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Constant fasciculations
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MedHelp Member's Question

Constant fasciculations

by njtwitcher, Jun 07, 2002 12:00AM
I am a 31 year old male and have had a problem for 9 months which started as a feeling of weakness (fatigue) in my lower left leg and a slight feeling of my foot falling asleep/numbness. I went to my PCP who ordered a brain MRI with contrast which came back normal and complete blood work up which was also normal. He referred me to neurologist who did a thorough exam which was normal and he found no objective evidence of weakness.



I went back and he did another exam (completely normal) and ordered an EMG and nerve conductivity study which was also normal. I never had fasciculations prior to the EMG (and it did not show up on the test). About 1 month later I did develop fasciculations in my lower left leg. These got progressively worse and spread to my other leg. I went back to the doctor who said this twitching means nothing, but to make me feel better, he referred me to a neurologist in NYC at a teaching hospital.  



This second neuro did a thorough exam was able to see the fasciculations (no objective sign of weakness), but said it is normal and nothing to worry about.  I went back a second time as the twitching has gotten worse in my legs (as it is constant and sometimes makes it hard to sleep) and is sporadic in other parts of my body (face, back, arms and hands).  The weakness has not gotten worse. Again he said it is normal, and nothing neurological and nothing to worry about. My questions is can this be true and just be BFS?  Might this be something serious like ALS or another disease?  Thanks for the response.

Doctor's Answer

by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT, Jun 07, 2002 12:00AM
Unfortunately, there is no simple test like a blood test that will definitively say whether or not someone has ALS. The clinical history and exam are extremely important in establishing the diagnosis of ALS as well as supportive testing with EMG. Isolated fasciculations in the absence of objective, progressive weakness (which is what your symptoms sound like) STRONGLY point towards BFS rather than a serious neuromuscular disorder. If you are still concerned, a repeat EMG and followup neuro exam down the road (6-12 months) can be considered for reassurance that this is not a serious condition. Of course, if your symptoms should change for the worse and are accompanied by significant weakness, then you should return sooner. GOod luck.
Member Comments (9)

by mwb, Jun 11, 2002 12:00AM
To: njtwitcher
i've had the same symptoms- all the tests- seen all the docs- had all the same suggestions and endless advice from family and friends- and I have one thing to say to you- STOP...unless you wake up one day and your legs are paralyzed- stop with everything.  You are going to drive yourself crazy with worry and you are going to think you have every disease in the book once your docs and friends get through with you.  They will give you every imaginable test in the book- every test more expensive than the last-which they dont tell you in advance- they will tell you that you are perfectly fine and make you feel like a hypochondriac.  I dont know but twitching all over the place and cramping at the slightest amount of exercise and feeling week while trying to walk upstairs and feeling like your stomach is going to explode no matter what you try to eat or not to eat does not sound normal to me- so they give you useless test after test and then assign some ridiculous name like BFS to it and tell you not to worry after you have probably im guessing have already spent around 20,000 in trying to figure out whats wrong with you.  I dont know if im making sense but Im just trying to say stop going to the docs for now and wait and see how you get- my  symptoms are constant but vary in intensity- im on neurontin to controlthe cramping and the feeling of my feet being crushed all the time- it helps but i have learned to deal with it and find out what works for me to make it as comfortable as possible.  If you want to contact me my e-mail is

***@****  

thanks

by neurotic mum, Jun 23, 2002 12:00AM
To: njtwitcher
I have been experiencing twitching for around 6 months now it started off just under my left eye (this went on for 2 weeks), I was assured by my doctor this was due to tiredness which I was very willing to except as I have 2 children one aged 3 and one 17 months, however over time I noticed a twitch in my lower left leg, which I could actually see moving and now experience it in in both legs top and bottom my shoulder blades, upper arms, infact pretty much anywhere on and off, sometimes I may be thinking about it more than others and become very aware and paranoid about it, if I keep busy and refuse to acknowledge it, for a while I may not notice.  I haven't been referred anywhere yet, thought maybe I was concentrating on it too much and making it worse, but don't think even my hypochondria could stretch this far.  In a way nice to know I may not be alone, and like you hoping it is something trivial rather than life threatening!

