Aa
Is this Monoclonus?
Hi all,
In November, I was dx'd w/MS. On Tuesday, I am going to see Dr. Parks at the John L. Trotter MS Clinic but have a question in the meantime.
One night before my diagnosis, I would drift off to sleep and get awakened with a jerk. This happened all night long so, needless to say, I didn't get any sleep at all. Every night since then I have these jerks but not as severe as that one night. I read something about Monoclonus and was wondering if this is what I'm experiencing.
Thanks,
Deborah
In November, I was dx'd w/MS. On Tuesday, I am going to see Dr. Parks at the John L. Trotter MS Clinic but have a question in the meantime.
One night before my diagnosis, I would drift off to sleep and get awakened with a jerk. This happened all night long so, needless to say, I didn't get any sleep at all. Every night since then I have these jerks but not as severe as that one night. I read something about Monoclonus and was wondering if this is what I'm experiencing.
Thanks,
Deborah
First thing doc (PCP) tried for my dizziness (last July) was meclizine (Antivert). I reported that it helped little and made me sleepy. When it came back worse in October, he tried Xanax, which helped less and made me sleepy more. Then one of his partners (wife's PCP) prescribed scopolamine patches, which were the nearest I ever got to relief, but the neuromaniac said to stop all anti-dizzy drugs, or else the vestibular rehabilitation therapy would be thwarted. Well, I stopped the scopolamine, but the VRT still had no significant impact after four weeks.
The past few days, perhaps as long as a week or so, my tremors are substantially worse, and I've been sensing intermittent twinges and twitches in various parts of my body, but especially the eyelids. I'm wondering if I should try the patches again; I still have a few left. I have a lot of Xanax and meclizine left, and probably will for a while.
The past few days, perhaps as long as a week or so, my tremors are substantially worse, and I've been sensing intermittent twinges and twitches in various parts of my body, but especially the eyelids. I'm wondering if I should try the patches again; I still have a few left. I have a lot of Xanax and meclizine left, and probably will for a while.
All,
The xanax conversation caught my attention. My DH was on xanax for axiety - chest pain, breathing ,etc. - and then it turned out he really did have chest pain and needed CABG x 4 (open heart surgery - coronary bypass, 4 grafts). They took him off the xanax, which had acutally been keeping him calm and alive COLD TURKEY. three days after his CABG surgery, he was in a full blown psychotic episode thnks to no xanax.
Please folks, xanax is a wonderful drug if used correctly. If you have to stop using it from a regular use, you absolutely must taper off- never ever go cold turkey.
Be well,
Lulu
The xanax conversation caught my attention. My DH was on xanax for axiety - chest pain, breathing ,etc. - and then it turned out he really did have chest pain and needed CABG x 4 (open heart surgery - coronary bypass, 4 grafts). They took him off the xanax, which had acutally been keeping him calm and alive COLD TURKEY. three days after his CABG surgery, he was in a full blown psychotic episode thnks to no xanax.
Please folks, xanax is a wonderful drug if used correctly. If you have to stop using it from a regular use, you absolutely must taper off- never ever go cold turkey.
Be well,
Lulu
I'm sorry then for raising the concern. Used ocassionally there is little risk. Sorry!
Yeah, it sucketh majorly!
Q
Yeah, it sucketh majorly!
Q
Quix, I ONLY take the Xanax when I have these episodes. I haven't taken one in probably about 2 months. I thought about taking one today, as my tremors are awful, had the 'jerking' last night, and I've had the "all-over-body shakes" for several days also. Don't know what's up with that, but I've had this a number of times. I took 1/2 of a Zanaflex instead. I'm feeling a little better, but not much. I couldn't handle taking them regularly if I wanted to...as they ALWAYS knock me right out...which is another reason I decided to take 1/2 of a Zanaflex instead. I have a big day tomorrow, and don't want to be 'hanging over', however, I don't want to be exhausted or 'shaky' either. I HATE THIS DISEASE.....whatever it is??? :(
~tj
~tj
There is some confusion here.
What you are describing is "Myoclonic" jerking.
Myo = muscle
Clonic = contraction or jerk
This is the large scale sudden contraction that many people with MS have in various muscle groups. This is as opposed to the little muscle twitches you can see under the skin. In myoclonic jerking some part of the body actually moves. Many normal people also have that sudden whole body jump as they fall asleep - often while dreaming of falling. Having them all through the night is not normal.
