Re: Diagnosed as Benign Fasics, also tremors and pain

Posted By CCF neuro MD MM on November 18, 1998 at 16:03:29:

In Reply to: Diagnosed as Benign Fasics, also tremors and pain posted by Brian on November 17, 1998 at 16:40:26:






I have had fasciculations for about 7 months, coupled with flu like aches everywhere, jerky movements of shoulders (especially with stretchingand reaching), and pain in my hands.  My hands also tremor with mild ampliitude, but excessively, after minor exertion such as clipping coupons from the newspaper. I also cannot sleep for more than 5 hours and am despirate to get a normal full night of sleep again.  EMG, MRI, bloodwork are all normal. My neurologist doesn't want to try any medications since, "nothing will probably work anyway", and "it will go away with time".
My question is -- is there anything I can do to manage these symptoms? I'm at my wits end and sometimes these symptoms "overload me".  I'll try anything -- PT, specific exercises, diet changes, prescription drugs, whatever can help.  I feel like I've been left out to dry.
I eat a good diet and I'm an otherwise healthy, non-overweight, non-drinker (caffeine or alcohol), non-smoker, 36 yr old male.  My stress level is at an all time low - other things in life are fantastic for me right now.  



  


The symptoms you describe sound very disabling and unpleasant and there,
are a munber of symptomatic treatments available, you mention a number of
symptoms of which only three can realistically be attributed to benign
fasiculations.Tremor and jerky shoulder movements do not fit with this
picture, and yoummay need to seek another opinion tom resolve the issue.
I would suggest that you may need symptomatic treatment for the more
unpleasant symptoms regardless of the underlying cause, fasiculations
which are very disturbing can be controlled with a number of menbrane
stabilising agents which are otherwise used to treat epilepsy or cardiac
rhythm disturbances. Neurontin and Tegretol are two examples.
Tremor can be treated with propanolol or mysoline, mysoline in particular
can sometimes have an effect on fasiculations, so it might help both
problems.
My main concern is that a single root cause has nor been clarified, I
think you should have a second opinion to investigate all of this and
get to the root of you problems.