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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Does Shaky Hands, Weak Legs And Shaky Voice Indicate?

Nevermind. I thought you were here to help people.My mom is 82 years old. Over the last several years, she has been shaking/trembling in her hands. Her legs and knees are getting very weak; she is shaky when walking if she does not have something to lean on (shopping card). In the last year or so, I ve noticed she is getting more and more forgetful. Most recently, she got very angry with me and told my daughter that she was never answering the phone again when I called (which is almost daily). I gave that a few days and called her this a.m. Her voice is very shaky, she sounds out of breath and says that she does not know why she reacted as she did. I am concerned that she may be experiencing mini strokes, getting into later stages of Parkinsons (she has never been diagnosed but I am figuring with the shaking) or perhaps having some other medical issues. She was prescribed medicine for bigh blood pressure several years ago, which she has stopped taking due to financial issues. She seemed to understand my concerns today and the fact that she is now slurring her words and speaking in mumbled tones where at times I cannot understand her. I talked to her later in the day today; she sounds totally different and says nothing is wrong and not to worry about setting up a doctor appt. Any idea what these symptoms may be learning toward? Her insurance company will not give me any information as I did not have her with me when I was on the phone with them. I was going over to her house this afternoon and she told me not to come ... everything is okay. She is my daughter s godmother so no blood relationship, but truly has been a mother figure to me during my lifetime. Appreciate any advise you may have. Thank you.
Mon, 9 Mar 2015
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Internal Medicine Specialist 's  Response
The concern here is some kind of neurological problem. Parkinson's is a possibility, and long term Parkinson's can lead to dementia. This can result in increasing forgetfulness and other cognitive problems. Ministrokes or TIAs (transient ischemic attacks) are another possibility. TIAs can cause temporary neurological deficits such as slurring of words which resolve within a few hours. TIAs can be a warning of a bigger stroke to come. If she has been having small strokes all along, this can also gradually lead to shakiness, weakness, and dementia. It is concerning that she stopped the blood pressure medicine, since strokes can result from too high a blood pressure. Even though she seems better now, it is important that she get evaluated for these problems. Get her to a neurologist. If she can't get in to see a neurologist quickly, get her to an internist or family doctor. If she is having active symptoms like the slurring, take her to emergency. This needs to be evaluated and treated before it progresses any more. Hope this helps.
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What Does Shaky Hands, Weak Legs And Shaky Voice Indicate?

The concern here is some kind of neurological problem. Parkinson s is a possibility, and long term Parkinson s can lead to dementia. This can result in increasing forgetfulness and other cognitive problems. Ministrokes or TIAs (transient ischemic attacks) are another possibility. TIAs can cause temporary neurological deficits such as slurring of words which resolve within a few hours. TIAs can be a warning of a bigger stroke to come. If she has been having small strokes all along, this can also gradually lead to shakiness, weakness, and dementia. It is concerning that she stopped the blood pressure medicine, since strokes can result from too high a blood pressure. Even though she seems better now, it is important that she get evaluated for these problems. Get her to a neurologist. If she can t get in to see a neurologist quickly, get her to an internist or family doctor. If she is having active symptoms like the slurring, take her to emergency. This needs to be evaluated and treated before it progresses any more. Hope this helps.