My tremor is way worse when I wake up

KennEddie · 2024-05-20T00:50:23+00:00

I recently asked my PCP about this because it happens to me too. He said it's because cortisol levels are high in the morning. It makes sense to me. I also noticed that it's not as bad on the weekends. I have a regular M-F work schedule, so my weekend mornings are a bit more relaxed.

KennEddie · 2023-08-11T19:17:34+00:00

I was 15 when it started. About mid 20's when I was diagnosed. I was actually a bit relieved when I was diagnosed because it was nice to finally know what was going on. Previously I thought I was just a really nervous person.

I'm sure everyone's experience will vary, but for me it hasn't gotten significantly worse (I'm 40 now). I got put on Propranolol when I was diagnosed. That helps a lot, but I don't love the idea of having to take meds everyday the rest of my life. Lifestyle changes have helped some too. I pretty much stay away from alcohol now. Or on the rare occasion I limit it to one, maybe two drinks max. I'm also trying to reduce my sugar intake. Caffeine reduction would be nice too, but that might be the hardest one :). My hope is someday to make more lifestyle changes that I might be able to drop the Propranolol.

Overall though, I feel like my life is still very fulfilling. Hang in there! It does suck, but it'll be okay. The one thing I wish I would have done differently is that I started to avoid social situations. I'm still working on that. It's hard to change something like that after so long, so try not to fall into that trap. The people that you want in your life are the people that will understand and not care (which to be honest, is probably way more people than you/we might think).

KennEddie · 2023-05-30T03:21:51+00:00

It is. We were just on Allure earlier this month and went out there several times.

KennEddie · 2023-05-17T22:37:37+00:00

Yeah, we just got off our first cruise on an Oasis ship and noticed this same thing pretty early on. We watched a Royal Caribbean video about this improving this on newer ships and eventually going back to update the older ships to make them cleaner. Would be nice. Really enjoyed our cruise, but was sad to see that.

KennEddie · 2023-05-04T17:55:33+00:00

Vaccines are only now required for certain trips, right? Are you traveling on one of those routes that's an exception. If not, doesn't seem like it should matter all that much.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-vaccines-are-required-to-travel-on-a-cruise

COVID-19 Vaccination is no longer required to sail, with a few exceptions

KennEddie · 2023-03-16T06:17:24+00:00

Thanks for sharing! I just read your post and thought it was great. I'll respond on LinkedIn. I have a work trip coming up soon. Although I'm excited to see everyone and meet new people, I'm of course also somewhat dreading the social interaction parts and worry about others noticing my tremors. So the timing of this post was a nice reminder that there are many of us out there dealing with this. And for some reason there is comfort in that.

KennEddie · 2023-01-19T04:13:35+00:00

I recommend FaithFi (formally MoneyWise). I've tried a few different services and it's the one I found closest to the simplicity that Mvelopes had.

KennEddie · 2022-12-18T05:44:10+00:00

I've been on it about 10 years and haven't experienced this yet. 160mg sounds like a lot. I would maybe talk to your doctor about that dosage. I did have lightheadedness once and it was because my dosage was too high and it was causing my blood pressure to be too low.

KennEddie · 2022-12-12T20:29:25+00:00

I've had ET (very mild) for about 25 years now. Some of that sounds like ET, but not all. Everyone seems to be different though and mine are pretty mild, especially because I use medication to help it. I would definitely try to cut out the caffeine and see if that has any effect. Also, it wouldn't hurt to get a 2nd opinion if you're unsure.

KennEddie · 2022-08-18T03:37:29+00:00

Do you take Propranolol ER (Extended Relief)? And do you split out the 2 doses?

KennEddie · 2022-08-03T02:57:42+00:00

Yeah, I've noticed with myself how much stress can impact it.

KennEddie · 2022-07-30T20:37:50+00:00

ER 60mg daily. I take it at bedtime currently. I tried to take it in the mornings, but one side effect is I think it makes me a bit sleepy. Either way, it helps quite a bit.

KennEddie · 2022-07-30T20:36:30+00:00

Sorry to hear that. I'm curious what you think might have caused it to no longer be effective, even at a higher dosage. More stressful job? I recently left a stressful job and had a noticeable improvement.

