Primidone User Reviews & Ratings

• Bob
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 23, 2020

For Benign Essential Tremor "I am 63 and have had a tremor since high school. Grandfather had it as does my twin brother. I was having difficulty writing and forget about eating soup. Mr head would bob in business meetings. I have been taking 50 mg primidone morning and night. My tremor has subsided and business associates all noticed. I came to this site looking for side effects. I generally feel bad but don’t really have the specific side effects listed here. Overall I am very happy not to shake anymore and no longer spill food all over my shirt"

• Dylans...
• April 3, 2020

For Benign Essential Tremor "Have had essential tremors for 9 years started with primidone at a dose of 50mg twice a day am now up to 250mg twice a day . They saved my life ,the one side effect that I have is loss of appetite which was great because I was over weight."

• William
• June 23, 2019

For Benign Essential Tremor "I’m 59 male , started primidone about 11 years ago for benign essential tremor. The neurologist started me at 50 mg and had me increase to 250 mg , which was way to much for me to tolerate , so backed off to 150 mg once at night. It worked somewhat for about 8 years but then began to get panic attacks and the tremors got a lot worse then before I even started primidone. Neurologist recommended to up the dosage, but I was reluctant . So I went to 100mg for a couple of weeks , now am down to 50 mg a day and have found the tremors are dissipating . I know for me this drug is addicting and over time made my tremors way worse. I also believe it can do irreversible damage to your body. My advice to anyone thinking of taking this or any other drug for essential tremors is think twice and do a lot of research ! I will eventually be off primidone altogether and will learn to live without medications such as this."

• Anonymous
• July 21, 2019

For Benign Essential Tremor "I am 76 and started on primedone 50 mg twice a day approximately a year ago for hand tremors. I had difficulty with eating and turning pages in a book. Was embarrassing in public. Medication immediately handled the tremors, but left me sleepy all day and rather in a cloud. I now am back to tremors and have asked for an increase of dosage, however dr. Is holding off for tests to determine dizziness issues. Carotid test good as was MRI, so now I've decided to take 50 mg at night only , to see if sluggishness goes away and perhaps the sleepiness too. I think primedone is worth the try. Overall it has been good for me"

• CMyst...
• October 3, 2014

For Benign Essential Tremor "For Essential Tremor. Took me a long time to get used to side effects. Felt scared. Dizzy. Headache. Nausea. Increased heart rate. Anxious. Barely standing because I started too high at 50mg. Need to start very low for me. I finally got better. No shakes. Very pleased. The Neurologist Office kept rescheduling me and I ran out. This second time starting was even more AWFUL. Flu like plus feeling kind of like I was in a total mental fog. Odd. Be cautious is my opinion. I was in misery for 3 days. Unable to function. Finally getting better. Day 5. Should have taken at bed time. Never knew."

• JOEYP
• July 12, 2016

For Benign Essential Tremor "I woke up from surgery with tremors in my hands. It was diagnosed as Essential Tremors. I was an Computer Science teacher who could no longer control a mouse, write etc. I retired. Last Spring, while vacationing in Naples FL, I searched for and found a "Temporary" Primary Care Doctor. I prepared a listing of all my physicians, my conditions (including essential tremors), my prescriptions, and my over the counter medications. The doctor covered all the items on the list and asked me what I was taking for the Essential Tremors. The answer of nothing surprised him, He told me that I should take a low dose of Primidone. From his input, my Primary Care Doctor prescribed a 50 mg dose at night. Instant cure! I wrote my name the next morning!"

• Oregon...
• November 30, 2013

For Benign Essential Tremor "I have been working up from a starter dose (12.5 mg) of Primidone to 750 mg over the last six months. Also take a beta blocker (for my heart). My essential tremor Has reduced by 70%. Very manageable now. "

• kelp
• November 8, 2009

For Benign Essential Tremor "I've had essential tremor for most of my life. It has got worse in the last 5 years, so I've taken 7 to 8 different drugs (at different times) to see how well they worked. Propanolol worked best, but unfortunately brought out my old asthma that I hadn't had since childhood. Primidone was the only other that seemed to work for me, but was not a cure all. The problem I had with Primidone was the bad effects it gave you, but I persevered and it went away in 3 to 4 days and has not come back again. The bottle says to take three 50 mg pills a day. This is a lower dosage. But, I just take one 50 mg pill once a day and have on occasion upped it to two when I want to feel more confident in public without embarrassing myself with hand tremors."

