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Neurology  (Expert Forum)
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Muscle Twitches All OVER
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MedHelp Member's Question

Muscle Twitches All OVER

by dietcokebottle, Jul 30, 2003 12:00AM
Hi,

I get muscle twitches at least 20-40 times a day usually its in the legs or arm or just under the arm. I can see my muscles jumping. It started about 4 weeks ago and its starting to freak me out. I have been on xanax because I have been very stressed and have been having panic attacks. I dont take the xanax much now maybe once a week. Also I am a diabetic and am on blood pressure tablets . I am 24 years old. I am so afraid right now cos my health is so much in a mess I have always takin good care of my diabeties. My HBO is about 6.5 for my blood. I also got high cholestrol and I am normal weight and I try and watch what I eat. This muscle twitching has just pushed me to the edge no matter what I do some other medical thing comes along now I have this twitching to worry about. Can anyone tell me if they had similar expeience of muscle twitches and what you think might be the cause. thanks.
Doctor's Answer

by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS, Jul 30, 2003 12:00AM
Muscle twitches are called fasciculations in medical terms. There is a condition called benign fasciculation syndrome which can occur in individuals your age. Also, fasciculations can occur secondary to stress, and excessive excercise. You should have this evaluated by seeing a neurologist. They may or may not decide to do an EMG, a test to look at the function of muscles and nerves. Good luck.
Member Comments (39)

by CyndyisMe, Jul 30, 2003 12:00AM
I also get muscle twitches and jumping in my arms and legs. I was told it was a combination of Restless Legs Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movement Syndrome. I have had to be very careful when holding things because my arm (especially the left, non-dominant one) will swing out on its own regardless of what I am holding at the time. I have learned NOT to hold the popcorn in the movie theater :-)  Seriously, I think it is more than the RLS or the PLMS because things like "the cold" wll set off the spasms in my legs (as when I am swimming). Also my index finger will pull forward down past my thumb (very painful) and/or my

2nd or 3rd toes will pull down and to the side away from the big toe in a tight spasm (extremely painful) and I actually need my husband's help to massage the area, usually by pulling th diget back in the opposite direction that it is spasming... until it releases. I don't know what it is... but I do know a little of what you are experiencing.

by dietcokebottle, Jul 30, 2003 12:00AM
Maybe I described it wrong like my arms or legs do not move I just see my muscles jumping but my arm or leg do not physically move I have full control over body movement its just I can see my skin jumping so presume its a muscle doing that. Its scary anyone experience that.

by Craig12, Jul 30, 2003 12:00AM
Sounds like Benign Fasciculation Syndrome (BFS), which is often times brought on by stress.  You should probably see a neuro just to confirm.  Have you had your thyroid levels checked?  I am 23 and have had muscle twitching for a little over a year now.  When my twitching began I was under a lot of stress and my thyroid was out of whack (hypothyroid - caused my cholesterol to be high as well.)  You might want to go to www.aboutbfs.com for more info on Benign Fasciculation Syndrome.  Good luck!

by shamrock, Jul 30, 2003 12:00AM
It sounds like BFS to me.  I have these for about 5 years, primarily in my calves.  Somedays are worse than others. Somedays I can actually see my calve muscles move.  Sometimes it is a slight vibration & it can't be seen.  Once in a while it will happen in another part of my body.  I have just learned to live with it.  It doesn't bother me much anymore.  But I agree, high anxiety & sleep deprivation (which was my problem) doesn't help the syndrome.



Good Luck.



Shamrock

by concrete, Jul 30, 2003 12:00AM
I USED TO POST HERE I HAVE TWITCHES ALL OVER FOR 18 MONTHS CALVES HAVE GONE NONSTOP MOST OF THAT TIME. NORMAL EMG AND 3 EXAMS BY A NERVE AND MUSCLE SPECIALIST AND HE TOLD ME FROM THE START I DID NOT HAVE ALS. NO WEAKNESS AND NO OTHER SYMPTOMES THE WOLE TIME.

