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Tremor

Has anyone had any success in reducing tremor?

  1. @donal
    My tremor responds well to carbidopa/levodopa. Over 8 years, my dosage has gradually increased to the current 5 pills a day. I also am taking two agonists, ropinerole and entacapone, to extend the efficacy of the carbidopa/levodopa and to avoid sharp drop offs . Exercise has also been effective in reducing progression of tremor and other Parkinson’s symptoms. (https://www.thepewc.org/pwr-moves) I have found using weighted utensils to be very helpful with dealing with tremors at meal time. (Some examples: https://www.performancehealth.com/articles/the-best-dining-aids-for-parkinsons-disease)
    I have a CalaTrio device ( https://calatrio.com/ )(paid for by my company’s catastrophic policy) that also reduces tremor temporarily by using the same idea as noise canceling headphones by producing equal and opposite signals to the ones your brain sends. The device, in my case, can reduce tremor for 4-8 hours. The device is also covered by the VA. Waiting on approval by Medicare. Very Pricey. Stress, Anxiety, and Depression can still make my tremor worse. Everyone seems to have different reactions to the drugs. I encourage you to talk in detail with your neurologist. If you can, get assessed at one of the Movement Disorder Centers as they are on the leading edge for Parkinson’s treatment. (https://parkinsonsdisease.net/moderation/content-flag/436963)
    This article provides more information about tremor: https://parkinsonsdisease.net/symptoms/tremor

    Please let me know if any of the above was helpful.

    Phil Horton

    1. Many many thanks for your reply

    2. @donal. I didn’t mention Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) as I haven’t had that treatment. When I was first diagnosed, the science said wait until your symptoms are worse. Over the years, the science changed to the sooner the better so I missed the window. Several friends have had it and the implant has greatly reduced their tremor. Here’s some info and I highly recommend discussing this option with your neurologist.
      https://www.michaeljfox.org/deep-brain-stimulation

      Phil

  2. Thank you again

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