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Subject: Re: fasciculations
Forum: The Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum
Topic Area:
Posted by CCF Neuro MD on July 26, 1997 at 23:44:52:
In Reply to: fasciculations posted by Bill Kasch on July 11, 1997 at 14:22:04:
Hello--
On January 20, 1997, I ingested a tab of LSD (this was the first time I did this drug, and the last.)
Since then, I have been experiencing full body twitches/fasciculations.
These twitches are throughout my whole body, in my face, arms, legs,
tongue, eyes, ears, mouth, lips, toes, hands, fingers, etc. I have been
to my neurologist who says this is a benign condition. However, my
unfrotunate access to the web provides me with so much information it is
hard to know if these twitches are benign or if I should be worrying.
I have not had an EMG test, however, my neurologist says it would be a waste of money to do this, considering the fact that I am demonstrating no muscle tension (increased tone) or wasting as is the symptoms of ALS. I am only 19 years old. I have had twitches before but certainly not as often as these.
The twitches are brought about by several things. 1) I simply move a muscle and I get twitching 2) I oerexert muscle. The twitches also occur in many different manifestations:
they may twitch once in an area and then the whole body gets into the action, or they may twitch and stay there. Considering it's been almost 6 months and I haven't wasted away yet, I am thinking that I should be relatively ok. I have had cramping and the like but this has gone away and usually doesn't come back.
I have heard myths (or facts?) that LSD can cause neurological damage or at the least excite the neurological system. I have also heard that psychological factors such as anxiety can set off fasciculations. However ,the only reason I worry is because I've had them in my tongue and in quite strange places. If anyone has any insight on this problem please let me know.
Thank you,
Bill Kasch
wkasch@fit.edu
Hello, Billl,
LSD, as a major hallucinogens, can cause many neurological and psychiatric effects. However, most of its effects manifest themselves around the time of injestion. These include drowsiness, dizziness, generalized weakness, nausea, and numbness. During later phase of intoxication, patients can have visual hallucinations, and altered perception of the passage of time. I was not able to locate any studies looking at the long term neurological effect of LSD.
Twitching, as you have been experiencing, can be a symptom of many neurological illnesses, it can also happen under normal curcumstances, such as stress. In relation to LSD, though, there is only very limited information available. I was able to locate one early study on this, which showed that LSD caused generalized twitching on experimental animals (Neuroscience Letters, 60(2):207-13, '85). We need to make sure that the twitching episodes are not representing any other etiologies, such as seizures, or motor neuron diseases, although your clinical picture is not supprotive of neither. Therefore, at this point, I think you need a full neuro examination to rule out the real pathology, sort of speak. This can be done at your local neurologist's office, or if you prefer, at the outpatient department here. Please call (800) 223-2273 ext. 45559 for an appointment. This information is provided for general medical education purposes only. Please consult your primary physician for the diagnosis and treatment options of your specific disease.
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