| I was happy to find your web site and no doubt when hopefully a cure or controlling treatment emerges you will be first to report it. I am a 73 year old retired physician with symptoms of OT for at least 18 years. At first it bothered me more when standing to give a speech or playing a violin solo and I presumed it was performance anxiety - but I more and more noticed it in all standing situations, even when welding or operating a machine in my home shop. About 7 years ago I broke down and consulted a neurologist who made the diagnosis with his medical internet sources. I'm sure other OT patients have more severe symptoms, in fact most of my acquaintances are unaware of my leg tremor. It seems to be very slowly progressive and I expect to put up with it if I live to 95. I was tried first on a beta-blocker, I forget which, with no benefit. Next, Klonopin, which my wife said made me like a zombie but no benefit. Following this I took Neurontin for 2 years and then Topamax for 1 year. Both of these medications I wound up taking in dosages double the recommended maximum and neither had any benefit, as proven by the fact that when I stopped them my symptoms were no worse. I have been on no medication since 12/1/03. My neurologist subscribes to the conventional view that OT is a variant of essential tremor. I doubt this, but whether or not it is a form of essential tremor, what causes it? I have wondered if it could be a late effect of heavy metal exposure. I remember as kids we were always rubbing mercury on pennies, and I re-canvassed 2 canoes using lead oxide. I was never careful about hand washing on these occasions. Could it be virus-caused? Recall that most of the people who survived the 1918 flu developed Parkinson's disease starting about 1955. We don't know. It would be a good start if some researcher would contact all OT patients and record all illnesses, immunizations, toxic exposures, family history, etc.; analyze this with computers, and of course compare this data with the same from a control group. I check in with my neurologist from time to time and presently he has nothing to offer but he keeps up and I hope something worth trying will come along. Mainly I'm writing to thank you for posting the web site on OT, and you may just help to solve the puzzle of this condition with your information exchange. Anonymous |