Any CIDPers have a tremor?

Howdy Kazza,
I replied to your PM but here is the little chart I stole from Wikipedia…

[FONT=”Book Antiqua”]The degree of tremor should be assessed in four positions. The tremor can then be classified by which position most accentuates the tremor: [1]

Position Name Description
At rest – Resting tremors -Tremors that are worse at rest include Parkinsonian syndromes and essential tremor if severe. This includes drug-induced tremors from blockers of dopamine receptors such as haloperidol and other antipsychotic drugs.
During contraction (eg a tight fist while the arm is resting and supported) – Contraction tremors – Tremors that are worse during supported contraction include essential tremor and also cerebellar and exaggerated physiologic tremors such as a hyperadrenergic state or hyperthyroidism[1]. Drugs such as adrenergics, anti-cholinergics, and xanthines can exaggerate physiologic tremor.
During posture (eg with the arms elevated against gravity such as in a ‘bird-wing’ position) – Posture tremors – Tremors that are worse with posture against gravity include essential tremor and exaggerated physiologic tremors[1].
During intention (eg finger to nose test) – Intention tremors – Intention tremors are tremors that are worse during intention, e.g. as the patient’s finger approaches a target, including cerebellar disorders.[/FONT]

Please note this is only part of the article on tremors… here is the link to the entire article keeping in mind that Wikipedia isn’t always totally accurate.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tremor[/url]

Have a happy day!

Julie

Hi, Kazza.

I only have an intention tremour, but one friend of mine has a constant tremour. Her hands shake no matter what she’s doing — moving or just sitting still. Her husband jokes that he long ago quit asking her to bring him a cup of tea. He knew the cup would be empty by the time she got it to him.

Best wishes in the battle,

Deb
London

Hi Kazza

I get a small tremor in my hands from time to time – like my fingers are fluttering — no other word describes it. When I try and extend my hands and fingers it comes on, or when I haven’t moved my hands for awhile – quite often in the morning after sleeping.

When I am overtired I will occasionally find my toes doing the same thing – quite an interesting phenomonen.

Debs

My whole body has a tremor. I literally shake like a bowl full of jello. Gets to the point I have to sit, recline, or lay down until it passes. Somedays the tremor is less than others, some days it is really horrible.

[QUOTE=Kazza]Hello everyone,
I was wondering if any of you with CIDP have a tremor? I have had a tremor in my jaw since coming down with CIDP – I have actually learn’t to keep the lower part of my jaw relaxed otherwise it is worst. But now I have a tremor in my left hand which is only noticable when I am resting – after going to bed for example. Do you know if it is common to have this type of tremor with CIDP? After my first attack I had the “intention type” tremor from weakness – my arm would shake if I tried to lift a cup of tea for example. I don’t get that as often now that I am a bit stronger. So this new type of tremor (when I’m resting) is different to the one I had at the beginning.
Does this sound familiar to you??
Thank you,
Kazza :)[/QUOTE]
At the Vancouver CIDP conference today, there was a discussion about tremor and CIDP. Sorry I was a bit tuned out when it came up so I can’t repeat too much of what was said, but generally I recall that large numbers of CIDP’ers have tremor. Some so bad that it interferes with quality of life i.e. cannot hold a cup or a book etc. One of the neurologists said that it would make a good research project as it seems to be something that a significant number of people are bothered by. The neurologist has done deep brain stimulation on one patient to remedy the problem and it sounds like she is going to consider it for another one of her patients who was in the audience and who was complaining of tremor. The tremor that is responsive to deep brain stimulation had to be a tremor that developed after CIDP was diagnosed and not tremors that were present before developing CIDP.
Laurel

I also have tremor with my CIDP.My neurologist started me on Keppra several years ago for it.It helps a lot and I don’t have any known side effects from it.Take care!
Lesa

Kazza, hey there. I might be a little slow on the post, but I figured I would add my 2 cents.

I have tremors as well. My hands are shaky, and sometimes I get spasms/bigger tremors in my arms, hans, or legs. This is usually when I start getting symptoms again and take a turn for the worst. Which means i have to take more Prednisone. (We all love that stuff right?)

When I took Emily to the MDA dr she kept insisting that Emily had to have had a tremor at one time. She just wouldn’t take no for an answer. Apparently it’s something that dr’s expect CIDP’ers to have.

Kelly

My husband who has cidp has tremors in his hands. The neurologist said it is caused when you get too tired.

I was just diagnosed with CIDP recently, but I have had tremors in my hands for at least 10 to 15 years. I never knew what it was caused from…is it really from the CIDP? -Amy-

I have a tremor in my left hand. Occasionally I’ll get one in my right. It’s very rare, though. The tremor in my left hand is usually worse whenever I’m in the middle of a relapse.

I notice when I am tired or over tired I sometimes get the shakes. I thought it might be something to do with sugar level in my body but the tests shows that my sugar is ok ( I have a meter) but maybe it is from the CIDP.

Not so long ago I went to the USA a 20 minute drive from my house and the USA Border agent notice I was having tremors. I didn’t really notice it while drive but later I did. Well he asked me about it. He thought I was going through some kind of withdrawal. I don’t drink alcohol and I just take my prescription drugs.

He noticed the tremors in my hands but I feel it all over my body like the shakes.

I go see my new Neurologist in September DR Bourque I will have to ask him that. Today I have the tremors also and right now I am over tired and not hungry. Didn’t sleep well last night.

Sue

Kazza let me know what your Neuro says. I know this morning I checked my sugar before eating and it was high for fasting levels. I seem to have some signs of pre-diabetic but I don’t have low blood sugar and tremors are associate with low blood sugar.
I know once I was feeling sick at work like I wanted to throw up and light headed. I went home and I call the health line and if it was my sugar they told me to lay down raise my legs up. I did that and within 1 hour the nauseous feeling went away. So I don’t know what to think. I will have to start making notes in a diary to look at down the road for reference.

Sue

PS: My last round of IVIG was in January and it didn’t do a thing for me. I had 5 days worth. 25 grams a day for 5 days.

I realize that this is about CIDP but I’ll reply with my GBS residuals. I, too, have tremors ~ mostly when I’m “more tired” and the weather is hot. It can be very noticeable in my hands but I can feel it “inside”. Isn’t this a fascinating communication system that our bodies have? Dare I say that these disease processes are kinda like cell phones in the dead spots 😮

Hi Judy GBS/CIDP we all have the same symptoms when we get tired.

I also sometimes feel it inside, sometimes inside my feet. It is weird I wasn’t sure if it was from my CIDP but now I know it has to be since I am not the only one.
I find it is happening more often then before. I know I am under lots and lots of stress lately so that doesn’t help.

It is weird being glad I am not the only. I don’t wish this on anybody but it is nice to hear others have the same symptoms.

Sue

Kazza I saw my DR today who is a psychoanalysis but was once a family DR he says if it was my sugar levels causing the tremors then my sugars levels would have to be real low. In Canada that would be around 2.5 not sure what it would be in the states.
I told him I barely had them last year like I do this year. It is more this year that I notice the tremors. He is wondering if maybe I am getting worse. But I told him I had IVIG in January and it didn’t help. But I go see a new Rheumatologist a good one next Thursday for my tendinitis see what he says about my other symptoms of tightness in my legs and what not. I tested positive for the HLA B-27 Gene last year. That means a small percent of people with that Gene may develop a certain arthritis.

Kazza let me know what your Neuro says.

Sue