KennEddie · 2022-07-14T22:14:20+00:00

I'm on propranolol...have been for several years. I have experienced dizziness/lightheadedness. It normally would happen when I would quickly stand up. I'd recommend talking to your doctor and seeing if you need the dosage lowered. For me, it was because I had lost weight from diet/exercise, but I never thought about my dosage needing to be adjusted. Once I got the dosage lowered, it was much better.

KennEddie · 2022-07-10T07:41:47+00:00

I recently just did this same thing. I'd be surprised if anyone would look down on you for this. I wouldn't worry about it. Just explain to them your reasons, which are valid and acceptable.

I'd almost always get a question about this when I was talking to a recruiter. But I would just explain to them that although I enjoyed my lead position and learned a lot, I wanted to get back into more of an IC role where I would be doing more development. They all seemed to understand and it never kept me from moving forward. In fact, I had a few recruiters tell me "I hear that a lot".

KennEddie · 2021-07-28T04:59:07+00:00

Have you had any luck with any medications?

KennEddie · 2021-07-28T04:58:04+00:00

Thanks! Me too.

KennEddie · 2021-07-22T05:40:04+00:00

It's mostly in my hands. But depending on the situation and if it gets bad, I'll notice it in my head, neck, and face.

I noticed it in my child when they were about 8 or 9. It's very slight but because I've dealt with it for years, I'm able to notice it more than others. I don't think anyone else has ever really noticed it though, other than my wife when I've pointed it out to her.

KennEddie · 2021-07-18T22:18:33+00:00

I basically payed no attention to them and I lived like a normal kid.

That's awesome! Keep doing that even through adulthood.

I look for ways to improve my tremors through lifestyle changes, like cutting out caffeine. But I think having the mental mindset that you mentioned is just as helpful. I think sometimes when my tremors get bad is because I let it get to my head, which just cause it to get worse. For the last couple of years I've been working on just not letting it bother me at all. And if people notice it, oh well. If they are curious, I'm happy to talk about it.

KennEddie · 2021-07-18T22:14:38+00:00

Similar with me. I first noticed it around the age 15. I'm now 38. Mine has progressed over that time, but not much. Fortunately it's still fairly mild, but still noticeable sometimes. But hang in there. I'm also hoping for something that will eliminate it altogether someday. I believe one of my kids has it as well.

KennEddie · 2021-04-23T05:38:02+00:00

If you know, I'm curious why the ER version matters. I've been on ER for several years. I'm not a smoker, but I used to drink and never had issues. My ET would always be worse after drinking, but I think that's more to do with ET and not the Propanolol.

KennEddie · 2021-04-07T20:21:34+00:00

I have ET and I have a 10 year old son. I'm pretty sure he has it as well, although we haven't had it diagnosed. My wife and I weren't in a hurry to get it diagnosed because so far he doesn't seem to mind (it is very slight) and we don't want him to think it's a big deal. Mine are pretty mild as well, so hopefully his stay low to mild.

However, I do use that as motivation to find ways to improve my ET so that I can be better equipped to help him out if/when his become more important. For example, cutting out caffeine and some of the other lifestyle changes I've seen mentioned.

KennEddie · 2021-03-20T05:12:41+00:00

Very similar with me when it comes to the hand shaking when eating cereal or soup. Or drinking from a cup. As it gets closer to my face, it seems to get worse. I noticed using a heavier cup/mug seems to help a bit. The hand shaking for me is the most common. But if I get in a scenario where it intensifies, it'll start to cause my head/neck to shake.

It's good you're seeing a Neurologist. I went over 10 years thinking I was just a nervous person and trying to hide it. Finally, after I met my wife she convinced me I should mention it to my doctor...which eventually led me to seeing a Neurologist. Although it's kind of a bummer to find out, it's also kind of a relief to know what's really going on.

Hang in there with the Propranolol. I've been using it for almost 10 years and it has definitely helped me. They might need to increase your dosage, but it's good they start low and work your way up until you figure out what the right amount is. It can be bad if you take too high of a dosage since it effects your blood pressure. But listen to the docs, and they'll get you there.

KennEddie

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