OT Causes

[Georgiapeach]

My mother thinks there might be a connection with her OT and massive doses of Prednisone she took to treat toxoplasmosis. Guess she is looking
for any info you might offer. She is doing great...The very hot weather in South Georgia slows her down a bit. But Rain or shine she does her
3-5 mile walk every morning except Sunday. Am anxious to hear from any of you. Georgia Peach

[gloria]

Georgiapeach: Prednisome is a widely used drug and I have never heard of any association of it causing OT. Unfornately the cause and cure of OT still remain unknown. That your mother is reacting to the hot weather is common with people of any kind of tremor disorder. I'm happy to hear your mother is very diligent about her walking. That is the most important exercise anyone with OT should do. Tell her to do alot of deep breathing, we tend to be shallow with our breathing. I take chair yoga and that is one of the things that we are taught and I'm always very relaxed after every session. Mom, keep up the good work, Gloria

[Forrest]

I just read the post from Georgiapeach regarding the role prednizone may have in OT. It caught by eye because I too had a massive dose of prednizone and have had a varying degree of tremors etc. ever since. And that was in 1977!! Perhaps there is something to it.
I am an 85 year old male living in Maryland USA. I was diagnosed with OT about a year and a half ago after dismissing several neurologists/other doctors who either said they never heard of such a thing and one who said "that doesn't make sense!" I spent a year and a half with a specialist for Parkinson who finally concluded that he did not know what I had but it was not Parkinsons.
I have tried a few of the medications mentioned in the OT forum and found that they either made my symptoms worse or had no effect whatever. The best (and only) medication/treatment I have found is by walking at least a mile a day to a shopping center and back. My current neurologist says "lets not tamper with success!" I am on a plateau in the progression of my OT and will be satisfied and gratified if it doesn't get much worse.

[gloria]

Hello Forrest: Welcome to the website and thank you for your posting. As far as prednisone being the cause of OT I really can't say that there could be a connecting factor to the onset of OT because we must remember that millions of people have been taking it for many years and they don't have OT. What we need is research of our disorder to help find possible causes. In the meantime it sounds like you are coping with a realistic approach and your neurologist is being honest with you. I noticed that you live in Maryland which is not too far from Atlantic City where we are having an OT meeting. I don't know if you saw the posting about it but hope you will consider coming. You will have the opportunity to meet with other OT friends which is an amazing experience to be with people that you do not have to explain OT, they understand and the feeling of isolation will disappear. On the top of the homepage click on 2010 OT meeting and that will take you to information about the meeting. Please think about, it would be good medicine for you. Please let us know if you are coming, hope to see you there, Gloria