A neurologist has revealed the common drugs that might cause you to develop the shakes.
Dr Baibing Chen, who is based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, says that he sees many patients with hand tremors who are worried they have a serious brain disorder like Parkinson’s.
Before evaluating them for neurological conditions, Dr Chen always checks what drugs they are taking first.
Dr Chen checks to see if his patients are taking pseudoephedrine – sold under the brand name Sudafed among others – for nasal or sinus congestion, as tremors are a common side effect with this over-the-counter medication.
This is because the decongestant directly stimulates the central nervous system and triggers the release of norepinephrine – a neurotransmitter associated with alertness and arousal – which can lead to side effects like nervousness, anxiety, and tremors.
These symptoms increase when the medication is taken in higher doses or by sensitive individuals.
This also applies to amphetamines used for the treatment of ADHD, such as Adderall.
‘These can increase nervous system activity and sometimes lead to shakiness or tremors,’ Dr Chen tells viewers in a TikTok video.
A top neurologist has revealed a handful of common drugs that might cause you to have the shakes
Next up, the neurologist looks at antidepressant use.
He says selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are a class of antidepressants that work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain, have been shown to trigger tremors.
The FDA has approved five SSRIs to treat depression: Citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft).
The Mayo Clinic says some people have no side effects, while many side effects may go away after the first few weeks of treatment.
Along with shakiness, these medications can cause restlessness, sweating and headaches.
Dr Chen says the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline can cause the same reaction.
Continuing on this line of thought, he says typical antipsychotics used to treat psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking, can cause tremors.
While lithium, a common mood stabilizer, is ‘also known to cause or worsen tremors particularly at higher blood levels’.
Dr David Osser, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, says lithium-induced tremors are ‘very common and disliked by patients’ and anxiety might make them worse.
To mitigate the tremor, he suggests maintaining a low lithium level and reducing other drugs that might cause the shakes, such as caffeine.
Another thing Dr Chen says commonly causes the jitters are asthma medications.
Medications prescribed to asthma patients, such as albuterol, salmeterol, and arformoterol inhalers, can cause tremors as a side effect.
Dr Baibing Chen, who is based out of Michigan, says that he sees many patients with tremors. But before pinning it on a neurological condition, he asks what medications they are taking
Up to 20 percent of people who take these medications develop tremors.
Dr Chen ends his informational by listing several other drugs to watch out for when it comes to developing tremors.
Anti-seizure medications can cause tremors because they interact with the central nervous system, while antiarrhythmic medications used to treat irregular heart rhythms, have a similar impact.
Steroids are another one on Dr Chen’s list of tremor-induced meds to watch out for.
With prednisone, one of the most commonly prescribed steroids in the US, some of the serious side effects that can occur – if used in large amounts or with sustained use – include tingling in the face and extremities, twitching of the muscles and uncontrollable shaking of the hands.
Lastly, the doctor addresses one of the most common triggers for getting the shakes; stimulants.
Caffeine, which can be consumed through tea, coffee, sodas and over-the-counter energy supplements, can often make your hands shaky if consumed in large quantities, particularly in individuals who are sensitive to its stimulating effects.
