Muscle problems, injuries, fasciculation storms, etc.

I am a 37 year old who started back into running about 2 years ago. I started off slow and smart, walking a mile, running a mile and cooling down with a mile, doing that about 1-2 weeks, then added a 1/2 mile to the run for about a week, then up to 2 miles running about a week, then 2 1/2, etc. I would run at that time 2-4 times a week, and at least once a week, did some type of cross training, swimming, aerobics, weight workouts, golf, bicycling, etc. I drank a lot of water. About 3-4 weeks after I started back into working out, I would get such terrible tight muscles that just seemed to not be able to "unknot". I would stretch & stretch. If I laid off for awhile, as soon as I'd start back again, I'd get tight muscles again. At one time (about 2-3 months into working out again) I woke up one day with my legs so tight it felt like they were 50 lbs. of concrete each, poured into a sleeve that holds 30 lbs.

Around this time, I also began to notice crazy storms of fasciculations (jumpy muscles) in my legs. Just crazy firework storms of them (especially noted when at rest). They would appear anywhere, but mostly in my legs. Kind of like if someone had their hands full of hot grease and flicked the hot grease at my legs over and over and over.

Anyway, at this time I explored the possibility of #1-having to back way off...did that, started back after two weeks by just walking and after day 2 of back walking, I could feel it mildly coming back. Took another 2 weeks off and started all over, starting very, very slow.

#2 experimented with it being a lack of electrolytes, so tried replacing some of my water intake with gatorade, did not seem to make a difference.

#3 Supplements, tried OTC magnesium, potassium, calcium, multi-vitamins, tried each of these for a coulple weeks at a time, none seemed to make a difference.

I ended up getting worried because of the strange problems I was having and went to my general doc, they did the whole blood/urine work up - nothing, no deficiencies in anything they could find. They checked my reflexes, some were a bit "sluggish" (never have had that issue before by the way) and she said everything seemed fine.

After a couple more months of continuing to have the same problems, and then waking up one day with black spots in one eye, and my grandma dying of MS, and my friend who's a nurse insisting I get an MRI because of my grandma, I went in for a consult with a neurologist who ordered some other tests, did some kind of electrode test where they stuck these "needle" like things in different muscle groups in my legs, did a head MRI, and after all that....nothing.

Catching up to today. I continue to run, I have eventually worked myself up to where I can do 10K's, but continue to struggle with keeping my muscles "loose", still have constant fasciculations (have determined that the fasciculations are where I have sore/tight/or injured muscles), and get injured probably every 3 months. Now I am "laid off" from running due to getting plantar faciitis! I have so many friends that run, I run way more conservatively than they do, and cross train/weight lift/strenthen exercize and stretch waaaay more than they do, and they do not have these issues. I have ran for periods of my life before and never had any of these issues before, last period being about 8 years ago.

I am SOOOOO frustrated, sick of paying so much $$$ for tests & all, which all say..nothing, which is good, but...gosh, it's GOT TO BE SOMETHING. I am sick of having the fasciculations, sick of the tight muscles, sick of getting injured. It's sooo frustrating. Quitting running is not the answer I would like to accept. What I'd like is to find out who can give me an answer as to what is causing it! I mean I stretch 30 minutes to an hour every day, whether I run or not, drink water to where I'm peeing every 30 minutes to hour, I eat relatively healthy, am not overweight... I just don't know where to go from here, researching the internet has turned up a good 50 to 100 things it "could" be all of which I research further and it just makes me dizzy trying to follow all the possibilities.

Anyone have any similar experience, or know what this sounds like, or know who I should speak to, or what test I should have done, or what to have checked, anything. I appreciate your help in advance!

Ann

[Toobusy]

Not sure if it's worthwhile to add: I am female, also developed Raynaud's syndrome a year before these "muscle symptoms" (not sure if related), have 2 children (now 8 & 10), not sure if there is anything else relevant??

Thanks again,

Ann