Hand tremors in middle age

[FromTheRiver]

This is something that I have had for around 10 years, I guess since peri menopause. I have seen a neurologist who said it's nothing to worry about unless it starts to impact things like brushing my teeth.

It's noticable to others is mostly when I am doing things like trying to use my phone eg either typing a message or taking photos, and at least one person at work has asked if I have a drink problem (I don't). But it also stops me being able to draw, which is a shame.

Has anyone had any success with reversing this eg through exercise rather than meds?

I have this, was diagnosed with essential tremor. Worse when tired or stressed and it had an impact on my ability to put my lenses in, do my nails (basically couldn't) and sometimes was dropping food from the fork. I also felt really unprofessional as I would shake when giving presentations etc.
I know you said exercise etc not medication but I was prescribed beta blockers, and was quite cynical about how effective they would be, but they really had a strong impact on the shakiness, got rid of it entirely at first, although I am finding it is creeping back now.
They also had an amazing impact on the anxious thoughts I was having which were making sleep really difficult - I still can't see how slowing your heart down stops anxious thoughts (i can see how stopping anxious thoughts would slow your heart down but not vice versa) but it really did.

I have this OP - also diagnosed as essential tremor. My dr has said the meds (don't know which) are really quite intrusive so I've just put up with it so far.

WHY do people think it's ok to comment? I would never!

My dds (both in their early 20s) have this, one diagnosed, and they find it worse when trying to focus on doing something using fine motor skills ie drawing. Rather frustrating as they are both artists. The diagnosed one takes beta blockers which really helps

My Mum has had this for about 30 years (now late 80s) diagnosed as an essential tremor.
She takes some sort of epilepsy drug for hers which really is quite intrusive. She had to increase the dose in minute amounts when she first started taking it, and I know she had some nasty side effects (can't remember what now). It has got worse over the years, but she is just leaving it for now, as she doesn't want to go through increasing the dose again.
I wonder if beta blockers would work for her....

Have you tried taking magnesium supplements? Most of them are magnesium citrate which is useless, you need magnesium bisglycinate, which costs 5x more but does the job.

Thanks for this suggestion. DH has essential tremour. Its worse when lifting cups or using a knife. As for contact lenses......!

Interesting comments, thanks so much all.

The neurologist said that meds would probably have worse side effects than they would help, which seems to be the consensus here as well.

I do think that stress exacerbates it (am going through redundancy at the moment and not sleeping well), someone at work separately mentioned magnesium to help with my sleep and I've managed to get as far as googling it, so good to know what sort may also help this as well.

Definitely worth a try. The neurologist told me that blood tests can show normal magnesium levels but you can still be deficient. Because blood magnesium level doesn’t necessarily reflect levels in the rest of the body. Perimenopause and stress both deplete magnesium, and so does taking PPI medication for stomach acid.