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Essential Tremor or drug induced? or something worse?
I'm a male, 31.
I've been on 175mg trazadone and lunesta (anywhere from 1.5mg (half pill), 3mg (full pill), or 4.5mg - one and half pills). I usually do 175mg trazadone plus half pill lunesta for sleep almost every night. i've been on the sleep meds for about 2-3 months. Sometimes, i take just lunesta since I have retrograde ejaculation due to trazadone. I take these medications for sleep insommnia. They work. I also take propecia for hair loss (not sure that it's related). I also take cialis/viagra as needed for ED that started about 5-6 years ago. Still trying to figure out cause for ED, docs think primary hypogonadism. Again, not sure if this is related.
anyway, i've been on the sleep meds for about 2-3 months. I just found out that I shouldn't have been taking lunesta for that long.
recently, sometime during this 2-3 months, I developed essential tremor like symptoms. left hand mostly, some right hand. some in my shoulder/elbow (left). Some in head/neck. Tremors are mostly postural/kinetic (maybe some slight intention). No visible resting tremor so far. overall i can function, but obviously it is effecting me enough to ask questions on here and make a appt with a neurologist.
about 1.5 weeks ago, i sort of stopped using lunesta except for one of two times. FYI.
my question is could the meds i'm taking and specifically the lunesta prolonged use / sudden stopping causing my tremors? Can taking these meds show symptoms similar to essential tremor?
talked to my mother, she doesn't have essential tremor, don't think anyone else in my family does. My dad passed away when i was 5 from cancer, so i'm not sure, but my mom didn't mention anything.
can you help explain if my meds could be relating to this problem? Trazadone? Lunesta? or is it more likely more sudden onset essential tremor.
thanks
I've been on 175mg trazadone and lunesta (anywhere from 1.5mg (half pill), 3mg (full pill), or 4.5mg - one and half pills). I usually do 175mg trazadone plus half pill lunesta for sleep almost every night. i've been on the sleep meds for about 2-3 months. Sometimes, i take just lunesta since I have retrograde ejaculation due to trazadone. I take these medications for sleep insommnia. They work. I also take propecia for hair loss (not sure that it's related). I also take cialis/viagra as needed for ED that started about 5-6 years ago. Still trying to figure out cause for ED, docs think primary hypogonadism. Again, not sure if this is related.
anyway, i've been on the sleep meds for about 2-3 months. I just found out that I shouldn't have been taking lunesta for that long.
recently, sometime during this 2-3 months, I developed essential tremor like symptoms. left hand mostly, some right hand. some in my shoulder/elbow (left). Some in head/neck. Tremors are mostly postural/kinetic (maybe some slight intention). No visible resting tremor so far. overall i can function, but obviously it is effecting me enough to ask questions on here and make a appt with a neurologist.
about 1.5 weeks ago, i sort of stopped using lunesta except for one of two times. FYI.
my question is could the meds i'm taking and specifically the lunesta prolonged use / sudden stopping causing my tremors? Can taking these meds show symptoms similar to essential tremor?
talked to my mother, she doesn't have essential tremor, don't think anyone else in my family does. My dad passed away when i was 5 from cancer, so i'm not sure, but my mom didn't mention anything.
can you help explain if my meds could be relating to this problem? Trazadone? Lunesta? or is it more likely more sudden onset essential tremor.
thanks
Hi healthyminisophiesteps,
Since essential tremor appears to run in your family, I believe you or possibly other family members may be candidates for DBS (deep brain stimulation) as a result of Parkinson's Disease, which you didn't indicate that you have. I have early onset PD and have had both STN implants installed in my brain and essential tremor and the the chattering of my teeth are non-existent now. It sounds as though you may need to make time for a movement disorders specialist, of which may I recommend the movement disorders department at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC. They, or other similar program, can really help. They've really helped me, and now I'm a believer in the technology and my neurology team at Baptist.
Since essential tremor appears to run in your family, I believe you or possibly other family members may be candidates for DBS (deep brain stimulation) as a result of Parkinson's Disease, which you didn't indicate that you have. I have early onset PD and have had both STN implants installed in my brain and essential tremor and the the chattering of my teeth are non-existent now. It sounds as though you may need to make time for a movement disorders specialist, of which may I recommend the movement disorders department at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC. They, or other similar program, can really help. They've really helped me, and now I'm a believer in the technology and my neurology team at Baptist.
Thanks all you input and help.
Some new things with me. I now have painful fingers mostly in the left hand. Effecting pinky, ring fingers mostly and a little on the middle finger.
