I have had ET for as far as we can tell, my whole life. I am now 43. Of course, like Russ, I still suffer too. This is because ET does not go away and in many cases is also progressive, as most of those here will be aware.

My parents first became concerned when I was about five and it became apparent then that during and after the emotional upheavals that most children that age are prone to I would have a very pronounced and violent shaking of my arms and a general wobbliness and I woukld become quite clumsy. I had an unusually deep and slightly hoarse sounding voice for my age too.

There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing to family doctors who at first, because of my youth and also the lack of any other indicators for more serious conditions, were rather dismissive and even a bit sneering at worst. As I grew older it became apparent that I had some very mild form of numerical dyslexia toom which caused me no end of misery and even bullying at school.
It is perhaps my family's initial belief that the two issues were linked that may have inadvertantly prevented diagnosis for so long.

One doctor finally took us seriously and arranged a week at Great Ormand Street for a battery of tests to rule out more sinister conditions. I was twelve then and I met a lot of very poorly, very brave kids that week. I did some fast growing up, it put things into perspective and when the proffesionals could only shrug after the tests, I asked my parents to give up. They agreed. I had a childhood to get on with after all.

Finally though I got a diagnosis. In a sort of 'what the hell. One last shot.' moment. Whilst living in Belfast in my early twenties, I had noticed that my tremor appeared to be getting more pronounced. People I did not know would often comment on it and I got slightly worried when a young woman on a bus leaned over and conspirationally whispered that her brother had parkinsons too.

I went to my doctor, who sent me to see a neurologist. Within three hours I had a diagnosis that made perfect sense.

I was offered various medications but thankfully I had an educated doctor who also pointed out that no treatment is also an option. In my opinion, a few splodges of tea down my jumper and on the floor each day are small irritation in comparison to the even more unpleasant side affects of the many different medications offered and preferrable to the life destroying risks of surgery.

That is not meant as a criticsim of those who prefer to have drugs or who have tried surgery with successful results. It's simply that as some one who has had the condition for as long as she can remember and has got by with out drugs all her life, I feel I can manage as I am.

I would like to say hello to Russ as a fellow long term sufferer, if he ever checks in for another visit.
I hope you eventually got a satisfactory diagnosis and I hope, considering the prognosis of PD that infact, it was ET.
To answer your question Russ, yes it is common for ET to worsen during times of stress and high emotion.

Best wishes.

I have had a tremor for a fair few years now and i'm not too sure what it is. i don't have it at rest but i do have it when i make certain hand and arm movements and i think i have it in my head too as i feel it move involuntary sometimes but its not noticeable as yet. I have been to the doctors and they tested me for an over-active thyroid and it came back that i have an under-active thyroid! so i am now on levothyroxine for life and my tremor has been left undiagnoised. my family notice it and they make jokes that i have the DT's, as mia's comment above, and i also shake when i use a knife and fork but i don't lose any food as yet.

I have had ET since my late teens mostly my left hand/arm then my right. I shake so badly I can't hold a cup, but the most awful thing is people think I have DT's from drink!
It makes eating out hard too as things drop off my knife and fork.