LOOK IN THE FORMER POSTS HERE AND YOU WILL GET SOME GREAT RESPONCES FROM THE DOCS, THIS NEW DOC DOES NOT SEAM TO WANT TO GO ON THE LINE MUCH WHEN IT COMES TO TWITCHING. THE OTHER OMES DID AND SAID MORE LIKE"FASCICULATIONS WITHOUT MUSCLE WEAKNESS IS ALWAYS NOT ALS"

"I HAVE NEVER SEEN A NORMAL EXAM AND EMG THAT TURNED OUT TO BE ALS"





GOOD LUCK



CONCRETE

by tomy7, Jul 31, 2003 12:00AM
Not sure why anyone jumps from BFS to ALS???  BFS is a fairly common occurance.  ALS occurs in 1/100th of 1 percent of the U.S. population.  It's needless worry really.

by DrHelp, Aug 02, 2003 12:00AM
Hi everyone-

i was SO SUPRISED to read A LOT of these posts in the neurological section on muscle twitching, endocrine disorders, bizarre illnesses--- and none of the doctors responses suggested magnesium deficincy!!

not one that i saw!

this is such a common disorder. it is so treatable-- and i hate to see people waste years and time and money going to doctors and never finding the reason for their illnesses.

PLEASE-- if you have any muscle rigidity, tremors, twitching, ANXIETY, depression, AGITATION, mitral value prolpase, heart palpatations, panic attacks, asthma, restless legs, and more-- PLEASE DO A SEARCH FOR YOURSELF ON MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY. YOU WILL BE AMAZED.

you may even find yourself the answer you have been searching for for so long.

i cant go into all the important facts on this post-- so PLEASE READ AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT IT!!!!

some important points****

-you cant take a blood test for it-- its innaccurate-- will come out normal. you need intracellular measurements-- not blood tests!

-do not take magnesium supplements with calcium-- it interferes!

-slow-mag is magnesium chloride-- its a good over the counter supplement that favors better absorption (it has a small amount of calcium but not enough to interfere-- aviod calcium- mag combo supplements

-it is verysafe to take mag-- except in persons with kidney disease

-by taking it orally, it may take 2 weeks to get tissue levels back to normal and decrease your symptoms

- it is a very common deficiency and so widely OVERLOOKED!

- diuretics, caffeine increases magnesium loss-aviod these

-in severe cases you can get injections



it makes me so sad that A LOT of people will never realize this and never research or find this out-- and suffer for so many years.

please-- this is so overlooked-- and you are the only person that can find the right answers to your health-- a doctor will not do this extensive of research for you. you have to be the one to direct your doctor in answering your health concerns.

i hate when someone labels a medical disorder as a "syndrome"... that means they dont know!

there is ALWAYS an UNDERLYING REASON for a symptom.

things just dont happen for no reason.

it is up to you to find that reason-- and HOPE that you find a doctor open and caring enough to help you and run a lot of tests to find the underlying problem.

for example-- depression IS NOT A CONDITION! it is merely a symptom! WHAT is causing the chemical imbalance?? what chemical? if it is serotonin-- then WHY? most of the time it is endocrine in nature.

there are SO MANY neuroendocrine disorders that get overlooked and not treated by doctors because they simply do not know about them or have educated themselves about them.

one HUGE EXAMPLE is ADULT GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY!

a lot of doctors dismiss this and refuse to beleive it exists! this is simply not true.

GH deficiency is bigger than most of us will ever realize in our lifetimes. It is a HUGE neuroendocrine disorder with MANY symptoms and many causes (autoimmune, LYMES, fibromyalgia, pituitary tumors, head trauma, radiation, ... etc)

many patients will never ever get help with this and never have a life because many doctors will not look into it.

let me give you the most important words of wisdom--- never give up on yourself-- seek until you find a competent doctor that will address your issues. leave immediately from those who will not consider completely checking you for all neuroendocrine disorders including growth hormone