Unilateral tremor and nighttime jerking

[Judge Smails]

This happens to me sometimes when I'm in bed and as I'm drifting off to sleep. It never happens while I'm up and about or lounging in front of the tv. Also, if I'm watching the tv in bed - nothing happens. It's only once I turn the tv off and am going to sleep - I'm still wide awake though. It's an uncontrollable shudder that goes through my whole body and will jerk my whole body to the point that it has woken my wife up, who then asks me "What the hell was that?" To the best of knowledge it doesn't happen while I'm sleeping as my wife has never noticed it.

This has happened to me for decades now, but it was always a "once in a blue moon" type thing. What concerns me is that the frequency of it seems to be increasing to the point where it's happening a couple of times a month.

Also, in a possibly related / possibly unrelated situation: My right arm seems to be very shakey. It's kind of imperceptible to look at. I only noticed it while watching home movies that I shot where the camera is very shakey. I now make a conscious effort to stabilize the camera but its very difficult. Also, while playing Wii, it is very difficult to keep the controller pointed at the right object on-screen. Typing on the on-screen keyboard is virtually impossible for me. I'll point at the letter I want, but before I can click the button my hand will shake to two letters over.

I'm trying to convince myself that this is nothing and just a normal aging process (I'm turning 40 next month), but the hypochondriac in me worries that it might be something worse like the onset of Parkinson's or somehing.

[mendyweiss]

This happens to me sometimes when I'm in bed and as I'm drifting off to sleep. It never happens while I'm up and about or lounging in front of the tv. Also, if I'm watching the tv in bed - nothing happens. It's only once I turn the tv off and am going to sleep - I'm still wide awake though. It's an uncontrollable shudder that goes through my whole body and will jerk my whole body to the point that it has woken my wife up, who then asks me "What the hell was that?" To the best of knowledge it doesn't happen while I'm sleeping as my wife has never noticed it.

This has happened to me for decades now, but it was always a "once in a blue moon" type thing. What concerns me is that the frequency of it seems to be increasing to the point where it's happening a couple of times a month.

Also, in a possibly related / possibly unrelated situation: My right arm seems to be very shakey. It's kind of imperceptible to look at. I only noticed it while watching home movies that I shot where the camera is very shakey. I now make a conscious effort to stabilize the camera but its very difficult. Also, while playing Wii, it is very difficult to keep the controller pointed at the right object on-screen. Typing on the on-screen keyboard is virtually impossible for me. I'll point at the letter I want, but before I can click the button my hand will shake to two letters over.

I'm trying to convince myself that this is nothing and just a normal aging process (I'm turning 40 next month), but the hypochondriac in me worries that it might be something worse like the onset of Parkinson's or somehing.

I think you were ass-raped by Satan

[Dr Steve]

This happens to me sometimes when I'm in bed and as I'm drifting off to sleep. It never happens while I'm up and about or lounging in front of the tv. Also, if I'm watching the tv in bed - nothing happens. It's only once I turn the tv off and am going to sleep - I'm still wide awake though. It's an uncontrollable shudder that goes through my whole body and will jerk my whole body to the point that it has woken my wife up, who then asks me "What the hell was that?" To the best of knowledge it doesn't happen while I'm sleeping as my wife has never noticed it.

This has happened to me for decades now, but it was always a "once in a blue moon" type thing. What concerns me is that the frequency of it seems to be increasing to the point where it's happening a couple of times a month.

What you're describing is a "hypnogogic episode"...I have these occasionally, myself. I'll be just drifting off to sleep when I see some kid kick a soccer ball at my head...I JERK like crazy and my wife goes nuts. HypnoGOGic episodes are "startle" responses that occur as sleep is being induced. If they're happening more and more often, it could be a sign of a sleep disorder. A sleep lab may be able to dope out the cause; they'll start with a sleep study and go from there.

Also, in a possibly related / possibly unrelated situation: My right arm seems to be very shakey. It's kind of imperceptible to look at. I only noticed it while watching home movies that I shot where the camera is very shakey. I now make a conscious effort to stabilize the camera but its very difficult. Also, while playing Wii, it is very difficult to keep the controller pointed at the right object on-screen. Typing on the on-screen keyboard is virtually impossible for me. I'll point at the letter I want, but before I can click the button my hand will shake to two letters over.

I'm trying to convince myself that this is nothing and just a normal aging process (I'm turning 40 next month), but the hypochondriac in me worries that it might be something worse like the onset of Parkinson's or somehing.

I have some trouble with the Wii keyboard myself; I got it to track better by turning up the sensitivity under the "Settings" menu. If that doesn't fix the problem, you may simply have a thing called "benign familial tremor", which is a tremor that has no identifiable cause. Neurologists are the experts in unexplained tremors, and it wouldn't hurt to get this checked out, if only for your peace of mind. If it really is only in your right arm (unilateral), it's unusual, so even more reason to get it checked out. You can go to your primary care provider and simply say "I have a unilateral tremor and it's bugging me"...they'll do the rest.

Let me know what they say, and good luck with it.


your friend,



steve

[Judge Smails]

Thank you Dr. Steve. That eases my mind a bit. I've actually got this chest congestion that's been bothering and I was planning to try and get an appointment with my primary care physician tomorrow. When I see him I'll ask him about it. Thanks again.

[underdog]

Nighttime jerking means something completely different to me.

[PapaBear]

I've gotten those my whole life. What really sucks is when you can't get back to sleep afterward.:thumbdown:

[nate1000]

What you're describing is a "hypnogogic episode"...I have these occasionally, myself. I'll be just drifting off to sleep when I see some kid kick a soccer ball at my head...I JERK like crazy and my wife goes nuts. HypnoGOGic episodes are "startle" responses that occur as sleep is being induced. If they're happening more and more often, it could be a sign of a sleep disorder. A sleep lab may be able to dope out the cause; they'll start with a sleep study and go from there.



I have some trouble with the Wii keyboard myself; I got it to track better by turning up the sensitivity under the "Settings" menu. If that doesn't fix the problem, you may simply have a thing called "benign familial tremor", which is a tremor that has no identifiable cause. Neurologists are the experts in unexplained tremors, and it wouldn't hurt to get this checked out, if only for your peace of mind. If it really is only in your right arm (unilateral), it's unusual, so even more reason to get it checked out. You can go to your primary care provider and simply say "I have a unilateral tremor and it's bugging me"...they'll do the rest.

Let me know what they say, and good luck with it.


your friend,



steve


Yeah, that. Or Lupus.