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Cramping and Twiching
Over the past 4 weeks I have been experiencing pain in both legs. The pain started first in the left leg. It seems to be deep in the leg and is sore like you have exersized alot. The pain extends from the Achelle's Tendon thru the calve and up behind the knee and in the lower portion of the thigh. This seems to be transient. In that it can start in the calf then grow to encompass the areas previously mentioned. I also get visible cramping (like small charlie horses) in the calves. These charlies horses are not painful.
It appears to worsen if i am up and about. Its seems to vary in intensity from day to day. Some days it could be almost non existent and other days it could be bad.
I also have twitching. Most of the twiching causes a reflex response. Example: my fingers will move, or my foot will jerk, or my leg will move at the hip. These are most noticeable at night when you are at rest but are occaintionally noticeable when I am up and about.
I recently have noticed similar cramping behavior in my bicep.
I can sometimes induce the twiching when i flex my bicep and then relax it. Then the whole bicep twiches.
I finally got sick of all this and went to a GP the other day. I told him of my symptoms and he examed my calf and said it looks normal. He ask me if I was on any medications and I told him Prilosec. He advised my to stop taking it for a little while to see if the medication was causing these syptoms. He looked up the medication for possible side effects and cramping, pain and leg pain where consider side effect.. although uncommon.
So my question is.
If medication is causing this then how long should i wait after i have stopped taking it to determine if it is the medication? How much time should be given to allow my body to readjust before consider further options?
If it is not the medication would my symptoms be more indicative of neural problem or a vascular problem? If i am going to see a doctor ( and my insurance does not require a referral) i would like to go to the specialist directly but need to know which one is more approriate.
Does MS run in the family? My mother's father had it and was wonder if i am more at risk to getting it.
It appears to worsen if i am up and about. Its seems to vary in intensity from day to day. Some days it could be almost non existent and other days it could be bad.
I also have twitching. Most of the twiching causes a reflex response. Example: my fingers will move, or my foot will jerk, or my leg will move at the hip. These are most noticeable at night when you are at rest but are occaintionally noticeable when I am up and about.
I recently have noticed similar cramping behavior in my bicep.
I can sometimes induce the twiching when i flex my bicep and then relax it. Then the whole bicep twiches.
I finally got sick of all this and went to a GP the other day. I told him of my symptoms and he examed my calf and said it looks normal. He ask me if I was on any medications and I told him Prilosec. He advised my to stop taking it for a little while to see if the medication was causing these syptoms. He looked up the medication for possible side effects and cramping, pain and leg pain where consider side effect.. although uncommon.
So my question is.
If medication is causing this then how long should i wait after i have stopped taking it to determine if it is the medication? How much time should be given to allow my body to readjust before consider further options?
If it is not the medication would my symptoms be more indicative of neural problem or a vascular problem? If i am going to see a doctor ( and my insurance does not require a referral) i would like to go to the specialist directly but need to know which one is more approriate.
Does MS run in the family? My mother's father had it and was wonder if i am more at risk to getting it.
Hey, I will just ditto what has been said above regarding symptoms. I have taken Prilosec for 2 years. I also have taken bronchodialators for that same period of time. I am just wondering if the combination of those or just the Prilosec is causing my symptoms. If anyone gets an answer on this one, please let the rest of us know.
Guys,
I was put on Prevacid due to nausea last June and started twitching, too. This was one year ago and I still twitch. Not as bad as before, and no other sysmptoms, although I did the full on Neuro route convinved I had ALS - but they said you are normal. I have been off the Prevacid for about 8 months. I'd be curious to know what the story is if you find out anything.
Could it be that since it stops your stomach from producing acids, certain nutrients are not getting digested, and thereby creating a deficiency? I know there is twitching in B-12 deficiencies...although my B-12 when tested was pretty normal.
suzanne
I was put on Prevacid due to nausea last June and started twitching, too. This was one year ago and I still twitch. Not as bad as before, and no other sysmptoms, although I did the full on Neuro route convinved I had ALS - but they said you are normal. I have been off the Prevacid for about 8 months. I'd be curious to know what the story is if you find out anything.
