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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask you what you think if a young man has trembling hands

206 replies

ConfusedWife1234 · 23/12/2018 08:10

What is the first thing you would think of? Would you give it a second thought at all? This is just a poll cause I wanna know.

OP posts:
Original poster
ConfusedWife1234 · 23/12/2018 08:34

@Grumpun123 Really? That sucks. When dh was on medication this stopped. Might I ask which medications?

OP posts:
gamerwidow · 23/12/2018 08:35

P.s. my fil and sil have a tremor in their hands. Fil from an accident and sil from fibro. You wouldn’t ask them to pour you a drink when it’s really bad but otherwise it doesn’t interfere with their life and they’re both well respected professionals.

TheFirstOHN · 23/12/2018 08:37

My 18 year old has a slight tremor that is noticeable if you look at his hands.
It's caused by anxiety and is worsened by caffeine.

When it's at its worst it's quite obvious, so it's possible that a stranger might assume he is going through some sort of alcohol or drug withdrawal.

WhiteDust · 23/12/2018 08:39

Parkinson's, epilepsy, medical issue, medication, stress...
Why OP?

WhiteDust · 23/12/2018 08:41

Or 'early-onset slow-progressing form of motor neurone disease' After watching the Stephen Hawking film.

WhiteDust · 23/12/2018 08:44

Sorry, just read OP's update... Tell your DH not to worry. I for one wouldn't automatically think Alcoholism !

eilidh1986 · 23/12/2018 08:44

Cannabis Oil really helped me with my dad's tremors! You have to go for the decent stuff tho as all the hemp oil crap that is flooding the market is a waste of time. Worth a shot x

TheFirstOHN · 23/12/2018 08:45

So far nobody has suggested ptsd

Several people have said they would guess that the person might have an anxiety disorder (of which PTSD is an example). But the important thing is that most people can't possibly know the cause of the tremor just by meeting him in a work or social context.

kshaw · 23/12/2018 08:47

I'd wonder of was a carrier of fragile x syndrome - is in my family so often wonder who else's it is in

SushiMonster · 23/12/2018 08:51

Something medical would be my first thought

noideaatallreally · 23/12/2018 08:57

also dyspraxia can cause shaky hands

CherryPavlova · 23/12/2018 08:58

Anxiety/nervousness is most likely cause.
Caffeine
Side effect of drugs - legal or illegal
Medical conditions dependent on age. Very few youngsters have Parkinson’s disease.

SoupOnMyTableNowSir · 23/12/2018 08:58

My first thoughts wouldn't be alcoholism or PTSD.

I have obviously read your update but my thoughts would be

nervous
cold
neurological
other medical condition

But unless he was pouring me a hot drink and I was worried about him scolding himself it wouldn't stop me talking to him.

I am glad he is getting help for the PTSD. My friend's husband was a bar manager and was badly beaten up in the middle of the day by a drunken customer. He suffered for a long time before seeking help.

Somewhereovertheroad · 23/12/2018 09:01

PTSD wouldn't be my first thought either but having had it I hope he is getting the help he needs to get better. Thanks

Worriedmummybekind · 23/12/2018 09:03

Only read the first post. I’d think start of Parkinsons unless they had other symptoms that made me think they might be on strong antipsychotics. I had a friend who has Parkinson’s that started very gradually and in his 20s had a tremor. Ultimately it would probably make me extra kind to them. If I was employing them, I might be a bit more pressing about questions to check their weren’t issues with drugs or something. But if they were otherwise coherent I would just write it off as a physical thing.

PollyFlinderz · 23/12/2018 09:03

I’d assume benign essential tremor

TacoFlavouredKisses · 23/12/2018 09:03

I have quite shaky hands (and matching restless legs) due to the antidepressants I take for anxiety - my first thoughts would never be PTSD or alcoholism.

Racecardriver · 23/12/2018 09:04

My first thought would be that he was feeling faint.

pantyclaws · 23/12/2018 09:15

The people I know who've had it have had:

Anxiety
Bipolar (poss medication related)
Alcoholism - but he also stank of booze and was clearly an addict
"Just" shakey hands
Old age

A guy I know with PTSD had episodes of uncontrollable shaking but it was full body trembling

ABoozedMoose · 23/12/2018 09:22

I would assume they were just so overwhelmed and awed by my presence!
Wink
All the best to your husband OP, and tell him not to worry what other people may think

morningconstitutional2017 · 23/12/2018 09:25

I would suspect a medical problem like MS, Parkinsons, MND, alcohol dependency or terrible anxiety. I would worry for them, especially if they were too scared to the see the GP.

thefinn · 23/12/2018 09:29

If I saw it once might not register... unless I only saw him, not him as a part of any kind of crowd. If i did notice it.. maybe he is cold? because it's freezing here.. has had too much caffeine. Maybe some medical condition. I myself had this problem just 5 years ago... but mostly just shaking and I never found out (or the doctors) exactly why. I was terribly self conscious and worried about it and then it went away on it's own. I did and do suffer from PTSD though.

ScrambledSmegs · 23/12/2018 09:33

I've known quite a few people with trembling hands, most for medical reasons ie Parkinson's. One of my friends has trembling hands, no medical reason that he knows of. Just the way he is.

I suppose I would presume a medical condition.

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 23/12/2018 09:36

I think it would depend on their presentation

Looked physically well, hygiene good I would probably assume anxiety or underlying medical condition

Looked unwell, hygiene poor I would probably assume drugs related or maybe drink

Disfordarkchocolate · 23/12/2018 09:37

I would think nerves/anxiety or stress but wouldn't give it very much thought at all to be honest, certainly not any judgement.