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Original poster

Any idea what this is?

48 replies

Greensleeves · 29/10/2006 12:03

I have been noticing lately that my hands shake sometimes and I can't control it. It happened at ds1's preschool singalong a few weeks ago, it was quite embarrassing trying to do the actions, I couldn't control the shaking. It's not violent shaking, just trembling, but it is weird. It happened again yesterday afternoon, I was trying to read a magazine and noticed my hands were shaking. Now I have a little involuntary twitch in my right eyelid. I have had two fairly major panic attacks in the last two days, both in the evening, even though I am on amytriptyline to control anxiety. I don't panic emotionally with panic attacks now because I know what they are IYSWIM, but I did have all the physical symptoms - tight chest, can't get a full breath, dizzy etc. I have high blood pressure too (doctor took it last week when I went in to talk about my ADs), it was 165/102. Should I be worried about this?

OP posts:
lulumama · 29/10/2006 12:05

i had shaky hands when on ADs...sometimes so much so i would avoid holding things in front of people as it was so obvious...couldn;t carry a cup of tea sometimes!

do you know what triggered the recent attacks?

did the doc seem concerned re your blood pressure

you are having a bad time arent; you ....

jampots · 29/10/2006 12:06

possible trapped nerve in arm? I sometimes get twitchy eye but usually when Im tired or stressed. When your trembling hand starts again, try standing up and then repositioning yourself - see if it goes. Do you suffer with any numbness or pain?

southeastastra · 29/10/2006 12:08

could be a nerve thing have you damaged your arm or elbow recently? i saw a specialist when i damaged my elbow and it caused numbness and shaky hands

scarysuejonez · 29/10/2006 12:08

Yes you should be worried about you blood pressure 165/102 is way too high and though your blood pressure can fluctuate quite a bit, thats too high to leave. I assume your GP is following that up.

I don't know much about tremours (tremors, tremmors?), but my guess would be that they could easily be linked to anxiety (at a lower level than full panic attacks) or they could be absolutely nothing. My friedn suffers from benign tremors, fully checked out by GP, no problem, no cure.

You should ask your GP if you are worried about them.

Mercy · 29/10/2006 12:08

Have you only recently started taking the ADs, that is, could it be a side-effect?

As for the panic attacks, I know if you have a major one it can sometimes take all day to recover. Could it be that?

BlackMagicMiaou · 29/10/2006 12:08

How long have you been on the AD's, greeny? Could it be a side effect?

Dh is on AD's and finds that if he has a change in meds then it takes a few weeks for the side effects to settle down.

BlackMagicMiaou · 29/10/2006 12:09

snap mercy!

jampots · 29/10/2006 12:09

of course you shouldnt be sitting down reading a magazine in the first place so possibly guilt complex syndrome

Original poster
Greensleeves · 29/10/2006 12:09

I haven't damaged my arms at all and it is both hands. I do feel a bit spaced out and tight-chested at the moment too, I wonder whether my anti-anxiety drug is stopping working. I didn't have the shakes/twitches before though.

OP posts:
Original poster
Greensleeves · 29/10/2006 12:10

I've been on them for about a year and they were working like a dream until about three weeks ago when I suddenly started to feel weird again.

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zippitippitoes · 29/10/2006 12:10

someone linked me this blood pressure chart beforer

here

HumphreyComfreyCushion · 29/10/2006 12:11

Could it be due to low blood sugar?

My sister has very shaky hands when she hasn't eaten for a while.

Original poster
Greensleeves · 29/10/2006 12:13

Oh, that is worrying I had pre-eclampsia with my first baby, it went up to 225/120 when I was in labour with him - then stayed too high for ages, I had atenolol for a while but then it came right down and was normal for ages and ages - why on earth would it suddenly go back up like this? I'm not pregnant. I am worried now.

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Original poster
Greensleeves · 29/10/2006 12:14

I don't think so HC, I have been eating OK over the past few days and it's happening anyway.

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BlackMagicMiaou · 29/10/2006 12:15

What is the gp going to do about your bp, greensleeves? 102 is very high.

Original poster
Greensleeves · 29/10/2006 12:16

I have an appt with the nurse on Monday, he said he was ordering "a range of blood tests" - I don't know what for - and he wants to see me again in three weeks.

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BlackMagicMiaou · 29/10/2006 12:17

Well at least he is doing something about it then

Original poster
Greensleeves · 29/10/2006 12:18

I feel very odd, my chest hurts and I feel quite dizzy, sort of a pressuer in my head/eyes, and my hands are very white and trembly

I always seem to be posting about my health on here atm, I must come across as a real hypochondriac

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bloodyhowler · 29/10/2006 12:18

You do need to get the bp sorted It could be caused by extreme and prolonged anxiety.My blood pressure has suddenly shot up after being well controlled for years but I am really stressed atm about my general health.I suffer with panic and get shaky and spaced out and this can last for days and sometimes weeks at a time.Atm I am suffering terribly with it and am planning a week of healthy foods early nights etc to try and get back on track Please go back to the doctor or better still do you have a home BP monitor as sometimes it is a lot lower at home and this can make you feel better in itself

scarysuejonez · 29/10/2006 12:19

Don;t worry! That will send your blood pressure up. It's probably linked to your panic attacks. My blood pressure went up to 170/110 a few years ago and I think my GP though I was on the verge of having a stroke in front of her! Within a week I'd got it down to 150/100 then down to 140/90 which is still al ittle high but OK.

Six years on it is still under control (with a tendancy to go up) wihout any medication.

In my case - I got a lot more exercise, cut out the crap takeaways and learnt to chill out a little more - it was that simple for me though I know it isn;t for everyone.

Original poster
Greensleeves · 29/10/2006 12:20

I am on amytriptyline to control my anxiety though, it was working brilliantly until this

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BlackMagicMiaou · 29/10/2006 12:21

No you don't greeny, you come across as someone who is having a bad time of it!!

I spent much of my teenage years being dismissed as a hypochondriac by my GP, only to find out that I had been ill all along. Tis a big fear for me; hence why I didn't go to the GP with my appendicitis until very late on. I still hate going and worry that the GP will think I am making a fuss about nothing.

So don't worry on that score - I know where you are coming from and I'm not the only one!

scarysuejonez · 29/10/2006 12:23

Greensleeves - those symptoms all sound like anxiety, not high BP which rarely has any symptoms. My BP was higher than your's and I only had a headache which my GP said could easily just be an ordinary headache - I don't think there's any proof of a link with High BP and headaches.

The only way I always know that my BP is up is that I feel generally more stressed. If you sort out your anxiety I'd be prepared to bet that everything else will calm down too.

Original poster
Greensleeves · 29/10/2006 12:26

I did talk to the GP about increasing the dose of amytriptyline but her didn't want to, he wanted to do these blood tests first. I think one was thyroid, and also he said to fast the night before so I suspect cholesterol/blood sugar too.

I just want to feel the way I did when the ADs were working, it was wonderful.

I had very very severe panic/anxiety when I had ME and fibromyalgia (from about 21-24-ish, quite a long time on and off), I had full-blown hallucinations and constant pain, ended up in hospital several times, it was a very dark time for me and I am pretty terrified that it is all starting again

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Mercy · 29/10/2006 12:31

Agree with Sue re the high BP symptoms.

But I had very high blood pressure immediately after labour, but was not treated. 2 years later it was discovered I had high BP and am now on medication. It may be linked but could also be anxiety related as Sue says.

The blood test will look at a whole range of things from diabetes, thyroid function, kidney function, blood cell count etc