I have been on the meds for my Essential Tremor for a solid month now.Both the pharmacist and the neurologist recommended that I give it 4-6 weeks to "kick in".
I have been assessing my tremor to determine if there has been any change.
Honestly, I don't think there has been. Which can happen in some cases, and apparently an increased dosage will not help either.
Not that I want to up my dosage anyways. I have been feeling very blech and VERY tired lately. I have been extremely unmotivated, which is not ideal since we move in a month and I'm supposed to be working on a large essay for another class. I just can't seem to get the energy to do much of anything these days. In fact a simple trip up the stairs has tired me out some days.
Last night I actually looked up the side effects of this particular drug to see if what I'm feeling is "normal".
Here's what it says: Dizziness, lethargy, weakness, drowsiness, headache, insomnia, fatigue, anorexia, anxiety, mental depression, poor concentration, reversible amnesia and catatonia, vivid dreams with or without insomnia, hallucinations, paresthesia, incoordination.
Right.
So the lethargy, weakness, drowsiness, fatigue, depression and insomnia are not just in my mind. It's really from this drug.
And really are those symptoms all supposed to be different from each other? I'm surprised that they listed that many similar side effects.
No wonder I've felt so tired!!
So I have made the decision to discontinue these meds. I have wean myself off of them slowly since it also affects my blood pressure and heart rate. But I'm ready to get back to "normal" again, if such a thing is possible.
It just means that I need to get used to having this stupid tremor forever.
I KNOW that the effects of the meds just isn't worth it either. However, I need to learn how to not be embarrassed by the shaking when people comment on it. Which is challenging since "stress and social interactions tend to worsen the tremor".
Lovely.
At least I won't be so exhausted all of the time.
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3 comments:
Sorry to hear Jen. Seems you're between a rock and a hard place. There are no other meds you could try? I'd be doing the same thing if I were you though... being THAT tried just doesn't seem worth it!
I also have a Essential Tremor. I haven't tried medication however I cut coffee out of my diet and I shake a LOT less now. I still drink tea but I found that coffee makes my tremor worse. I also find if I am eating a balanced diet that it also helps. Hopefully you can find a non-medicated way to control your tremor.
NASTY side effects!!! My mom has a benign essential tumour too and I was always kinda frustrated with her for not taking the meds, but she told me that she felt the side effects weren't worth it, so she's just dealing with it... and now I see why!!! She didn't really tell me much about them, just that she didn't want to take the pills... I thought she was wussing out - but WOW!! I understand now! Crazy. I hope you start to get back to your old self very soon!!
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