Life After Essential Tremor Surgery and DBS Battery Management

Life After Essential Tremor Surgery and DBS Battery Management

Waking Up to a Tremor-Free Morning

For years, your hands’ tremor may have left your soup half full, your tea half drunk, or made you avoid signing important documents. You may have said no to things you wanted or enjoyed. We understand. But now, after successful surgery—whether RF Thalamotomy or Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)—your hands are back under your control.

What comes next? How does the recovery process unfold?

The post-treatment phase for essential tremor is best viewed not as a physical wound healing process, but as a psychological and social restoration. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Sorar closely follows patients not only during surgery but also during their adaptation to this new, calm, tremor-free life.

The First Days: Adaptation

Immediately after surgery, many patients are amazed to see their hands steady for the first time in years. The absence of the familiar, exhausting tremor may initially feel strange or create a sense of emptiness. The brain has long been accustomed to controlling and compensating for the tremor, so this new steadiness requires reorganization of neural circuits.

Hospital Stay and Discharge

Stereotactic procedures—whether biopsy, DBS implantation, or lesioning—usually require a surprisingly short hospital stay, often 1–2 nights. Small incisions on the head and, if a battery is implanted, the chest pocket are carefully dressed.

For DBS patients, an initial “switch-on” session is performed to find the optimal voltage setting that minimizes tremor without affecting speech or comfort. Sometimes, even inserting the electrode into the brain can temporarily reduce tremor due to the micro-lesion effect. This is expected and normal.

Returning Home and Redefining Normal

The first week after discharge marks the end of physical healing. Stitches are typically removed on day 10. True transformation, however, begins when the patient returns home and resumes daily routines. Tasks once considered trivial—like eating without spilling, buttoning a shirt, tying shoelaces, or holding a pen steadily—become milestones worth celebrating. Even simple acts like writing legibly after years of tremor can be emotionally moving.

We advise patients to enjoy this adaptation process without rushing. Your brain and muscles are relearning control. While no formal physical therapy is usually required, simple exercises to refine hand skills—such as coloring, playing with clay, or counting coins—can accelerate adaptation.

Living With a DBS Device

One of the biggest concerns for DBS patients is the idea of living with an implanted electronic device. Modern technology ensures the device is unobtrusive and comfortable. The battery is invisible, silent, and does not interfere with bathing, swimming, exercise, or sexual activity.

• Rechargeable Batteries: Some require weekly external charging via a belt. Patients can watch TV or sit comfortably during this process. These batteries can last 15–20 years.
• Non-Rechargeable Batteries: These last 3–5 years depending on energy use. Replacement is a simple 15-minute procedure under local anesthesia—no brain surgery required.

Social and Psychological Recovery

Even after tremor stops, social anxiety developed over years may not vanish immediately. Patients may instinctively hide their hands. Dr. Sorar encourages gradual social exposure: attending that wedding, eating in a crowded restaurant, or meeting friends for coffee. Your brain learns that control is restored through experience. Rebuilding a tremor-free self-image takes time, and the pace of adaptation is up to you—enjoy it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I have an MRI with a DBS device?
A: Yes. Modern DBS devices are MRI-compatible, but the device must be switched to MRI mode beforehand. Never enter an MRI without consulting your doctor.

Q: Can I go through X-ray machines or shopping mall detectors?
A: Yes, though metal detectors may trigger an alert. Show your DBS ID card and request a manual check if needed. Detectors will not damage the battery; they may temporarily turn it off, which can be reactivated using the patient remote.

Q: Does using a mobile phone affect the battery?
A: No. Modern devices are unaffected by cell phones. Avoid keeping your phone in the chest pocket on the side of the battery as a precaution.

Q: When can I return to work?
A: Desk jobs: 1–2 weeks after stitches are removed. Heavy labor: 3–4 weeks recommended.

Being Part of the Dr. Sorar Family

The surgery itself is rarely as complex or taxing as patients imagine, and recovery is generally swift. After the operation, hospital gowns are replaced with personal clothes, and patients can leave the hospital on foot.

Dr. Mehmet Sorar’s care does not end at discharge. Surgical success means more than stopping tremor—it ensures the patient fully adapts at home, socially, and professionally. Enjoying a cup of tea without spilling or writing legibly for the first time in years represents a major change. Questions or new bodily reactions during this process are natural.

Dr. Sorar considers lifelong follow-up a responsibility. Patients can contact the team directly, without waiting for an appointment, for guidance on battery settings or medication adjustments. The clinic offers attentive, accessible support rather than a “check-the-box” approach. Together, patients and the Dr. Sorar team build a reliable, sustainable care system. You do not need to face this journey alone or yield to the disease.