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View Full Version : possibly ET...or not?


MImaggie
10-28-2006, 11:41 AM
i'm looking for answers for my 22 year old daughter. it's a long story, but i will try to keep it relatively brief.

up until about 2 months ago, she was perfectly healthy and fully functional, working, going to school, raising her son and planning her wedding.


she developed some abdominal pain, mentioned it to her GYN and was referred to another doc. then the fun began. he diagnosed her with ulcers and prescribed 3 medications.


after about 10 days, she began having more abdominal pain, and dry heaves, so she called his office and was told by the receptionist (not medically trained) to come in IMMEDIATELY.

Dr. berated her for not giving the meds a chance to work, and she informed him that HIS office staff told her to rush over. he then asked her what meds she was taking (info was NOT in her chart). he then told her she was "just having a panic attack" and prescribed Xanax and Zoloft. this was on top of Reglan, Prilosec and Carafate (?-some relatively benign GI med). this was a Thursday.

Friday, she had a crying jag, slept most of the day, and episodes of simply staring into space. Saturday, her fiance called me in a panic-she was crying hysterically, could not speak, her body was jerking uncontrollably.
off to the ER.

Three ER visits, one inpatient stay, and two neurologist visits later, she is now being referred to a movement disorders clinic with a pretty significant essential tremor that probably is permanent.

she can't work, she is afraid to drive. the slightest amount of stress sets her head, and right arm (to a lesser degree) shaking.

most physicians have dropped thier jaws when they see what meds she was prescribed originally. from all accounts, it was the Reglan that triggered the entire thing, and another GI doc has said he would never have prescribed it in the first place. one neuro said that she was prescribed a "serious" dosage, and he would have tapered up to that high a dose.

we know that Reglan probably did not cause the tremorring she is experiencing now; but was probably the cause for the dystonic eposides she had at first. the good neuro says that he thinks the Reglan triggered the dystonia, which in turn triggered the tremors. he was able to get her an appointment with the Movement Disorders Clinic at Rush Univeristy two months sooner than the usual wait.

i have looked at all the medication information websites, and then some.

i guess i am trying to find out if anyone else has had a similar experience with a drug reaction.

thanks...

dzzy
10-29-2006, 11:56 AM
Hi! I have heard that a drug reaction will cause ET. Mine was caused by a heriditary trait or gene tho, so I'm not one to validate this cause. Regardless however of the cause, it sounds like she has ET and you are doing the right thing to take her to a good facility. I have a friend named "Peggy" who just had DBS at Rush University and she is thrilled with her results and with her Doctors there, so hopefully you will be treated well also. At least you can be assured that you will be getting the best care possible.
Different people have different symptoms with ET. Mine involves my head, voice, arms, and hands. It's frustrating to try to live with it, but we have no choice. There are lots of coping techniques. The IETF (International Essential Tremor Foundation) has a newsletter that they send out 4 times a year called "Tremor Talk". It is filled with information about ET . Their website is:
www.essentialtremor.org This is also a good source for information on ET.
Keep looking, and keep your chin up. ET is not a death sentence, but it certainly isnt easy to live with it either.

rumpled
10-29-2006, 06:42 PM
My father-in-law's tremor's are caused by a drug reaction. I don't know the name as it was long before I met him and he denies it now, but the tremors started after he took some very strong anti-depressants or other physchiatric medication 45 years ago.
They vary, and get worse when he is tired.

scientist1
11-09-2006, 03:32 PM
I think drugs are too often dismissed as the cause of ET. No one knows how the drugs interact in your body or all of the things they do to you.

I think my ET was caused by vicodin and skelaxin together, but there is nothing on the internet about these drugs being related to tremors. If anyone else believes their ET was caused by drugs, please post about it.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with your doc. I finally made it to a movement disorder clinic, and it really helped.

CherylB
09-08-2007, 06:13 PM
Hi. Just a suggestion, but check into the paxil and xanax. Lethal combination. How long has she been on them?

m3369
03-30-2008, 11:13 PM
please see my thread someone please help by m3369.i developed a whole miriad of nervous problems after taking reglan. since all my tests have been normal the only thing it could be is damage from that crap.I am considering suing the drug company as i sit here.