You said "mono"clonic jerking. this would be the sudden contraction or jerk of a single muscle group as "mono" means "one" or "single." I have not heard this term, but it would make sense.
Many other medical words use the prefix "mono" in them like the mononucleosis that Alex is talking about. However, this is a different thing. In that illness the EB virus causes the body's bone marrow to produce large numbers of a certain type of white cell which is recognized by it's large, 'single" nucleus. Hence the term "mono-nucleo-sis"
Just for interest other white cells (like those that make up pus cells) have nucleuses that have several lobes to them appearing to have multiple nucleoli.
Yes, by all means tell the doctor about this. That kind of repetitive myoclonic jerking would totally destroy the quality of your sleep. You may need a medication similar to the one tj spoke of.
tj - Xanax (aprazolam) is very effective for this condition. It is also highly addicting. So if the jerking ever goes away, you may need help stopping the medication. Don't worry, it's not dangerous, but it can be a problem if you notice that you seem to "need" a dose of the med more and more frequently. If you take it pretty regularly, don't stop taking it cold-turkey without talking to your neurologist. There are many good uses for Xanax, but it does have this quality, like all of its relatives (diazepam/Valium, clonazepam/Klonipin, lorazepam/Ativan, etc.)
Quix
What you are describing is "Myoclonic" jerking.
Myo = muscle
Clonic = contraction or jerk
This is the large scale sudden contraction that many people with MS have in various muscle groups. This is as opposed to the little muscle twitches you can see under the skin. In myoclonic jerking some part of the body actually moves. Many normal people also have that sudden whole body jump as they fall asleep - often while dreaming of falling. Having them all through the night is not normal.
You said "mono"clonic jerking. this would be the sudden contraction or jerk of a single muscle group as "mono" means "one" or "single." I have not heard this term, but it would make sense.
Many other medical words use the prefix "mono" in them like the mononucleosis that Alex is talking about. However, this is a different thing. In that illness the EB virus causes the body's bone marrow to produce large numbers of a certain type of white cell which is recognized by it's large, 'single" nucleus. Hence the term "mono-nucleo-sis"
Just for interest other white cells (like those that make up pus cells) have nucleuses that have several lobes to them appearing to have multiple nucleoli.
Yes, by all means tell the doctor about this. That kind of repetitive myoclonic jerking would totally destroy the quality of your sleep. You may need a medication similar to the one tj spoke of.
tj - Xanax (aprazolam) is very effective for this condition. It is also highly addicting. So if the jerking ever goes away, you may need help stopping the medication. Don't worry, it's not dangerous, but it can be a problem if you notice that you seem to "need" a dose of the med more and more frequently. If you take it pretty regularly, don't stop taking it cold-turkey without talking to your neurologist. There are many good uses for Xanax, but it does have this quality, like all of its relatives (diazepam/Valium, clonazepam/Klonipin, lorazepam/Ativan, etc.)
Quix
Deborah
I am not a medical doctor but I do have chronic mononucleosis. I have a low grade fever when I have flares. My PCP did blood tests and found high levels of the Ebstiein Barr Virus. Like MS it has different symptoms for different people. Low grade fever is a give away.
Alex
I am not a medical doctor but I do have chronic mononucleosis. I have a low grade fever when I have flares. My PCP did blood tests and found high levels of the Ebstiein Barr Virus. Like MS it has different symptoms for different people. Low grade fever is a give away.
Alex
Btw...I didn't exactly answer your question regarding the 'Monoclonus' did I. Sorry, I really don't know that answer...will have to research it myself.
~tj
~tj
I've had these, in fact, i restled with leg jerks last night. One day, last summer, when I was on my way to my Pain Specialist (which was a monthly ordeal), I began with the 'body jerks' ...different parts of my body 'suddenly jerking' at random. They were growing worse by the hour. By the time I got to OKC, they were really bad. When my doctor witnessed them (glad he finally got to, as I was beginning to think he didn't believe me), he decided to put me on a dose of steroids (to calm down the 'brain activity') and Xanax. They sure did help. So, whenever I get them now, I just pop a Xanax and they calm down. Come to think of it, I'm almost out of Xanax. I'd better talk to my new Rheumatologist & my new PCP about this next week (as I see them both). Hope this helps!
~tj
~tj
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