Trembling Hands
 

I have a disease called Essential Tremors, the symptoms resemble Parkinsons Disease. My hands tremble uncontrollably only when I am trying to eat, cut veggies, cook, etc. When I am at rest, they are fine. I am finding it increasingly harder to cut my fabric using the rotary cutter. I am so afraid of cutting myself, and plan on purchasing a pair of Klutz Gloves to protect my hands. I know that eventually the tremors will become worse as it is a progressive disease.

My question: Is there anyone else on this board who has similar issues, and how do you get around the process of cutting your fabric. Hubby has eyesight issues, so he really can't help.

The accuquilt is helpful. Make sure to speak with your doctor and verify that you are on the best treatment. I wish you well and definitely be careful.

Maybe try buy some of the pre-cuts so that you don't have to do as much cutting yourself. I think the Accuquilt might be just what you need for sure. I have a brother-in-law who has the same thing and he says drinking a glass of wine helps him but maybe that is not a good thing to do before picking up a rotary cutter!

I second all the ideas others have suggested. Also Friskars is putting out a new updated ruler with an attached rotary cutter. It might be safer to use. Keep quilting. Maybe there is some one that is willing to precut for you. Prayers and hugs.

My mom has that. The OT recommended we buy her weights for her wrists . when she wears them she can hold eating utensils/cups without shaking and spilling. I don't know if it would make a difference for you but it might be worth a try. We found them at Walmart- fairly inexpensive- in the sporting goods area

What about the rotary cutter that fits into the slot on a special ruler forgot name . Also look at westlee tools they may be useful. My problem slightly different . Have to cut right handed but my left hand is weak and I have difficulty keeping ruler still. Westlee have a piece to hold fabric which means I can use a handle and hold in one place. No walking up the ruler. Unfortunately left hand too weak to cut fabric. Personall the name unable to remember may help you. The rotary is specially designed I have found I tend to push it with the palm. The blade fit snuggle in the slot on ruler and slide up. New blades on a more regular basis than normal also help.

A friend has arthritis so bad she can't cut for long. When she has a lot to cut, she brings it here & I cut for her. She made some thread trees for me. Another friend has asked me to help her cut out a quilt. It's just the give and take of friendship

I agree that the accuquilt is awesome. I have a hard time getting straight lines cut (I have got to be learning disabled LOL) and this solved my problem.

And the suggestion of a friend is a great one, perhaps you can instill a love of quilting in someone new.

That's lovely!

I had a friend with essential tremor, was not fun for her either. The wrist weights and Klutz gloves sound like a great idea.

If you don't mind paying postage, I'd be willing to help you out by cutting.

You can try to go back to scissors, which might not be too much better but at least it's a bit less risky.

<3

John Flynn sells kits that are pre cut to shape. They are very nice. You can customize your cuts too if you want. Also Edyta Sitar now has pre cut shapes for quilting.


http://flynnquilt.danemcoweb.com/sho.../pre-cut-kits/

http://laundrybasketquilts.com/Shop/shopindex.htm

I second JulieR's suggestion of scissors. I am too much of a klutz to use the rotary cutters. I do use templates for things that aren't easy to "eyeball" match -- I'll make one template the size of my piece, and one the size of the piece plus seam allowance. For cutting, I can draw around the edge of my cutting template with a chalk pencil and just cut on the line; maybe a friend, spouse, older child would help you with that? Then for sewing, I butt the edge of my sewing template against the last seam sewn, and draw a chalk line where the new seam will go.

I hate to admit it among such accomplished quilters, but I also sometimes use a larger seam allowance than 1/4" when cutting, especially for things I haven't done before. An extra 1/8" or even 1/4" can hide a lot of boogers.

I am in Dothan (lower Alabama) if I can help I will be glad to!

I wish you lived closer. I would love to help you cut. Sounds like some great ideas on here. I hope you find something that works for you. Isn't this community just the best?

I have Essential Tremor as well only it's my head that bobs all over the place. I guess I'm fortunate it's not my hands. I use the Klutz glove for all my cutting.