Also weird tremor or spasm right before I Dose off to sleep. Keeps happening every time I get close to falling asleep. Kept me up most the past two nights. I feel the spasm in torso, head/neck/, left hand, left arm, and once on right arm. Only one place is effected each time.
Saw GP. CT brain scan and blood work normal. No thyroid issue.
Referring me to neuro for further examination, including MRI
These symptomsare all starting to sound like MS based on a lot of stuff on the Internet.
I'm hoping the doctor on here can chime in please!
Some new things with me. I now have painful fingers mostly in the left hand. Effecting pinky, ring fingers mostly and a little on the middle finger.
Also weird tremor or spasm right before I Dose off to sleep. Keeps happening every time I get close to falling asleep. Kept me up most the past two nights. I feel the spasm in torso, head/neck/, left hand, left arm, and once on right arm. Only one place is effected each time.
Saw GP. CT brain scan and blood work normal. No thyroid issue.
Referring me to neuro for further examination, including MRI
These symptomsare all starting to sound like MS based on a lot of stuff on the Internet.
I'm hoping the doctor on here can chime in please!
From what it looks like, I think the doctor does reply on this forum. I'm not completely sure, though.
You're welcome! :) I saw your anxiety seem to be building and figured I have ET, I can probably help out. Hope your anxiety is subsiding.
My meds for ET or the benzodiazepines? The beta blockers I take (I'm prescribed atenolol [Tenormin] and propranolol [Inderal] for my tremor, and coincidentally, I am on clonazepam for anxiety issues (though if it I didn't have essential tremor, I wouldn't take it daily ― I don't need it so often for my anxiety anymore) and I'm also on topiramate/Topamax which is an anti-convulsant that I've been told by my doctor shows that it can help tremor from ET. I've gone through many of the other commonly used medication treatments and had reactions or side effects I couldn't handle from them.
If you're wondering about how I've been on benzodiazepines for 15 years and they still work, well, honestly, tapering off and taking a short vacation is something I have to do periodically. During those times, I typically am prescribed hydroxyzine to help take the edge off of any anxiety and make the med break a little more tolerable. I also am on a significantly higher dose than when I began on clonazepam. (I've also been on Xanax which I still occasionally ask to switch back to but not for long, my tolerance to it shoots through the roof in what seems like 2-3 doses, also Valium and Ativan, both I don't find do anything to help.) They work great, my tremor is on a scale of 1-10 (minimal/not there to shakysaurus), about a 1-2 when I take them. If I don't, my days vary. Sometimes I can't write even with the one pen that I have found gives me good control and signing my name, lol, I should go with a giant 'S' for my first name and call it good. On average, though, without meds, I'd say 7 to 8.
Hope that answered your other questions. If you have more, ask away!
I also take temazepam (a benzodiazepine) for sleep because Ambien and Lunesta don't even phase me, and the off-label meds used to treat insomnia have caused major side effects. I also have mixed feelings about taking a tetracyclic antidepressant, a tetracyclic antidepressant, an anti-psychotic, etc. for the purpose of helping me sleep. Temazepam is for sleep, and so I'm comfortable with it. I don't know if that makes sense?
So there are ways to deal with the long term tolerance issues of medications like clonazepam and even Ambien or Lunesta, but it's not my favorite thing in the world. :p
You're welcome! :) I saw your anxiety seem to be building and figured I have ET, I can probably help out. Hope your anxiety is subsiding.
My meds for ET or the benzodiazepines? The beta blockers I take (I'm prescribed atenolol [Tenormin] and propranolol [Inderal] for my tremor, and coincidentally, I am on clonazepam for anxiety issues (though if it I didn't have essential tremor, I wouldn't take it daily ― I don't need it so often for my anxiety anymore) and I'm also on topiramate/Topamax which is an anti-convulsant that I've been told by my doctor shows that it can help tremor from ET. I've gone through many of the other commonly used medication treatments and had reactions or side effects I couldn't handle from them.
If you're wondering about how I've been on benzodiazepines for 15 years and they still work, well, honestly, tapering off and taking a short vacation is something I have to do periodically. During those times, I typically am prescribed hydroxyzine to help take the edge off of any anxiety and make the med break a little more tolerable. I also am on a significantly higher dose than when I began on clonazepam. (I've also been on Xanax which I still occasionally ask to switch back to but not for long, my tolerance to it shoots through the roof in what seems like 2-3 doses, also Valium and Ativan, both I don't find do anything to help.) They work great, my tremor is on a scale of 1-10 (minimal/not there to shakysaurus), about a 1-2 when I take them. If I don't, my days vary. Sometimes I can't write even with the one pen that I have found gives me good control and signing my name, lol, I should go with a giant 'S' for my first name and call it good. On average, though, without meds, I'd say 7 to 8.
