The Orthostatic Tremor Forum (archive)

I am new to all this and have put a posting in the new person section... I was reading over all the postings and am still feeling confused... which i expect to but i just wonder... I wonder if this is me...

How extreme do the tremors have to be. I guess let me describe what i experience...
I have had hip pain for about 4 years and leg weakness... My legs can be what i describe as shakey and can at times feel like they are about to give way on me. My dr observed a tremor in my legs when standing, and i get a slight shake when i sit at times. When i raise my leg and hold, i get a definite tremor and I find exercise quite difficult as i seem to fatigue quite quickly....
When i am sick or tired my weakness seems to get worse and i find stairs a nightmare to climb.... but at the same time resting just makes it worse.
My leg weakness is getting worse and in turn they fatigue a lot quicker....

Theyhave ruled out MS and my Brain and spine scans were clear of abnormalities. bloods were also negative for whatever he tested me for...

the neurologist- who has one other patient with OT- said that when the scans etc show nothing it makes it harder but what i think you have is....... and said OT.... Does my description sound like it???
Also he told me that the patient he sees with it has not had an increase in the condition but it sounds like ther can be....

any help i would greatly appreciate...

I love the term OT... i am an occupational therapist and we get called OT's... makes me feel very much at home!

Alison

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 threshold of adrenaline it took to cause tremors got less and less until the tremor on standing was present all the time and I could no longer even shower without sitting.

I do feel fatigue in my hips and my arms, especially when I am tired, but I do not have OT type tremors when I am sitting. If I am standing and the OT has really kicked in I get tremors in my arms. It may take a while after I sit down for the tremors to stop, but they eventually always do.

I have experienced an increase in the tremor and shorter time standing. I have also developed related tremors in my jaw (affecting speech) and inner ear
(balance and tininitis issues).

Amy

Dear Allison: Welcome to the web site, however the only correct way to answer you properly is that it is impossible to diagnosis over the net and any comments might add to your confusion. Having OT is generally definitive and within the scope of the home page description " What is OT". To help with your confusion and peace of mind I would suggest that you seek another opinion at a Neurological Movement Disorder Center. What a coincidence that professionally you are an "OT" . Best of luck and keep us posted. Gloria