Sharon Schamber has tremors too. You might just send her an email asking her what she does to keep quilting.

Thank you all for your responses and offers for help. I had heard about the wrist weights and alcohol being a help and will try both. One drink should be ok, any more than that tends to make the tremors worse the day after. I will look into the other suggestions for the special rulers & the accuquilt. Trying out the cheapest options first as we are on a fixed income.

I have a friend who has the head bobbing and her hands shake much worse than mine. She is a non quilter. Last time I spoke with her she said she is going to give up eating out as it is too stressful for her to deal with trying to eat or drink (she drinks her coffee through a straw to prevent spillage) in a room full of strangers. The anxiety that goes along with this disease is the worst feeling.

Please keep the suggestions coming, willing to try almost anything. I am left handed, so the left hand shakes the most. Thank goodness I have always used my right hand for scissors, but now my right hand is starting to tremble more. I refuse to give up on quilting, where there's a will, there's a way.

Thank you Mike's girl, I will do that.

besides slotted rulers with rotary cutters attached, you might check with your Church or Senior Center for fellow quilters to help you out. There are many quilters out there and I know they would be most willing to jump in.good luck. Katherine Hepburn had tremors of some kind and she drank!! helped her but I wouldn't suggest that and cutting!

Katherine Hepburn had tremors of some kind and she drank!! helped her but I wouldn't suggest that and cutting!

She had Essential Tremors, my friends symptoms are as advanced as Katherine's.

I, too, suffer from essential tremors. I am taking Tremadone, an herb supplement which includes skullcap, passion flower, folic acid and vitamin B-2. After taking two tablets a day for about 2 weeks, I saw an amazing change coming over me! My tremors were noticabley diminished! Tremadone can be researched at [email protected]. I hope it helps everyone out there willing to give it a try.

Debbie, I will definitely research it and possibly give it a try. I had heard that magnesium might help and have been taking it for about a month, but haven't noticed a difference. Thank you!

I do not have ET myself; however, my hubby does. He tried every medication available that he could take, with no improvement. In Nov. 2012 he had Deep Brain Stimulation surgery to improve his right hand. It worked. The neurologist, R. Pahwa, MD, was amazed that it also improved his head bobbing and voice since it does not always improve those areas. Now he is beginning the process of working to improve his left hand issues. The same surgery is used for some Parkinson's patients. http://www.neurology.org/content/53/7/1447.abstract R. Pahwa, MD is mentioned in the link. Do research, talk to your Dr. You don't have to settle without checking all avenues. I wish you the best.

I didn't know there was an official diagnosis for this. My hands started doing this intermittently about 6 months ago. I thought it was because of some meds I'm on but I am taking nothing new. At times it is worse than others. I can take a Xanax and it works sometimes. It even affects my typing on the computer. I was at dinner one night with my son and his family and my DGD said "Nana, why is your hand shaking?" I wasn't even aware of it shaking but she saw it. Some days they do not shake at all and then another day, I'll pick up something and drop it because my hands are shaking so badly. It has also affected my handwriting and I found printing is easier than cursive.

I guess I better ask my rheumatologist)sp) next week when I see him.

Nana, I have had the tremors for at least 25 years. At first I only noticed it when I wrote, and believe me it caused a problem with my job. I worked in the accounting department for a large corporation, so there was a lot of writing involved. I no longer work, was let go 15 years ago because of "corporate cutbacks", and have not been able to find another job since. I'm pretty sure that as soon as a prospective employer sees the handwriting on employment applications, my app is thrown in the garbage.
After the diagnosis of Essential Tremors, I started thinking back and discovered that I have probably had the disease even when I was in grade school. I always suffered with anxiety when called upon in class, and had a big problem writing on the chalkboard. When I try to write with my arm and hand outstretched, the tremors are much much worse and I get what is called fractal writing. And my penmanship teacher in 4th grade was always on my case about this, which didn't help with the anxiety. But enough, I will succeed at getting this under control or finding another way.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Keep them coming, I am still listening and appreciate the suggestions immensely. I'm sure everyone else on this board who has tremors or knows someone who has tremors is watching this thread and possibly learning different helps as well.

beckalou, I also worked in accounting but luckily this didn't start while I was still able to work. I'm on disability from Fibromyalgia, CFS and Panic Attacks. the Panic Attacks have been under control for several years now except one slight one. I'm like you, if I tried to handwrite an application, the employer certainly couldn't read it!! I have tried the wrist braces that velcro and they help some but they also get in the way at times.

