Hey! I'm glad you came on over and I apologize for the way you were treated. We have just as much info, if not the credentials, over here. We have a physician (me, though I was not a neuro), several PhDs and several post-docs, plus other medical professionals like nurses, Speech/Language therapists, Physical Therapists, counselors, rehab and disability specialists, students and all sorts of other involved and intelligent people.
I will start by saying that what you are going through does not sound at all like either MS nor ALS and I eill tell you why. You have already gotten some good advice and explanations from my fellow members.
The sudden appearance of twitching of small muscle fibers that you can see and feel below the skin is a common problem. Yes, you used the correct term when you said "fasciculations." If a limb is actually jerking (the body is actually moving) then the twitches are not fasciculations. I see it frequently on the General Neurology forum and we hear about it hear. It is not DUE to stress. But there is no doubt that stress, anxiety and worrying about it can cause it to be worse. I hope that distintion is clear.
The docs in the know often say that a viral infection can cause this. It makes sense. When you think about how many viruses can make your muscles ache all over, like the beginning of a severe cold or influenza. Any muscle or motor nerve that is irritated can develop fasciculations. Overworking a muscle during exercise will sometimes bring them on in that muscle as athletes will attest.
Also, people can get widespread fasciculations as they begin exercising after a period of prolonged (weeks or more) inactivity, like after a severe injury or illness. The flabby muscles get all huffy about being used again and twitch. Okay, that isn't exactly the scientific explanation, but you get the gist.
There is a disorder called Benign Fasciculation Syndrome. In this a person fairly rapidly develops twitches all over. The condition by last for many nonths or years. I believe we have a new forum on MedHelp that deal with this and similar problems. It's called Peripheral Nerve Hyperexcitability. You can click on the following link to talk to them also.
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/show/328
Now Lulu was spot on when she spoke of becoming so hyperaware of the sensations in your body that you begin to notice every little creak, groan and twitch, tingle and ache. The "Empty House at Night Syndrome" - Perfect!! This happens to any normal person who develops widespread, unknown, and concerning symptoms. This leads to anxiety and further awareness and even imaging some symptoms. The anxiety also cause the release of adrenaline which may further excite the peripheral nerves and cause more twitching. So it can be an ever self-perpetuating cycle.
Now why does this not sound like ALS? The first reason is the sensory symptoms as you noted before. ALS is a purely motor disease. The second is that the fasciculations of ALS are not immediately widespread. They occur in each muscle as that muscle is dying and shriveling away - as atrophy occurs. Fasciculation is a LATE phenomenon in ALS - not the first one. Scratch ALS off your worry list.
Why does this not sound like MS? Mostly because all-over fasciculations are not what happens in MS. For the most part fasciculations are produced by the Peripheral Nervous System, the PNS. The PNS are those nerves that have left the spinal canal and exited to the rest of the body. MS is purely a disease of the CNS - the Central Nervous System. The CNS is made up of the brain, the brainstem, and the spinal cord.
Yes, people with MS do have fasciculations in the distinct muscles that have lost their control nerves from the brain or spine. We have them localized to our muscles that are atrophying from weakness and disuse. Yes, the pins and needles can be MS symptoms, but because they appeared right with the fasciculations, it would be very odd for them not to be related.
Now that I have said all that I recommend that you see a neurologist and be checked out. No one should rely on what they learn online - and it won't insult us at all.
I do recommend that you check the other forum. Mark - the leader there - spent some time on this forum with the same questions as you. He did a lot of research and learned a great deal. He may be able to give you better answers than we can.
Welocme!
Quix