Hope that answered your other questions. If you have more, ask away!
I also take temazepam (a benzodiazepine) for sleep because Ambien and Lunesta don't even phase me, and the off-label meds used to treat insomnia have caused major side effects. I also have mixed feelings about taking a tetracyclic antidepressant, a tetracyclic antidepressant, an anti-psychotic, etc. for the purpose of helping me sleep. Temazepam is for sleep, and so I'm comfortable with it. I don't know if that makes sense?
So there are ways to deal with the long term tolerance issues of medications like clonazepam and even Ambien or Lunesta, but it's not my favorite thing in the world. :p
thank you for your response! I really appreciate it. To answer your question, i'm on trazadone for insommnia.
Do you know if the Doctor on this forum usually chimes in?
also, how well do your meds work? I heard that they lose their effectiveness within a few years.
Do you know if the Doctor on this forum usually chimes in?
also, how well do your meds work? I heard that they lose their effectiveness within a few years.
I've dug around and can't find anything linking Viagra, Cialis, or Propecia to tremors. Lunesta doesn't, though abrupt discontinuation of taking it can lead to withdrawal symptoms similar to those of benzodiazepine withdrawals and those are pretty close to what alcohol DTs look like without detoxing under medical care. I've been on benzodiazepines for 15 years now, and while this is purely anecdotal, I've gone off with no taper because I just didn't need them after a medication change or something such as that and I've yet to go through anything serious. My essential tremor got worse, that's it. BUT, every person is different.
That could be also another aspect to your tremor, though. I'm guessing the trazodone is causing it.
Good luck and I believe everything will be just fine. :) Practice deep breathing, try looking for guided imagery tracks to listen to online, and practice when you catch yourself thinking about the tremor, tell yourself "no" inside and redirect your thoughts to a different subject.
That could be also another aspect to your tremor, though. I'm guessing the trazodone is causing it.
Good luck and I believe everything will be just fine. :) Practice deep breathing, try looking for guided imagery tracks to listen to online, and practice when you catch yourself thinking about the tremor, tell yourself "no" inside and redirect your thoughts to a different subject.
Worrying and stress in general will cause essential tremor (and in general any other tremor, whether it be from drinking a cup of coffee too much and that causing a tremor, or a medical condition causing a tremor) to worsen, I know from firsthand (ha ha) experience, I've had essential tremor as long as I can remember. It runs on my dad's side of the family and both my brother and sister also have it, my dad does, my grandma and grandpa are both genetic carriers (my family tree is a little accidentally interesting a bit further down the line, heh), both of my aunts have it and all of my cousins on my dad's side have it. We call it the "the [my maiden name] shakes" lol.
There are a lot of ways to cope with the tremors and I suppose I've just adapted most, when I look at lists of coping techniques, I do a large number of the things listed already. (There are some things I do better with my tremor, though, and if I've taken my medication to help it, oh my. The main thing is putting makeup on. I do it much better with my tremor than without, probably from adapting.)
That said, I don't think you've developed ET. Trazodone has a side effect profile that includes incoordination (or ataxia, Medscape refers to it as "incoordination" specifically, though) and tremor as well, which in studies were observed/reported in anywhere from 1-10% of patients in the study. (Source for that is Medscape cross-checked in Micromedex).
I'll see what I can find about Propecia and Cialis/Viagra, I just want to get this posted to try to lower your anxiety.
Right now, my advice is see the doctor prescribing Trazodone and ask about alternatives. What are you on it for, if you don't mind my asking?
There are a lot of ways to cope with the tremors and I suppose I've just adapted most, when I look at lists of coping techniques, I do a large number of the things listed already. (There are some things I do better with my tremor, though, and if I've taken my medication to help it, oh my. The main thing is putting makeup on. I do it much better with my tremor than without, probably from adapting.)
That said, I don't think you've developed ET. Trazodone has a side effect profile that includes incoordination (or ataxia, Medscape refers to it as "incoordination" specifically, though) and tremor as well, which in studies were observed/reported in anywhere from 1-10% of patients in the study. (Source for that is Medscape cross-checked in Micromedex).
I'll see what I can find about Propecia and Cialis/Viagra, I just want to get this posted to try to lower your anxiety.
Right now, my advice is see the doctor prescribing Trazodone and ask about alternatives. What are you on it for, if you don't mind my asking?
also, while I noticed the tremors enough to take action during the 2-3 month time frame of starting the above listed meds, i'm not 100% sure that I didn't have a little prior to that time frame. But if I did, it wasn't noticeable enough to seek help.
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