Stress and tremors

Heddi

I have MS and I experience tremors for short periods of time. The other day I had an episode at the gym that may have been caused from overheating. I also have had it when I am extremely angry. I guess it can happen due to stress as well. I wish I could give you more definite answer. However, I see you are not scheduled for another MRI until March. In my opinion, that is an awful long time to wait. From what I do know of MS, they advise early treatment as the best way to avoid progression. I would discuss this with your doctors, if they think it most likely MS, why are they waiting so long????

I wish you the best.

Heather

lilc

At about age 36 I was diagnosed with "Benign Essential Tremor" - meaning I had a tremor that was not Parkinson's and they had no idea why I had it. The same thing Katherine Hepburn had. It took me a while, but I accepted it and learned to live with it.
Last year, at age 48, I was diagnosed with MS. How interesting, tremor can be a symptom!
The type of tremor associated with MS is "Intention Tremor" - the same as "Benign Essential Tremor". The difference between our tremor and Parkinson's is that "Intention Tremor" gets worse when you USE your muscles - Parkinson's tremor is worse when the muscles are at rest.
3 things put my tremor into overdrive: Cold, anger and stress.
I have a very stressful job. My tremor affects my neck/head worst. My head ALWAYS shakes, as if I'm saying "no, no" all the time. When I'm stressed it is fairly violent. So I rest my elbow on whatever is handy and I hold onto my chin to keep my head still. I literally have blisters on my elbow from doing that!
I'm sharing this for 2 reasons:
1. Stress triggers/exacerbates Intention Tremor.
2. While it is TERRIBLY annoying, try not to let it add to your stress level. Be greatful that it stops. Understand that avoiding stress (or finding ways to alleviate stress) will ultimately help the tremor.

Tasia9

Thank you for your replies, I appreciate it very much. Yes, I agree that March is a long time to wait for an MRI. I feel like I have been waiting forever for appointments, tests etc. but I am trying to live my life and not let this consume me. This has been going on for over a year now. Actually, I have been having symptoms for many years and did not clue in until now that this could be due to MS. I think the waiting is the hardest and as I read other posts I realize that this could be the start of a long long waiting game. I have been reading the websites suggested to me and this too has been very uplifting. It is nice to know that there is a forum to vent and share experiences with other people who are going through the same thing! So thanks to you all for being here
Tasia

PtchsM

I have been diagnosed since 1970, and recently had an MRI. I have had many "new" symptoms that I had not had for quite a while. Tremor being one of them, Doc decided to do the MRI. Of course, the results are conclusive and the MS is out of remission. The tremors are "Intention tremors" and have now stopped me from painting, etc. It scared me to death at first, thought it was Parkinson's........I was actually relieved it was the MS. I never got used to having MS, but I've had a lot of years to recognize it when it flares!

My Doc gave me Baclofen for the tremors, and it helps.

iluvsiamese

Stress triggers tremors horribly... I've had essential tremors my whole life. It's hereditary... then I was dx with MS at 27... (There are days I can't even sign my name), before that they had me labled as "probably MS" only because of my age and they didn't want to cause me any insurance problems. That was back when they only had the ABC drugs and my neuro was concerned about side effects for long time use. They were still pretty new drugs at the time. I take propanalol for the tremors and that helps so much, it's actually an epilepsy medicine, but it does wonders for the tremor. If you continue to have problems with the tremors I would ask your neuro about it.

Richard G

Hi. I'm new to this forum, but I'm desperate for some answers.

My wife was diagnosed with MS in 1989, before the CRAB medications came on the market. The dx has been confirmed by multiple MRIs which identify lesions on the brain. After a gradual loss of the use of her legs, and a myriad of other symptoms, it is the most recent one that sends me scouring the books and forums.

She describes the new symptom like a build-up of energy in her arms and shooting down her spine. She shakes her hands and arms vigorously, trying to diffuse the energy. THe symptoms seem to come in waves (almost like labor), with each onset lasting about a minute. So far, they pass after about 20-30 minutes.

I wish I could describe the symptom better. She says it's not exactly spasticity (which she also endures); it's more like the movement in her arms is voluntary, to burn off the energy that is coursing through her.

Does this description sound anything like anything you have heard about or had the bad fortune to experience? Is there a particular medication that can turn if off or at least dampen down the symptoms' intensity? This most recent development is extremely upsetting (not to mention uncomfortable) for her and heartwrending for me.

Thanks for your help.