This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone experiences shortness of breath or have trouble breathing while having a tremor attack.

I experience this, and it frightens me of course. Yesterday I had an almost "full body" tremor attack, I get very short of breath and the rest of the day I have very weak legs with tremored walking.

Please note that I do still smoke, (i know, need to quit) , but, I am not short of breath from walking across my living room on other days. Days with tremors, I am.

Do any of you experience a change in your breathing during tremors?
Thanks for any kind of response.

Hepburn

Hepburn,

I have only suffered from mild intention tremors when trying to do some fine motor skills such as starting an IV or drawing blood ( had to change jobs because of same plus not being able to stand/walk for a full shift.)
Have you tried Wellbutrin or smoking cessation classes? Might be worth a shot if you haven't already. Perhaps others who have had tremors similar to yours might be able to offer some insight. I wonder if your accessory muscles of breathing ( ie. intercostal muscles - between the ribs, and the muscles in your neck and/or shoulders ) might be invovled in the tremors and fatigue in those is contributing to your respiratory distress, particularly if your diaphragm is weakened due to mild undiagnosed lung disease. Also please don't take any offense, absolutely none intended, but could it be that the tremors provoke anxiety that might play some role here. My opinion here of course and I'm not sure if it would be recommended but I myself take low-dose xanax and find that it helps to some degree in muscle relaxation.

Mr T,

I have been taking clonazepam for the past four years. As I look over the past 15 years, I feel I was continually misdiagnosed.

I was put on it for "panic attacks", and I am still not sure if they were a combination of anxiety and MS or what. I had very violent tremors that knocked the walls, and could not breathe.

In retrospect, I believe at that time I was having an extreme exacerbation albeit not then knowing of MS.

I do intend on having a chest x-ray, just because, and also having my heart checked out "to be safe". This will relieve many fears.

I do thank you for your response.
Does anyone experience these come and go tremor episodes? If so, can you share yours with me?

Wishing good days to all

Hepburn

I have noticed at night I get this tremor that starts at the top of my head and goes the length of my body. Its like a shiver. during this episode, my breathing stops. Its like my chest won't rise. This happens frequently enough that it really scares me, as during the episode, there is this fear that my breathing isn't going to start up again, but it does, once the tremor subsides. I was taking neurontin, but went off of it for awhile as I hate taking all of the pills they want to keep giving me. yuck. However, I recall the neurontin did help with tremors. I had another one last night so I am thinking about starting the neurontin again tonight. I've been off of it for about a month now. Thanks for your post as this has bee a frightning aspect of the disease and I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one that it happens to. I would be interested in hearing others that have this same symptom and how the cope.