fasciculations in legs

[concrete]

I AM A 39 YEAR OLD MALE.  I HAVE ALWAYS WORKED OUT 2-3 DAYS PER WEEK AND RUN 6 PLUS MILES PER WEEK.  HOWEVER, FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS I HAVE BEEN WORKING OUT 7 DAYS PER WEEK AS WELL AS I HAVE INCREASED MY RUNNING.  I HAVE INCREASED MY LEVEL OF WORK OUT TO CONVINCE MYSELF THAT I HAVE NOT LOST STRENGTH.  ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO I STARTED HAVING FASTICULATIONS IN MY LOWER LEGS, CHEST AND BACK.  THE ONES IN MY CHEST AND BACK HAVE VIRTUALLY DISAPPEARED.  THE ONES IN MY CALVES AND THE AREA DOWN TO MY FEET ARE CONSTANT.  BY CONSTANT I MEAN EVERY 10 SECONDS OR SO.  I CAN STILL BENCH PRESS 500 LBS., LEG PRESS 400 LBS. AND HAVE EXPERIENCED NO WEAKNESS, CRAMPING OR ANY OTHER STRENGTH RELATED PROBLEMS.  THE FASTICULATIONS ARE PRESENT WHEN MY LEGS ARE COMPLETELY RELAXED OR AFTER RUNNING 3 MILES WITHOUT MUCH CHANGE IN INTENSITY.  SOMETIMES THEY ARE SO LIGHT THEY CAN HARDLY BE SEEN BUT CAN BE BARELY FELT.  I HAVE SEEN 2 NEUROLOGISTS AT BAYLOR HOSPITAL.  I SAW THEM 2 MONTHS AFTER THE SYMPTOMS BEGAN.  BOTH DID EXAMS WHICH REVEALED NO WEAKNESS.  ONE DID BLOOD WORK WITH NO PROBLEMS INDICATED.  THEY DID AN EMG STUDY.  THE REPORT READS:  "NORMAL EMG OF MOTOR NERVES AND SENSORY NERVES AND NORMAL NEEDLE EMG".  BOTH DRS.SAID I WAS FINE BUT HAD BFS.  QUESTIONS:  1)  CAN I BE REASSURED AFTER 5 MONTHS WITH NO WEAKNESS OR CHANGES AND THE DOCTORS RESULTS THAT I DO NOT HAVE ALS?  (2)  COULD IT BE MYOKIMIAS?  A DR.ON ANOTHER FORUM WHO SAID I DID NOT HAVE ALS SUGGESTED IT MIGHT BE THAT.
I HAVE NO WEAKNESS ALL BUT LOTS OF ANXIETY FOR WHICH I AM TAKING PAXIL TO HELP WITH THE OBSESSION.  THANKS & GOD BLESS

[FloFlo]

I've been having same symptoms but for 3 months. I too get arms and hands that feel like weights, but it's occassional. I also have a cramping feeling in palms of hands and soles of feet...anything like that for you? I am seeing a neuromuscular doctor tomorrow. My question will be the same..."What other conditions can cause these symptoms?!!!" I know about this so called Benign Fasiculation Sydrome, but what about these other symptoms? Can stress cause cramping, major facial tightness, difficulty swallowing, and more? When can we really rest assured we don't have ALS? I too have two little ones (and life insurance), 39 year old who has worked out for past 2 years w/weights and cardio and has been in shape. Wondering more about your situation. Please email me. Perhaps one of our doctors will have some knowledge of something else that is causing this.
Flo
***@****

[Twitchygirl]

Please someone give good news!  I have felt short of breath and had trouble swallowing (solids, not liquids, thank goodness per ALS symptomatology) for approx 4 years.  Docs chocked it up to anxiety.  Since (at least that time) I've had occasional fasciculations all over my body.  Starting in Dec 2000, I've had severe fasciculations, body wide, visible and annoying 24/7.  Please tell me there is any possible diagnosis except ALS.  I can't detect any real progressive weaknessess, but sometimes my arms and legs feel like lead weights for no reason. Shouldn't I be much weaker if these twitches have been going on this long?  I'm afraid to be diagnosed (average 3 year survival after diagnosis), so I haven't been to Neuro.  Got life insurance in place, 2 small kids, took creatine off and on with good results, pulse ox is good but ABGS showed low O2.  Tell the truth.