Could it be that since it stops your stomach from producing acids, certain nutrients are not getting digested, and thereby creating a deficiency? I know there is twitching in B-12 deficiencies...although my B-12 when tested was pretty normal.
suzanne
John,
I went to the doctor about two weeks ago because I was having some problems with my stomach-especially at night. He gave me samples of prilosec to try. It worked wonders on my stomach, but my thighs, calfs, and upper arms began twitching and aching like I had overdone it exercising. I have fibromyalgia, which when I have flare-ups causes me to have muscle aches all over my body. I knew this was totally different. I stopped taking the medicine after I read your post, and my muscles are not as sore and they have almost stopped twitching and spasming. I go back to the doctor in a couple of days. I am going to show him the postings and how many others are experiencing these same side effects. Hope you're feeling better soon.
I went to the doctor about two weeks ago because I was having some problems with my stomach-especially at night. He gave me samples of prilosec to try. It worked wonders on my stomach, but my thighs, calfs, and upper arms began twitching and aching like I had overdone it exercising. I have fibromyalgia, which when I have flare-ups causes me to have muscle aches all over my body. I knew this was totally different. I stopped taking the medicine after I read your post, and my muscles are not as sore and they have almost stopped twitching and spasming. I go back to the doctor in a couple of days. I am going to show him the postings and how many others are experiencing these same side effects. Hope you're feeling better soon.
Hi John,
I also take Prilosec for GERD and not long after I started taking it I noticed severe muscle spasms all over my body. They were so violent that many times my whole body jerked uncontrollably for 20 minutes straight. I was jerking so wildly that I had people ask me about a history of seizures. I would often be holding something (a drink) and lose control of my hand and spill it. I would lay in bed and night and not be able to get to sleep because I kept jerking. At the same time, I was exhausted because my body spent so much energy jerking all the time. I also had a bad headache while all this was going on. I went to my doc after about two weeks, and they didn't really do anything. He just said to come back in two weeks if they didn't go away. Well, after a few days they improved to the point where I could function once again, and gradually they have decreased. Now I don't have them very often at all, and I'm still taking the Prilosec. I don't know if it was because of my body adjusting to the medication, or if it was something else (a virus) but they are significantly better now. I don't know what it was. If they come back like that again, I will go back to my doc, but in the meantime I'm assuming it was some temporary thing. Good luck, and if you find out it is the prilosec, please let me know. Take Care, Carissa
I also take Prilosec for GERD and not long after I started taking it I noticed severe muscle spasms all over my body. They were so violent that many times my whole body jerked uncontrollably for 20 minutes straight. I was jerking so wildly that I had people ask me about a history of seizures. I would often be holding something (a drink) and lose control of my hand and spill it. I would lay in bed and night and not be able to get to sleep because I kept jerking. At the same time, I was exhausted because my body spent so much energy jerking all the time. I also had a bad headache while all this was going on. I went to my doc after about two weeks, and they didn't really do anything. He just said to come back in two weeks if they didn't go away. Well, after a few days they improved to the point where I could function once again, and gradually they have decreased. Now I don't have them very often at all, and I'm still taking the Prilosec. I don't know if it was because of my body adjusting to the medication, or if it was something else (a virus) but they are significantly better now. I don't know what it was. If they come back like that again, I will go back to my doc, but in the meantime I'm assuming it was some temporary thing. Good luck, and if you find out it is the prilosec, please let me know. Take Care, Carissa
I have had somewhat similar symptoms of twitching in the legs/feet and in the arms/hands with occasional cramping in the feet when either walking or sitting on hard chairs. I was diagnosed with degenerative lumbar and cervical disc disease with compression of nerve roots exiting from the formamina in both places. There is also pain and soreness in the neck and lower back, which is the main clue.
As it happens, I also use Prilosec (my stomach was wrecked by NSAIDS taken for the back pain), but do not bleieve that it causes any of the above symptoms, which existed before. However, I suspect that it may cause gynecomastia in males based on my experience.
As it happens, I also use Prilosec (my stomach was wrecked by NSAIDS taken for the back pain), but do not bleieve that it causes any of the above symptoms, which existed before. However, I suspect that it may cause gynecomastia in males based on my experience.
I am experiencing similar symptoms as John, which began to appear shortly after use of Prevacid and Prilosec. Have been off those for 6 weeks now but the symptoms remain. Blood chemistries, EMG and NCT were normal. Continuing to have unusual taste/smell sensations from the stomach.
