Arms shaking for 7 days now.. stops when asleep

[TexasT]

My daughter is 13 and her arms have been shaking (in a clapping motion) for 7 days now. They will only stop when she is asleep. Her Psychiatrist has diagnosed her with Dissociative Reaction Disorder NOS.  She did this 6 months ago and the arms went for 12 days and we're not even sure how we stopped it.. basically it just stopped on it's own. :/   The Psych upped her Topamax from 50mg a day to 100mg twice daily. Doesn't seem to be helping her arms stop! Any ideas or suggestions that will make her arms stop? She needs to reset her brain, i guess.  She has had really scary reactions to meds such as: Ativan and Valium. I was reading a post from a while back about someone with a similar problem and they took Klonopin. It seemed to really do the trick and stop the shaking. I noticed that Klonopin is a Benzo just like the Ativan and Valium. Due to them being Benzo's, is it even a good idea to introduce the Klonopin?   Anyway, it's 2am over here and i have to be up to get my other child ready for school in 5 hours so i'm headed to bed.  Please reply if you have suggestions or even a cure for this.  Thanks.  

[TexasT]

That's really interesting.  Thank you!

[compnet]

I have heard stories of magnesium going to work on various conditions within 2-3 hours.  It could be sooner for others.  The formula has a lot to do with it, as not all are well-absorbed.  If the Versed could act within 20 minutes, which has the same effect as magnesium, I suspect magnesium, in a really good formula, could get into the system fairly quickly.

[TexasT]

Thanks for the info. I'll keep in mind if this happens again. Are you recommending we try it if she starts up again or that maybe she should be taking a daily dose? I wonder if it works as quick as the Versed. The Versed was a one time thing & it stopped tremors within 20 minutes. She had been shaking nonstop (except when asleep) for 9 days.  I can bring it up to her new Pscyh when we get in with them.  

[compnet]

"Versed" is a benzodiazepine.  It's a central nervous system depressant, which slows down the nervous system.

It's the same idea as magnesium:

Magnesium VitB6 intake reduces central nervous system hyperexcitability in children.
"Ionic magnesium (Mg(2+)) depletion has long been known to cause hyperexcitability with convulsive seizures in rodents, effects that have been reversed by treatment with magnesium (Mg)."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15466962

[compnet]

Tremors, tics, twitches, muscle problems, etc. can be caused by a magnesium deficiency.  And magnesium is much safer than presciption medicines out there.  I'd highly recommend you do some looking into magnesium.  Some of the more effective and safer forms include: Taurate, Glycinate and Citrate (can be laxitative.)

[mammo]

That's wonderful!  I'm so happy for all of you!!!!!

[TexasT]

Just had to thank you again for the support. We actually ended up leaving the Psychiatrist and going to her Pediatrician who gave her a Versed lollipop and it stopped the tremors! That was over 24 hours ago and we're still good.. no arm shaking.  

[TexasT]

Thank you so much for that link.  While reading the article i came across something familiar which took me to another article that makes me now feel my daughter may have Psychogenic Movement Disorder. It really fits her symptoms. I also read that Inderal could be helpful in this.   She has an appt in the morning and we will discuss what we're going to do.  Thanks again for replying.

[TexasT]

She has been seen by Neurologists at a Children's hospital who say this is not Neurological. One of them called me Thursday to say that her Psych may want to try an SSRI. Well she's been taking Lexapro 10 mg for about 3 months and that's an SSRI. Maybe not the  right one?  She has never mentioned feeling that things do not appear real to her. She's actually pretty *with it*. As for stress or traumatic experience, she is in a wheelchair and has had to deal with surgeries, and just everyday situations.. more than what your average teen goes through. What we think happened this time is that her inclusive teacher didn't show up in one of her regular classes (taught by another teacher) and maybe she felt alone.. as though her *back up* wasn't there. She said she felt her arms/hands tingling in class and she knew her arms were about to start shaking so she went to the Nurse's office and i'd say within an hour her arms were shaking fully.  

[mammo]

I do know that any action associated with this is triggered by stress, or a traumatic experience.  Also, driving while sleep walking has been known to happen.  They also speak of people with this disorder go into like a state of shock, nothing appears real for them, does your daughter do this, or is it just the arms moving?

[mammo]

Inderal (Propanolol) may help with this, it's given for anxiety as well as tremors and it may stop her arms from moving like that.  Klonopin is  a longer acting medication, where Propanolol is not.  But all of this needs to be discussed with her doctor.  Did they do thorough testing before diagnosing her?  I have never heard of this symptom being part of this disorder.  It may just be my ignorance, but everything I've read speaks of "mental" issues nothing about what your daughter is experiencing.  The only physical activity that I know of being connected to this is sleep-walking.  Hopefully, others will jump on here and enlighten both of us.  I hope you find the answer, and do take care.