Parkinson-like tremors caused by chiari malformation?

[Pammy52]

I have had tremors like a person with Parkinson's disease for about 15 months.  Even though some members of my mother's family, including her, has or has had essential tremor, mine are like Parkinson's.  Anyway, my neurologist says since I don't have every symptom of Parkinson's--he's mainly looking for the frozen face look to go along with the tremors--that he cannot diagnose it as that.  He blames my trembling like an earthquake at times on my chiari malformation.  I have had to sometimes pull over in my vehicle because I've had episodes of my hands and arms shaking so bad until it passed.

He has put me on Primidone, 50 mg to take at night.  It helps most of the time, but today it's not working very well.  Has anyone else been told that the chiari malformation was the cause of tremors other than head, like all over?

Thank you for any information or comments.

[rozia]

yes I have temors , they are more like Mylonic jerks but my Keppra takes care of them . I wouldnt say Parkinson causes it.

[Pammy52]

Yes, Selma, I see my neuro every 4-6 months or earlier if needed about my tremors.  I first started going to this one in Huntsville, AL (where I work) because my former one was so rude to me after my mild stroke five years ago. It was odd, too, because she had never acted that way to me before; no doctor who is that rude ever gets anymore of my money.

I already go to UAB and Kirklin Clinic in Birmingham for other medical problems.  I had been to the Neuro clinic there several years ago for migraines but the wonderful doctor I saw is no longer there.  Yes, if you would please give me his name, I will try and get an appt. with him or get a referrel to him.

By the way, my chiari malformation was discovered on an MRI that a doctor ordered on my neck, when I was having so many bad headaches.  I went through physical therapy for several weeks with a wonderful therapist.  He also taught me how to hold my head and shoulders like they should be; no one had ever pointed out to me that my head was tilting to the left side.  I take tramadol(Ultracet) everyday for the headaches and it helps my arthritis which is also in my neck(and the rest of my joints) along with two herniated discs.  No surgery for me, though; two of my doctors said boldly "NO,"  including my present neuro. I am SO GLAD I did NOT have it; a lady I worked with had it and she has never been the same.  I HIGHLY recommend physical therapy and advice from therapists that understand what they are working with, which mine did.

Pam

[chadry]

My daughter gets the tremors also. She feels them inside. We can not see them. She gets them when she over does something but sometimes they come on for no reason at all. My husbands whole family also get tremors especially in their hands but his aunt had told him they are essential tremors and nothing to worry about. She told him this years ago and I am sure she was never checked for Chiari. We are alking about a good 15 years ago when she said this. I do not believe that is the case with my daughter. I really belive that hers are from her Chiari. Her doctor said he did not find that unusual for her condition. He said it could be essential tremors but aslo could be the Chiari. No one else in my husbands family has been checked though for Chiair. i wish some of them would go get an MRI done to see if they have it also.
I hope you find out what is causing it so at least you would have an answer. Sometimes just knowing what is going on helps. May not relieve the symptoms but helps us deal with it in our minds.
Take care.
Chadry

[selmaS]

HI Pam, and welcome to our forum!
I saw in ur profile ur were dx with chiari a few yrs ago.......do u have a dr doing followup with u? Do u know if u have a CSF blockage? I get tremors, but nothing like u described. Mine seem to appear after I do too much walking, cooking, ect.....and it's just my hands.Although there r times it feels like everything inside is shaking.

Have u been to see a chiari specialist? There is a Dr at the Unv of AL at Birmingham Medical School, if u r interested. U would need to research him, but he was a speaker at a conference for ASAP this past July so from that I know he is a specialist in this field.

I hope u continue to post here, it's a grat place for info and support.

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"