I occasionally use a bronchodilator and occasionally have cortisone shots for severe brochitis, etc. When I use any cortisone product, it causes twitching, spasm and cramping in muscles, in legs, fingers, hands, even in the abdomen, sometimes very severe. I try not to use these meds often, but even with one use they do cause some side effects. Thought this might be helpful.
I have had two lumbar surgeries in two in half years time
one fusion cage L4-5-6 and one fusion same area. I had the cage removed and than the fusion was done. I am still experiencing muscle twitching, r and l leg spasms along with severe cramping in both legs and use quinnine to break the severe cramping. It intensifies with walking but is present 24 hours a day. I just recently had a new MRI which shows more problems and now my doctor wants to do a total fusion of the spine from L1 to S1 due to stenosous of the spine and bulging of all the upper discs.
My quesiton is will this surgery cure the pains, spasms and cramping or am I expecting more than the doctor can deliver.
I am asking for any opioions that anyone has to this kind of operation and if it did indeed cure the spasms as well as the leg cramping.
one fusion cage L4-5-6 and one fusion same area. I had the cage removed and than the fusion was done. I am still experiencing muscle twitching, r and l leg spasms along with severe cramping in both legs and use quinnine to break the severe cramping. It intensifies with walking but is present 24 hours a day. I just recently had a new MRI which shows more problems and now my doctor wants to do a total fusion of the spine from L1 to S1 due to stenosous of the spine and bulging of all the upper discs.
My quesiton is will this surgery cure the pains, spasms and cramping or am I expecting more than the doctor can deliver.
I am asking for any opioions that anyone has to this kind of operation and if it did indeed cure the spasms as well as the leg cramping.
Dear Bill:
ALS does not have a sensory component, numbness, pain, etc. If you have these then you do not have ALS. ALS also has muscle weakness which can be easily demonstrated by neurological exam. The EMG is highly abnormal in all cases.
CCF Neuro MD
ALS does not have a sensory component, numbness, pain, etc. If you have these then you do not have ALS. ALS also has muscle weakness which can be easily demonstrated by neurological exam. The EMG is highly abnormal in all cases.
CCF Neuro MD
Dear Doc:
I have similar and its been 4 years now. When you say not ALS because non- sensory, what do you mean. I too have a lot of pain, twitching, muscle shaking, all over. It is getting progressively worse and more difficult to function. Been to 3 neuros with two negative EMG's over the past four years. If you can feel the twitching and have low grade pain all the time, with severe pain in left shoulder, big toe area, and calves, what does this mean when combined with the twitching (profuse), severe muscle tightness?
I have similar and its been 4 years now. When you say not ALS because non- sensory, what do you mean. I too have a lot of pain, twitching, muscle shaking, all over. It is getting progressively worse and more difficult to function. Been to 3 neuros with two negative EMG's over the past four years. If you can feel the twitching and have low grade pain all the time, with severe pain in left shoulder, big toe area, and calves, what does this mean when combined with the twitching (profuse), severe muscle tightness?
John,
I have been on various different medications and I have had the cramps and jumping of limbs as you have. Even the listed side-effects said that it would be a rare side effect, but I certainly had all of the symtoms you have. I would not be surprised if it was the medication. Give it a try.
I have been on various different medications and I have had the cramps and jumping of limbs as you have. Even the listed side-effects said that it would be a rare side effect, but I certainly had all of the symtoms you have. I would not be surprised if it was the medication. Give it a try.
Dear John:
Sorry to hear about your symptoms. You do not have ALS, as ALS does not have sensory symptoms. I don't think your symptoms sound very MS like as they are too well spread over areas. The symptoms of MS are relapsing and remitting (hence the term multiple) and yours really haven't remitted. Yes, MS has a genetic component, but we are unsure how it is inherited, but it does run in families. I would be suprised if you symptoms turn out to be MS. I would tend to agree that it might be from the prilosec. If you think it might be, I would stop it for a few months and see if your symptoms remit.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
Sorry to hear about your symptoms. You do not have ALS, as ALS does not have sensory symptoms. I don't think your symptoms sound very MS like as they are too well spread over areas. The symptoms of MS are relapsing and remitting (hence the term multiple) and yours really haven't remitted. Yes, MS has a genetic component, but we are unsure how it is inherited, but it does run in families. I would be suprised if you symptoms turn out to be MS. I would tend to agree that it might be from the prilosec. If you think it might be, I would stop it for a few months and see if your symptoms remit.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
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