Posted by yxibow on February 12, 2007, at 18:58:14
In reply to Tremors, posted by delna on February 12, 2007, at 7:30:58
> Hi
> I apologise in advance for the long post...and say thanks for reading..
>
> I suffer from very sever tremors (by that I mean I can't hold a cup without the contents flying out)
> I am on many meds for bipolar 2, including lamactil, bupropion, venlafaxine, bromocriptine provigil..and clonazepam
> I know all these cause tremors but mild ones not so severe that you can't hold a pen or drive. I take propananol for this but that barely helps.
>
> I remember that these tremors started years ago even before meds when I used to take alot of xanax to self medicate. I did so for 2 years and had to be withdrawn in hospital.
> I am beginning to feel this is now a permanent condition that I will have to live with.....it affects me badly because I am an artist and that is really all I have in my life.
> Has anyone had experience with any drugs for tremors or physical treatments like shock therapy??
> Thanks in advance...
> D
Have you tried Artane, Cogentin, or procyclidine? (anticholinergics). Or even OTC Benadryl just to see what the effect would be (you will get drowsy). Its unfortunate that Akineton has been discontinued because it is quite effective on movement disorders.
Are you taking the bromocriptine for tremors or Parkinsons?
Propranolol can help with tremors, it depends on the dose though -- even those without drug-induced tremors use it for what is known as ET (essential tremor), a genetic disorder. It may take a fairly high dose of propranolol to be effective though. I know for mild tremors it takes me at least 80mg. Ask your doctor on that one.
That is 3 stimulating medications, so without any organic (biological, e.g. ET or parkinsons) disorder going on, it is not surprising that there are tremors -- as you say alone, they may cause mild amounts, but together they may be compounded. Has your doctor attempted to adjust the dosage of each for their MED (minimum effective dose) ?
Much more rarely, long term use of benzodiazepines, as you mentioned the Xanax, can cause TD. But that's a hard one to say. Its sort of similar to alcoholism causing TD. But you're dealing with a different movement disorder.
Clonidine may have a mild effect, its not a first line drug for tremors.An increase in the clonazepam could help too.
-- tidings
poster:yxibow
thread:732052
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070207/msgs/732241.html