The Orthostatic Tremor Forum (archive)

Hi Liv, One of the main reasons why I began taking medicine for my OT was because of my speech problems. I developed slurred speech before I took clonazepam and for me low dose clonazepam has helped with the speech. I was told by my neurologist that my speech issues, tongue and jaw tremor are relate...

Hi all, Since my post was the last before Gloria's I just want to say that I hope my comments were "on-topic". It does not appear that others on the site also have jaw and facial tremors (thankfully). I have both - diagnosed by a neurologist and ENT at Yale University as directly related t...

Hi Rose, When I first noticed my tremors, I told the first neurologist I saw that I thought they were exercise induced. I didn't necessarily associate it with standing. I would go for a hike and be fine, but unable to stop and enjoy the view at the end because I'd have to sit down due to the tremors...

Hi all, I just lost a long post I'd typed to you - I'll try to remember now what I said... First thanks to Betty and jolarson for your kindness and support. Now that I know that others do read and want to hear stories that are not just upbeat, I will try to write more. As a devoted gardener with spr...

Hi Margaret, I was extremely wary of taking medication for my OT and held off for three years after diagnosis. I had never taken long term prescription medication in my life and I feared the addictive nature of clonazepam and feelings of sleepiness that I had heard about. Also, what would the long t...

1. Does increased adrenaline caused by factors such as fear, stress, hunger or exercise significantly increase your OT symptoms or have little effect? 2. If you take medication and it proved effective for a limited period of time, how long did it take to lose it's effectiveness or require an increas...

Hi Mike, I appreciate your post very much - even if what you have to share is not "upbeat". It is good to know we are not alone. I have also debated about typing up a "downer" post. Because this link is so large, I started a new post and told my story about dealing with OT on a r...

Hi Valena, I have not tried Requip but when I was diagnosed by the Neurological team at Yale University Medical Center I was asked about my family history. I mentioned having a significant number of family members with restless leg syndrome (and others with epilepsy). The team did research and in th...

Hi Lorie, I definitely have upper body tremors that include my arms, hands, jaw, eyelids. My neurologist (Yale) told me that he did not think they indicated a separate condition but were "related" to the OT. All of the upper body tremors worsen when I am standing. But some (esp. jaw, eyeli...

Hi everyone, My family has just been through the loss of a close family relative and decided to get away for Christmas to take our minds off of things. We went to New York City and of course my kids wanted to see the tree at Rockefeller Center, go to the Radio City Christmas show, skate in Central P...

Hi Sparrow, I do not live in Ireland but I am married to an Irish man from Dublin and travel there nearly every year, as his whole family lives there. Were you diagnosed by a neurologist in Ireland? None of our family and friends over there had ever heard of OT. But then again no one over here had e...

Jolarson, Your post reminded me to mention that the minor occasional tremors I had earlier in my life became disabling only after emergency surgery. I've always believed there was a connection. April is a difficult time of year for me, too, since I work full time. But I am definitely interested in a...

Hi all, My family history includes essential tremor, epilepsy, and restless leg syndrome - several family members. I'm the only one with OT. The diagnosis letter from Yale to my GP documents multiple recorded cases in medical journals of a familial connection between RLS and OT. My Yale neurologist ...

Alison, I had several years of leg weakness and fatigue when standing before the actual tremors started. The OT seemed to phase in. Now that I look back on the experience, I recall having tremors in my legs when I was really nervous-like making a speech in front of a large crowd. Over time, the thre...

Hi Betty, I definitely experience an adrenaline rush, too. What I meant is that when I have decribed the feeling to several doctors, the first thing they think of is that you are having anxiety issues or a panic attack. I don't believe that is true. I've also read other posts that described the pani...