[FloFlo]

Geez, it does seem like there are so many people out there with pretty severe twitching (as I have along w/other symptoms). I was wondering the same...what's going on here? Too many chemical on our foods? (think of all the different random combinations!),
bad water? Environmental things?(radio/satellite/electrical?), or major stress?!!!! All I know is that I too have been scared to death of having ALS even though my EMG was normal. With all other diseases, there is a glimmer of hope (even cancer) that you'll survive. With ALS, there seems to be no hope and a guaranteed hideous death. Just the thought of my children watching me die on a respirator threw me into a stressed induced depression that has really taken its toll on me. I am trying to cope better and also am temporarily relying on vino and an occassional Ativan until the Docs figure this out.
I, unfortunately am having other lovely symptoms and wish it were just the fasciculations. My palms and soles of my feet have been consistantly feeling cramped and my facial muscles have been very tight with cramping (difficult to talk and smile). Anyone else having these symptoms?
I think anyone who has felt the terror of possibly having ALS should contribute to an ALS fund of some sort and help bring awareness and a bloody cure. I for one am donating to Project ALS. Good luck to us all!!
If anyone is experiencing what I have experienced and want to chat, please email me at:  ***@****
Flo

[ditter]

Well.. seems that everyone is having twitches these days???....
Had them for 10, yes, 10 years.  My doctor(GP) probably wrote me off as a hypochondriac (sp?) years ago, and I guess I have become dependent on the same "crazy people syndrome" where body parts jerk and twitch, digits become un-behaved, (if there is such a word)legs and arms and legs -uncontrollable --begin to consume your life, but I am Hopeful that before I see my third and last child see his 5th birthday, they will able to tell me what vitamin, mineral, etc. I need to take so I will be able to share in his life from a standing position. At this time, I have no real hope for any of this.  My GP just put me on Prednisone, doesn't really help, but here we go round the mulberry bush so early in the morning... I give freaking up... If somebody doesn't give up some sort of diagnosis... I give up to alcohol.. It's cheap and easy.  Seriously..whatever, obviously, I will never get  a diagnosis from a doctor in this area that takes me seriously... because I am not totally disabled yet??.. Please let me know of any success stories, as I am at the end of my rope...................

[So2027]

Thank you for the site, it was extremely helpful. I have noticed no weakness and the neurologist did conduct strength tests (all were normal, as well as reflexes) so BFS it could be!

[concrete]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENT, IT HELPS TO PUT MY MIND TO REST WHEN OTHERS HAVE THE SAME CONDITION.
I AM JUST HOPING AFTER 5 MONTHS WITH NO WEEKNESS THAT IT IS NOT ALS.
I READ FASCICULATIONS COME ONLY AFTER WEEKNESS TO THE AREA AND I HAVE NONE I WAS HOPING THE DR. WOULD CONFIRM THIS FACT.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME TO IT MADE MY MORNING.
GOD BLESS YOU.

[concrete]

mine started in my chest and arms but settled in my lower legs only.
again for 5 months now.
if you read information on bfs at site www.aboutbfs.com it is common in the lower legs and w/out weekness is not als ....

[So2027]

To all-

Are your twitches predominantly on one side or another? I began with issues in the left leg and arm but now it appears it is only in my legs. It has only been going on for a few weeks, but of course is scaring me. I often find it is worse when I wake up, I have no vision problems etc etc. I run a lot, life weights and bike. I am wondering if the intense exercise has anything to do with it.

Thank you one and all! Discussing this problem with others who have had similar symptoms helps so much.

[JSK]

I've had constant, non-stop fasciculations in my calves & arches of my feet for almost 3 years now.  These twitches are basically every second.   I can't hardly feel them, but can see them.  I choose not to look at them anymore.  I took ativan, paxil & buspar (at different times of course) for the first year because I was freaking out.  The ativan really helped me get to sleep.  It was great.  I don't need any of them anymore, thank God.  

I lift weights & do bag work 3 to 5 days a week.  I'm still strong as ever and can still bench press 700 lbs..I mean 225, ha,ha.  I was pretty impressed with the 500 lb bench.

My feet do look like they have atrophy, but are strong as ever.  Maybe they've always looked like this.   I quit going to doctors over a year ago, since they don't know what the heck is up with these twitches either.  

Anyway time does seem to calm the nerves.  You'll get used to it.  I just don't pay them any attention at all anymore.

Good luck to you.  You're not alone.

[concrete]

THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS. ARE YOURS NON STOP EVEN WHEN THEY ARE LIGHT?

[shamrock]

I have had fasciculations in my calves for about 4 years now.  Somedays are worse than others.  Sometimes you can actually see my calves move.  Other then a sleep disorder, which sometimes when I'm sleep deprived, I think they are aggrevated I just have learned to live with them.  I know nothing is seriously wrong.

Good Luck.

[concrete]

I BENCH PRESS 200LBS NOT 500LBS, THAT WAE A MISTAKE
SORRY JUST WENT TO FAST

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

Nothing in medicine or life for that matter is 100%. But after careful evaluations by 2 neurologists at Baylor (which has a strong neurology program) AND a normal EMG, it is EXTREMELY UNLIKELY that you have ALS. Doubt it;s myokymia if you had the twitching during the EMG and it's still reported as normal.  Also docs should be able to pick it up on exam.  The myokymia has a specific pattern that is recognizable both on EMG and neuro exam. Good luck. ALthough, I must add I did raise my eyebrows when I read that you benchpressed 500lbs. Thanks for the correction.