One other symptom I have it involuntary jerking of parts of my body...not severe but just enough for me to notice. I have read that some meds will cause this but can't remember which one now but it is one I'm taking. That's another thing I'm going to have to mention to my doctor!! Getting to where I have to keep a "symptom list" now before doctors appointments!

You mentioned drinking coffee thru a straw-we have that for mom too. I found some lightweight disposable/reusable cups in the baby aisle. They are much easier to handle due to their weight. At first she was not happy with them but after using them a few times and not spilling she changed her mind. The only thing we change is to use a bendable straw rather than the short one that comes with them.
Just wanted to add, I don't know your age or situation, but if there is an agency on aging in your area, contact them to see if you qualify for PT or OT. Someone came to the house for mom and helped us find adaptable items that can make things easier. Good luck to you.

maybe try a quilting guild - there may be a fellow quilter living near you that is willing to help
or got any older grand children?
WIsh you the best nothing worse than not being able to enjoy quilting and relaxing

Maybe your husband, or if you have kids that are grown, a friend that could help. Or the accuquilt might be a good option.

I wish some of the local quilt shop owners would have the acuquilt and people pay a fee to go in and use it. Kinda like the Long arm. That way people don't have to buy the machine and then all of the cartridges to do a project.

My Sister's hands shake a lot but she hasn't told me why. She says it isn't Parkinson's which my Aunt had. luckily she doesn't sew and does take some medication already. good luck.

Tremors run in my husbands family. His father's hand shook horribly. My husband's hands shake and so do my son's, my daughters shake only when she's tired. My husband takes propranalol for his and it helps tremendously. Check with your doctor. I know people don't like to take medication if they can help it, but sometimes it's worth it. Good luck!

Find a good chiropractor and have him x-ray your spine. If it envolves spinal nerves, he can help you. I had ET in my neck and my head bobbed. Now it is gone and my nerves are better. I had a curving in my spine that effected the nerves. It's worth a try.

I have a friend who cannot cut her material herself so a friend and I do her cutting for her. Maybe you can get one of your friends to help you.

Pat in MN

I would suggest finding a guild in your area that would do this task for you. Local churches usually have quilter guilds. Make a stop into a LQS and ask them about the guilds in your area.

I have found the people in guilds are more than happy to help out people in your situation.
peace

Blessings to you! My mom had Parkinson's and was able to control much of the shaking with medication (and a big dose of stubbornness!) but she was not a quilter. As others have stated some days it was worse than others. Wish I could help.

A family member with Parkinson's was helped by weighted silverware - can you weight your cutter? And also foam rollers with a hollow center that fit over toothbrushes and such to make them easier to grip.

I checked to see where you are from thinking I could cut and saw far away. Then I saw Lauri's post. Wow that is so nice of Laurie in NYC. If she needs help with the cutting I would love to help out to. I am currently living on Staten Island NY, recently relocated and have yet to meeting nice quilting people so this can be a win win. PM if interested

Oooh, I just saw an Eleanor Burns Theater video (Jan 2013) that demonstrated a cutter that would substitute for a rotary- it's called the Sew Easy Ruler Cutter. She said it would be perfect for someone who was developing hand issues that would make rotary cutting dangerous. She even showed how it worked with her left arm laying across the ruler instead of pressing it down with her hand.
http://www.quiltinaday.com/shoponline/ruler/43419

Thank you for posting this url! Excellent information.