by itwitch, Jul 15, 2002 12:00AM
Hi, I'm also experiencing muscle twitching.  This has been mainly centered in the area of the eyes and feet but will regularly appear in all other areas of my body over the course of an hour.  I can even feel internal twitching in the abdominal areas. I've counted the fasciculations and they range between 250-300 per hour. At times they feel like little bubbles in the bottoms of my feet. My sleep patterns have been fairly normal but it is starting to wear on my nerves as it's been going on for over three months now.  The doctor has done the MRI and blood work and not found anything wrong.  At first I attributed this to nerves but that does not seem to be the problem as my life at work is less stressful for the present time.  This problem surfaced once before last year and lasted for about three months and then went away leaving me to think that ALS wasn't a problem and that I was OK.  I don't really experience any muscle fatigue problems but I'm in fairly decent shape playing sports regularly enough to keep the muscle tone up.  I'm not sure where I should go from here and any sugestions would be helpful...........  Thanks...

by SBrutsch, Jul 24, 2002 12:00AM
Hi.  I also started having these "twitches" or spasm that have been about month or so, worse in last week, as i think I have been concentrating on it more.  The are very freaky and got me nervous of course.



They are visible in my bicep, shoulder, quad, abs, anywhere there seems to be conective joint.  It start when I started physical therapy for sciatica/pyraformis syndrome.  I started doing a lot of yoga and stretch for the therapy.  My leg and my hamstring, back feel great now after over month of therapy, but now I have these twitches it seems daily.  I am in good shape, 32.  They seem to come  or more hour and last about 5 seconds.  If I don't think about it I don't really notice



Can this be from overtraining or muscle fatigue?  I started taking calcium mag and drinking more in case it is a deficiency.



I am asking my PT tomorrow.  Since I do the stretch 2 times a day as well as my workout, I think it could be fatigue.

by FloFlo, Aug 03, 2002 12:00AM
I am 39 year old female with constant muscle twitching for the last 2 1/2 months. Prior to that I was at the top of my game. 5'10", 130 lbs, working out with weights 3 times a week, cardio 2x week. Out of nowhere, my right upper eyelid goes haywire on me for a few hours, twitching and pulling down over my eye (it felt difficult to blink). A few days later I have a mega muscle twitch in my abdomen that lasts for hours. Then a few days after that, all hell broke loose. My right lower tricep acquired a strong spasm/twitch that went 24/7 for over a week, then moved in to my elbow for another week. During this time, muscles all over my body started on me. You name it, it twitched. Even my tongue had(and is having)a zinging sensation. Along with this came the major stress of ALS. Weakness and cramping comes and goes. Acquired a lump in my throat that comes and goes as well as difficulty breathing and sometimes a choking sensation. Lack of sleep and jolting myself awake doesn't help with my weakness either. There are many other symptoms that I have which I wonder if I am bringing on myself or if my body is trying to tell me something. I have had 1 normal Emg, and am awaiting a visit in late August with an endo (gland) Dr. Sometimes I want to forget all the research and testing, ignore it and wait for this all to go away, but with 2 young children, I worry that if I let this go, a cure or relief will be too late. I also have found that I get really pissed of at out-of-shape people who seem to have no visible heath problems when I'm going through the stress of my life (but that's my problem and life isn't fair now is it?!)

I hope everyone on this subject of unexplained and unerving

body twitches finds relief and/or a proper diagnosis so they can meet their problem head on. Good luck to all of us!

by Razor Blade, Aug 30, 2002 12:00AM
Hi everyone...  I think I have a similar problem, only its just in my left leg and no where else.  It seems like some sort of spam, but only does it mostly when the leg is resting.  I can feel it moving in the muscles, my calf in particular, and sometimes in the upper part of my leg.  When I go to work out at the gym or run I'm fine.  When I have my mind on something else I don't notice it. I notice it the most when I try to go to bed.  I am 26 years old in the National Guard and planning to start OCS soon.  It started back in June after I came home from my annual training.  I think the ruck march during AT may have something to do with it because I had some seroius problem with my left leg only during the march but kept walking without the ruck sack on.  Before AT I had no problem, but sometime after AT is when these spasms in my left leg started.  I am trying to look at some stuff on the net, but I can't seem to find any answers and I can't afford to go to the doctor yet.



Anyone wanna comment on this or offer some sort of advice/help?



Thanks

Razor Blade

by NitaInKy, Sep 07, 2002 12:00AM
Hi,

I too have been experiencing these fasciculations for months.

My PCP is making me an appointment with a neurologist. I hope he/she can help. Around four months ago it began with pain in my legs, limb jerking, and fasciculations in various parts of my body. I also have extreme fatigue