• Ken...
• February 3, 2009

For Benign Essential Tremor "I started using this in combination with propranolol for my tremor. I take 80 mg of the propranolol in the morning and 50mg of Primidone before bed. I had been taking the propranolol for 6-7 years already and it cuts the intensity of my tremors by 50-70%. By adding Primidone as a combination therapy I would say that it's 80-95% reduced. If you have a hereditary tremor like this you should ask your doctor about these medicines. Good Luck!"

• Words...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2020

For Benign Essential Tremor "I started using 25 mg dose of Primidone to help with the tremors, but I began to have strange reactions. Sometimes I seemed to float right between sleep and awake most of the night. Soon after came horrific nightmares that would not stop. I would wake up thinking it was real and calm myself down, but the same dreadful dream overtook me as soon as I fell asleep. I couldn’t believe the vileness of the images in the dream! The last and worst one was a couple of days ago, and the thoughts of the images are still upsetting. I didn’t take one last night, and no nightmares. I prefer living with the tremors!"

• Kathy...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 25, 2016

For Benign Essential Tremor "It took me 2 months to adjust to primadone. I was in a cloud, not able to do my bookkeeping job, not much of a short term memory, but now after 6 months, I feel like my old self, just in need of an hour nap/day. My problem is I can only take half of a 50 mg, which is 25 mg. However, these pills do not come in a 25 mg. Smallest mg is 50. So I have to cut the pills in half. In doing so, the pill crumbles so I always lose half of it anyway. I asked the pharmacist if they could cut the pill in half but they said that is illegal for a pharmacy to do so. I wish it came in 25 mg and I wish I could find out if it will in the future. After investing all this time in adjusting to the 25 mg I would hate to start over with another drug."

• 69yrold
• August 11, 2016

For Benign Essential Tremor "Have had essential temors for many years, now at age 69 they interfered with my quality of life. Could not hold anything steady and my beautiful penmanship was horrid! I fought the thought of taking a prescribed medicine since I was so lucky not to take any, even at my age, except Imitrex for migraines 2-3 times a month. I am taking 50mg 2x a day, and it has been working great, even the migraines has decreased. I am sleeping so soundly at night that my days are so much better. After 4 months on it, I have noticed no side effects, but a little of the tremor is returning, which my doctor told me could happen. Not ready to increase dose though."

• Duncan
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 6, 2018

For Benign Essential Tremor "I’m a 71 year old male and developed tremors several years ago. It progressed so that I couldn’t sign my name and my head was wagging. About 18 months ago, my doctor had me try Primidone 50mg at night. I experienced immediate improvement so that I could once again write cursive. Not only did the tremors greatly improve, but the chronic pain in my thrice-broken arm was reduced so I could manage it with occasional Acetaminophen. Previously, I had to take opiates at least once a week to knock back the pain and manage it in between with Acetaminophen. Unfortunately, I started having very vivid, very bad dreams. I started praying about the dreams before going to sleep. Now I have very vivid, very good dreams on Primidone. Now, minimal shakes, minimal aches and pains, and good dreams."

• Cozch...
• October 22, 2014

For Benign Essential Tremor "Started out 110 days ago@ 1/2 50mg tab at night and morning. I am up to 3 @ morning and 3 @ night. Doc says stay on them until we meet in 10 days. This is not working. Tremors are continuing - some times to an extreme. We need to revisit this prescription. Try something else."

• Anonymous
• March 22, 2012

For Benign Essential Tremor "Primidone is very effective. I was on Inderal LA 120mg - take 2 once a day. Then it stopped working. They added Primidone 50mg, take 2 three times daily. The combination works best. My tremors are very difficult to deal with. They got so bad as to interfere with normal everyday things. "

• Anonymous
• August 27, 2012

For Benign Essential Tremor "I was diagnosed with Benign Essential Tremor, a month ago...my Dr started me out on 12.5 mg of Primidone. I have increased my dosage every 3/4 days by 12.5 mg. I'm at 112.5mg and the tremors are still there. I also take a beta blocker as well. The side effects are flu like for me the day after I up my dosage. Then I have a "good day " & then the tremors start all over again. I cannot climax as a horrible side effect so I'm frustrated in more ways than one."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 3, 2017

For Benign Essential Tremor "At age 66, increasingly worrisome central system tremors. Embarrassing to dine in restaurants -- at salad bars a staffer would 'follow' me around putting things back in their proper buckets. My neurologist started me on 1/4 tablet at night, and the next morning, my life had changed. I could type, use the computer mouse and other tasks effortlessly. Over 6 months, dosage was increased and now levelled off at 2 per day. Absolutely NO side effects noted, in fact, quite the opposite."

