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greenpea
Senior Contributor

Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

Hi everyone

 

I know this is quite common but I get the shakes on and off down my left arm from my medications. Most of the time I can live with it but sometimes it drives me a bit crazy.. Psychiatrist is monitoring it and I will probably have to see a neurologist to make sure it is nothing else then I suppose deal with it after that. It is such a painl.... just wanted to have a grizzle. gpxxx

18 REPLIES 18

Re: Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

ps: I know I have mentioned this before but and others like @eth  have kindly  discussed their own experiences but just wanted to put it out there again as it is so annoying to experience 😞

Re: Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

Hearing you loud and clear @greenpea   Mine still flares up occasionally with particular tasks and anxiety spikes (had a panic attack Wednesday and the shaking was pretty full-on), but it's not constant any more since I got taken off a particular mood stabilizer and changed to a different one.  When I started with my current psychiatrist 2 years ago it was the first thing she did, get me off the old med.  Such a blessed relief that it did fade, according to the research I did sometimes tremors as side effects can remain when the med is removed.  

Hoping you find a remedy soon my friend.  

Re: Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

@eth  Hi eth yes it is awful and yes it gets worse depending on my moods. If I am feeling stressed the shaking gets worse. I wonder how it will affect my driving if it gets any worse ... will have to cross that bridge when I come to it I suppose. 

Re: Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

@greenpeamine is called an 'intention tremor' - you might want to google that.  Particularly flares up doing online banking or things like myGov - where you only get a couple of chances to get your password wrong - my fingers jump on the keyboard and it's so hard to achieve those tasks.  So I've found different ways to do things - e.g. do my banking on the phone through an operator, get cash with my groceries rather than try to use an atm ... etc.  For some reason it didn't stop me from driving - and I drove a manual.  Other things - in my head - have stopped me driving.  But it's one of my most important goals to be able to drive again.  Hoping it will happen this year through a specialist mh driver training organization, but they haven't responded to my enquiries yet.

Re: Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

@greenpea  yes yes and yes there was one particular med that belonged to the mood meds group and not only did it make me extreemely sick i couldnt even drink out of a cup because my hands would just shake and writing was hard and even sitting you could see the shake a little if you watched for a few seconds. and i found it so hard to carry anything even a little heavy so yes i do agree it is very annoying.... could a reduction in dose maybe help or a swap for something else? either way if it is a problem always best to ask the doctor i gues. 

Re: Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

I have not been on heavy enough doses of the meds that do that. Sadly, over the years, I have been around many people who have had the shakes.  It has always made me wary of certain classes of meds. I hope to get off the ones that cause that, but not at the expense of emotional stability.  I understand the wisdom of taking them and the trade offs.

 

@greenpea As it is an ongoing experience, it is more than fair that you bring it up when it bothers you.  I also hope you are getting enough therapuetic support so that you see yourself as a person who may need meds at this time, it might be for a while, but maybe not forever.  Keep doing programs that support your wellbeing and improve your skills.

 

I dont believe mental health just hits certain people. Believe in your Recovery Bella.

Heart

Re: Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

@Eden1919 , @Appleblossom  and @eth Thank you for your words of ecouragement. It means the world to know that I am not alone. Eden1919 yes my mood stabilizer is also epilepsy medication a little purple pill.... I wish I could be like you and pill free. I really admire you in so many ways like that. You are right Appleblossom taking meds may not be a forever thing. I will hang onto those words because that means the world to me. eth my shakes luckily are located with my left hand and arm so it doesnt affect my writing .... yet. Hopefully it won't spread and yes when I am nervous or agitated it gets worse. greenpeaxxx

Re: Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

I get tremors in my arms which were never there before I was on medications.

 

This is terrible and I wish I didnt have to take the medications as I do not identify as having a mental illness. I know that probably less than 10 percent of users in this forum are the same.

 

My basic advice is: minimise medication.

Re: Does anyone get the shakes from their medication?

hugs my @greenpea Heart

Hello @marc6x , @Appleblossom , @Eden1919 , @eth 

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