Hands shaking when writing

[valeriedl]

My hand will start shaking when I'm writing things. It doesn't happen every time I write - like when I'm doing crossword puzzles, grocery lists, and simple things like that - it only seems to happen when I write things that are important. My husband has noticed it and asked me about it.

It seems to always happen when I'm on the phone talking to someone and have to write things down. I was talking with someone from an insurance company about a week ago writing down all the information she was giving me and my hands were shaking like crazy. I knew what she was saying, writing down what she was saying and answering her questions just fine but had shaking hands the whole time. Once I got off the phone the shaking stopped.

It will happen when I'm filling out forms too. I noticed that when I'm at a drs office filling out the form that they give me before I go in to see him I'll be shaking then.

I don't know if it could be caused by stress, if that's the right word to use, to make sure I get things right or something else?

 

[Kgartner]

My daughter has developed an intermittent tremor in her hands over the past few months. I have wondered if it is seizure-related, medication-related, or some type of stress reaction. For her, it is not necessarily related to writing, and can occur at odd (and not particularly stressful times) - for instance it happened once when we were out at lunch together. She often has pretty severe trembling after a focal seizure, but in most of these cases she didn't feel any seizure symptoms before the trembling started. And she can go weeks without it happening, and then it starts up again.

I want her to mention it to her neuro at her next appt, but it's interesting to hear that others have a similar issue.

 

[Cint]

I've had shaking off and on for years. Sometimes I was at a toxic level of the med(s). Other times my blood sugar level was extremely low (I do have diabetes, also). Sometimes, tho, the AEDs can cause hypoglycemia, bringing on shakiness. Have you asked your neurologist about it?

 

[iiris]

I've become pretty shaky since I started medication (keppra). It's mostly in my hands but can affect my legs as well. My hands shake whenever I try to do things like write or grab something tiny. It's kind of annoying but I've never been good with my hands so it doesn't bother me that much.

The kind of stress you described could have an effect on it. If I'm writing something just for myself and don't have to worry about other people being able to understand it the shaking isn't that bad.

 

[seagull]

I get jelly in limbs I sure e related but also hands slightly different shows any hard thing that required weight on fingers do hard extentensivr colouring in art or fiddly bits cause shake and pain and nerve damage removed a bone and it helped.

 

[EDBRAD]

Hello Valerie
A few years back I started having a tremor in my left hand. I am rt handed. It steadily got worse, to where now my left hand and arm is more of a constant flutter than a tremor, especially when I walk. It has migrated into my right hand to some degree, especially when I try to write or really anything that requires me to have a steady hand. I also have a mild bobble head.
I went to movement disorder specialist, they said it didnt seem to be Parkinsons related, more of a benign tremor. They switched me off of a few meds I was on that had the potential for tremor side effects-took me off of carbatrol & put me on keppra.
When I have to do a lot of document signing, the only thing that helps me is wearing a wrist weight and using a weighted pen. Helpd just enough to where I dont go clear wild with that pen.
Seizures, tremors, I think in technical jargon the textbooks refer to me as a mess Hope yours doesnt progress any further.
Ed

 

[valeriedl]

Thanks everyone.

It's odd though because I only notice it when I'm writing down important things, almost always when they are given to me over the phone. I don't know if having to write things fast to make sure I get all the information right and not being able to write it at my own pace. I know it happens in my right hand, I'm right handed, but I'm honestly not sure if it happens in my left hand too.

I keep a seizure diary, I know this is important, but I don't notice it happening then. I can take my time writing things in it though so I know I'm going to get all the important information in and get it right.

I cook and I don't have any shaking when I'm measuring out things in small amounts like teaspoons or tablespoons. If someone asks me to clasp their necklace or bracelet I have steady hands.

A few years ago I was having a VERY stressful time and when the stressful event started my whole body was shaking, I looked like I was having a grand mal seizure. It slowed down over time where only an arm or leg would shake for short periods but took about a month before the shaking stopped completely. That's why I think it could somehow be 'stress' related.

 

[Frink]

I am curious if the shaking still occurs when using a speaker phone?

Does it occur when taking notes from people you are comfortable talking to like friends and family or only when dealing with stressful people like bill collectors, doctors, lawyers, irritating family/people, insurance companies, tax collectors?

 

[knothing]

I've become pretty shaky since I started medication (keppra). It's mostly in my hands but can affect my legs as well. My hands shake whenever I try to do things like write or grab something tiny. It's kind of annoying but I've never been good with my hands so it doesn't bother me that much.

The kind of stress you described could have an effect on it. If I'm writing something just for myself and don't have to worry about other people being able to understand it the shaking isn't that bad.

I take Keppra and enjoy the hand shaking as well. I am so bad, at times, that I sometimes cannot carry a drink and a plate of food without losing one or the other. Added bonus is that at all family events where people are using paper plates I have to use a regular plate, paper is so thin that when I shake all falls off.

 

[valeriedl]

I am curious if the shaking still occurs when using a speaker phone?

Does it occur when taking notes from people you are comfortable talking to like friends and family or only when dealing with stressful people like bill collectors, doctors, lawyers, irritating family/people, insurance companies, tax collectors?

I'm pretty sure that the hand shaking has only started within the last year if even that long ago too.

I barely ever use the speaker phone and if I do it's just because I need to use both hands to do something, never writing.

If I need write down something from someone I'm comfortable with I don't shake. What I'm writing down from them is usually just a phone number, address, time their going to pick me up and things like that. Just a few words not a whole page full of things.

I don't think I've ever gotten a call from a bill collector or lawyer and irritating family members never call each other. The only irritating people that call are telemarketers and I don't write down anything from them, I just have a good time messing around with them.

The woman from the insurance company was someone I wanted to talk to who was returning a call from me. I wanted to see if there was anything I could do or go to possibly get my meds cheaper.. I had to write down a ton of info from her. I was also looking all over to find info that she needed from me like what I'm paying for my meds now, what my income is, what my insurance is and things like that. I was looking through the house quickly for it so she didn't have to wait too long.

At the beginning of the year I found out that I could 'talk' to my dr by sending emails to each other through the hospital website. I know my hands don't shake while I'm typing or if I need to write down any info that was in the email.

I'm going to a pharmacy tomorrow to get some info about my meds there. I know I'll be writing things down so I'll see if it happens while I'm doing it.

 

[seagull]

long time ago I was put on epilim and it gave me shakes the doc at time said not but I stopped it and that twitchy feeling went away.So many things cause shaky hands damage nerves medication and two most popular thyroid or booze

 

[valeriedl]

I went to the pharmacy today to talk about switching over my meds to them but I wanted to know what my copays were going to be first. She told me that she couldn't give them to me until she talked to the other pharmacy and she'd call me later to let me know what they were.

She called about an hour ago to let me know the prices. While she was telling me the cost of the meds I started shaking, both hands. I really wasn't nervous while I was talking to her but I was really excited because the copays were going to be more than half the cost less than what I was paying at the other pharmacy! I think I may have been shaking wither I'd been writing or not because I felt it coming on when I first started talking to her before I began writing.

I think I might be shaking just a little bit now but I think it's because I haven't calmed down, it was almost like she called telling me I'd won a million dollars!!!!

Another thing that I do a lot is move a leg/foot, sort of like I'm moving along with music. I can stop doing it if I notice it but I never realize that I'm doing it. This drives my husband crazy too.