• the...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 10, 2014

For Benign Essential Tremor "I have had Essential Tremor for several years. I have been taking propranolol and clonazepam for last several years but have seen a return of tremor lately. My doctor added primidone in last month. I have been having great difficulty adjusting to medicines though. I feel like I'm spinning most of time, seems to cause increase in shakiness as medicine begins to wear off (at least that's my opinion), and has caused an inability to ejaculate. I am currently working on increasing my dosage amounts. I started at 12.5mg with intended dose of 50mg nightly as goal."

• Grandma
• May 19, 2016

For Benign Essential Tremor "After taking a half of a tiny pill of Primidone for 4 nights at bedtime I could not walk down the hall when I woke up. I was falling every where & was so nauseated & I had horrible Nightmares that woke me up screaming ! First thing Monday morning I called the neurologist that had prescribed it & the receptionist would not let me talk to her- Said she would call be back . she did not call so I called again later in the Day . Still would not let me talk to the Doctor ,but told me" she said never take it again ."My primary Care Dr sent me to see a specialist who checked my eyes & hearing & a lot of things with his special machines .He determined that it was the Primidone that was causing the problems. ( Of course I never took it again ) Bt"

• Jen
• March 29, 2017

For Benign Essential Tremor "I have suffered for years with terrible tremors. Started the medication slowly and now on 750 daily my shakes are still there but not as noticeable. My hands are not to bad, but the shaking of my head is awful nodding "yes". My doctor is debating putting me on a beta blocker, apparently that helps I will take anything at this point. No adverse effects from the Medication. I never realised how many people are suffering from essential tremors it's awful that people assuming you are a nervous person, this affects you in your work and your social life which I avoid completely, apparently surgery will be available in a few years to completely cure it, so the road is definitely brighter Good luck I hope it works for you."

• Susan...
• December 10, 2015

For Benign Essential Tremor "I have been taking 250 mgs of Primidone for the last 17 years for Benign Essential (What's so essential about it? ) Tremor. As far as I know, I have no side effects. When I first began the medication I started out with a smaller dose and worked up to 250 mgs. I found that I could not take the meds during the day because of sleepiness, dizziness, etc, so my doc suggested that I take it at night. I have been taking it at bedtime since, and it helps to put me to sleep."

• Anonymous
• December 9, 2009

For Benign Essential Tremor "I was diagnosed with ET 6 weeks ago. I was prescribed Primidone. To date, I still am having serious side effects. My tremors are continual, even to the point where my left arm feels "dead". Generally I feel drained, dizzy, and sick to my stomach. My voice is halting, with shaky patterns, and is more affected when I am tired. I find it very difficult to take this medicine and will be calling my Doctor to discuss any other options."

• Dan
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 12, 2018

For Benign Essential Tremor "I was diagnosed with ET (essential tremor) about 12 years ago and first started on primidone at 50 mg nightly. As the disease progressed my doctor increased my dosage until I was three 250 mg tabs a day. This was the max allowed. I had to stop working due to not being able to write and I used lift gear to eat. The tremors continued to worsen. Recently I had a DBS (Deep brain stimulation) operation. I no longer am using primidone."

• rcons...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 11, 2017

For Benign Essential Tremor "I have what my doctor calls a mild case of benign essential tremors, but when I'm trying to practice or perform with my guitar, or do electronic work with small parts, its become more than annoying. Proprananol works, but as an asthmatic I have to avoid it or I'll wheeze. Doctor gave me a small dose of primadone, 50mg, and told me to cut some pills in half and just use 1/2 for a week or so first). I don't know if I'd get used to this stuff over time, but unless I'm willing to forget about musical performing while I wait, I'm going to have to stop. I find my coordination, speed, concentration, ability to remember song parts and lyrics severely hampered. It does reduce (but not elimate) the tremors, but what good is it if I can't do my work?"

• Herb
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 12, 2018

For Benign Essential Tremor "It took away the hand shaking but I felt off when I was on it. I wanted to get off it and my Dr weaned me off. Very bad experience. Diarrhea, sleeping constantly and whoozy. still weaning off of it. I was only on it for 3 months."