| Hi, just found your web site and am very glad I did. I have suffered with these D---- things for about 12 to 13 years. Being a recovering alcoholic (sober now for about 16 years) I have always thought that somehow I messed up my metabolism and that was the cause. My doctor has me on Propanolol-40MG twice a day and that seems to help just a little as it slows the heart down a little. The best help has been Alprazolam.5MG (Xanax). I have been taking that for about 5 years and it does help. It was prescribed for twice a day , but I only take it when needed (whenever a stressful situation is forthcoming). However, as my doctor warned me, it is now taking more and more to get the same effect. I have found one little thing very helpful- I have a " Sport Seat" . It folds up like a cane but has three legs and a very small seat. So, if I know I am going to stand in a line, like at the airport, I merely unfold it & sit down. Being 74 years old also helps because nobody even looks at me twice except in envy. One guy at the airport last year said, "It's too bad you don't have about twenty more of those, you could sell them for a profit". About a year or so ago, I was in contact with a Dr. Jacob Chodakiewitz at a Tremor Research Lab and he recommended Clonazepam - .5 to 2.0MG per day and for those that did not respond to that, Chilardiazeporide (Librium) 30 MG twice a day. He said that Propranalol was not effective in studies even up to 320 MG.
As a youngster, I had a huge sweet tooth and then when I was heavily into alcohol, that took care of the need for other sweets. Once I got rid of the booze, my sweet tooth came back with a vengeance. I could very easily eat a quart of ice cream every night if I'd let myself. However, when I do indulge in sweets, which is quite often, I find my tremors are greatly increased in frequency and intensity. In fact, after a piece of pie,cake or some ice cream, I find that I have trouble even standing up if I try to stand still. Has anyone else have that type of experience? Peter, in Sacramento,Ca. e-mail PBDsr@aol.com |