I continue to take Victan daily until my next appointment (28/12/2015) knowing that it's not  working and knowing it's addictive, or should i stop taking that and continue on xanax as needed?

    • Tezes
      Tezes ThomasBennett

      Posted

      Hi

      i would advise you see your GP about the medication issue, citalopram is good for anxiety though so good luck with that,

    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett Tezes

      Posted

      Yeah. I hope Escitalopram works on me. I heard good things about that med.
    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett

      Posted

      By the way, I will take Victan for more 2 or 3 days, and stop for 1 day or 2. If I feel no difference on my anxiety I will call him to listen  what he has to say.
  • IguanaGirl
    IguanaGirl ThomasBennett

    Posted

    I hear you. I have ET and anxiety; when I'm getting money out of my wallet, I often hear people say "relax, there's no rush". I usually don't respond or if I want to be friendly, I just say "I'm not rushing this is just me".

    You probably don't want to hear it, but "acceptance" is the best treatment. Using humour to cope is always a good idea and being open about your tremors I think is a beneficial way to go. You don't want to feel like you have to hide it.

    I do however, have two practical suggestions. One, carry a straw with you for those drinking glasses. Two, learn meditation and relaxation techniques. This will help lessen the tremors, but more importantly, decrease the anxiety. YouTube has lots of guided meditation videos.  

    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett IguanaGirl

      Posted

      That's a good technique. I already did that and I felt fine. But you know, there are those moments that I can't control myself. It's just horrific. I prefer that the people when look at me,  say  to me what's on their mind than just don't saying anything. At least I tell them, that yeah I have this problem and I can't control it, it's a part of me, I have this problem but could be worse like some degenerative desease. But why I don't like it's when I'm shaking around people and they dont say anything. I always think on the worse. I don't know but I'm but I feel unconfortable when they don't say nothing. Sometimes they can't even notice but I always think they are noticing and thinking on bad things about me.
    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett

      Posted

      *But what I don't like

      * I don't know but I feel

    • fulhamgirl
      fulhamgirl ThomasBennett

      Posted

      Then, don't wait for them to ask, tell them"excuse the 'shakes' I have essential Tremour - it's hereditary, but don't worry it's not contagious".

       

    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett fulhamgirl

      Posted

      But that's so difficult. It's so hard for me to admit it xD. Sometimes I prefer hide it and thinking they didn't notice (but then I think deep inside of me that they did notice). I really don't understand myself. I don't like to admit it, but if a person comes to me and tell me why i'm shaking I have no problems at all telling them what my problem is. I have to be more brave about this. I have never been brave on my life. That's why I'm like this perhaps. I was and still  am very afraid to do something I don't know and I think I could fail in front of people. I always prefered not to do it than do it and see If I would fail or not. I was always a very shy person and I get embarassed easily, because every fail I did on the past people had always make fun of me instead of saying "That's normal, keep training and you'll improve your skills". And that's why know I care a lot of what people think about me, and live with this anxiety... I know I should work on this.

      Well, on January 2016 I'm going to work out of my country with people I never met before. Perhaps that will be my therapy for this anxiety if I face my fears and handle the pressure during those 6 months of work.

    • IguanaGirl
      IguanaGirl ThomasBennett

      Posted

      You are still young and confidence comes with age and experience. I think it's great that you are taking on this challenge. I wouldn't have done it at 19. I didn't lose my shyness until I was 40. Where do you live? I'm in Ontario, Canada and the Canadian Mental Health Association has great resources. 

      Good luck with your new adventure!

       

    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett IguanaGirl

      Posted

      I'm still a bit afraid to go but well, I'm 1 year and a half without working, being the same person, doing the same things, depending on my parents and never had the money to buy the things I want. It's gonna be really difficult for me on the beggining, but like everything else, I will get used to it ( I hope so xD).

      I live in Portugal, on Madeira Island, and I don't know about the quality of our Mental health doctors. I think my psychiatrist gave me the right med. I heard good things about Escitalopram. Now I only have to wait to see it if really helps on my anxiety. I need something for the early stages of new adventure, because i don't know If I will handle the pressure on the beggining. I don't want to rely on meds forever but If I can't control my anxiety now I really need something to help because I don't want this anxiety escalates too much to the point I can't do my job properly. 

    • IguanaGirl
      IguanaGirl ThomasBennett

      Posted

      I think young people these days have more opportunities to work in other countries than I ever did. A new adventure just might be what you need to put you in a different mind frame, although some say that there is no "geography cure". Don't feel like you have to do it alone. There is support out there, you just have to be persistant and don't give up. I'm not quite where I want to be myself, but I did spend most of the last year in bed because of depression and anxiety. I lost a lot of good quality time. 
    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett IguanaGirl

      Posted

      I haven't other option so far. Besides my tremors I  stutter as well, so I didn't want to get a job which I need to talk to clients, giving presentations, etc...

      So, I'll work on civil construction, specifically on Ports construction and we're going to make a new Port on Israel, Haifa. The company is Portuguese, and they pay well ( between 1500 to 2000€ a month). So, for me it's better doing that than working here on Mcdonalds, or some bar or computer store where I have to interact with the clients and they pay me a misery, (450 to 500€ a month)

       

    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett

      Posted

      And the money is all clean. They pay all the expenses (food, home, trip)
    • IguanaGirl
      IguanaGirl ThomasBennett

      Posted

      That sounds good. You certainly don't need the extra stress of public speaking. 
    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett IguanaGirl

      Posted

      I guess I would pass out if I was obligated to give a presentation to people xD

       

    • ThomasBennett
      ThomasBennett IguanaGirl

      Posted

      Well, I have to get through this phase. I see all my friends getting girlifriends, working and being so confortable with their lifes. They usually dont talk about this but when they talk for me to try to get a job i always say that i don't feel prepared right now but I don't tell them why. I'm not the kind of guy who is easy to be open about this situations. I only talk about this with professionals like psychiatrist, psychologists, etc.. because they aren't there to judge me. And my mom as well, because she is giving the money for the doctor. But I don't tell her about the girlfriend part because i'm so embarassed to tell that to my parents xD.
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