Twitching, joint/muscle pain, fatigue

[spuff]

I’m 32, male. For the past four months I’ve been experiencing a variety of symptoms, none of which seem to fit neatly into any diagnosis. It began with mild joint pain in knees and elbows. A few weeks later I had a week of intense fatigue, strong joint and muscle ache including kidney/lower back area; burning in my arms. My arms felt heavy at night like I could not control them, but it was always perceived, not actual. No fever. Some mild nausea. I missed a week of work mostly in bed.

A week later the nausea subsided, but other symptoms persisted: numbness/tingling in fingers, twitching began just beneath the skin surface (not visible), and spread from upper body into face. Eventually subsided, but returned intermittently for days at a time. Fatigue returns along with other symptoms.

Since then I’ve had a pretty constant few-days cycle of feeling ok, then a relapse of symptoms, mostly the twitching, which is now over most of my body. The twitching is a very specific sensation. When I have it, it never fades in or out and is like a rhythmic tremble just below the surface. It may last days. It’s not visible, except for a few obvious muscle twitches here and there. It’s pretty strong in my face and jaw, and seems like it’s always “almost visible.” It does not affect movement, gait, etc. Sometimes my jaw and tongue feel tired which makes speech an effort. Often accompanied by jaw stiffness which is very uncomfortable.

Tests for rheumatoid arthritis were negative, and blood work has been fairly extensive and OK. The Western blot for Lyme indicated what the doctor called “typically a false positive.” (I live in pittsburgh). The rheumatologist started me on a month of doxycycline 100mg anyway. I did have a rash on my right arm just before these symptoms (red circle w/ a clear center, about 2 inches across once it spread out). Doctor said ringworm and gave antifungal steriod (it did look like pictures I’ve seen of ringworm rash, though I’ve never had one before)…it cleared up in a couple weeks. This all started in cold weather, and temps for the month before symptoms never got above 40, so it wasn’t tick-friendly. I’m three weeks into antibiotics and feel worse today. The twitching is more intense than ever – very strong in my jaw.

Saw neurologist: Brain MRI normal. EMG is scheduled for late June.

The bottom line I get is “you don’t have anything big, bad or ugly.” That’s a relief, but I’d like to find an answer.  Fibromyalgia was mentioned buy I don’t have any trigger points or difficulty sleeping, except when trembling sensation in muscles keeps me up. Exercise seems to help my motivation, but muscles often burn the next day.

Am I missing an obvious direction to look? Is Lyme still a possibility, even as I take these antibiotics? Can these symptoms by caused by something viral? Sorry for the long post...seems more detail would be better. Any insight would be appreciated…my spirits are good but my body is not.

[CCF Neuro[P]-M.D.-RPS]

Dear Spuff:

Sorry that your having problems.  The target lesion is interesting as several things can give you a lesion of this type.  One organism that can give you a target lesion, plus joint/muscle pain and in some cases can induce benign fasciculations is mycoplasm.  The twitches with some sensory changes let me know that you do not have ALS.  The symptoms also do not sound like MS.  From what you telling me I would lean toward a post-infectious etiology with myoplasm on the list of possibilities.  Sometimes the fasciculations can last for months with waxing and waning of their occurrance, and relapses when your fatigued or anxious.  Let us know how your EMG turns out.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[Stephie]

I've been having some of the same symptoms.  Tested negative for everything.  Still don't know what it is.  Good luck!!

[JamesT]

You will probably get the same thing from the neuro, but Lyme disease creates all these symptoms, and with that rash u have, (circular and a clear bit in the middle) it all adds up.  Lyme disease tests can come back normal even if u have Lyme!  Ive heared it time and time again.  The rash would be from the tick bite itself and you may have not even been aware of the bite itself!  Did you stress the fact of your rash to your doctor.  It seem sso obviouse to me.  Go to Yahoo.com and search for lyme disease to see some pictures of typical rashes you can get from it.  However, not all rashes look the same, not all have the circular look and not all symptoms are the same for everyone.  I hope this helps!!:)  If it is lyme,(try to get more tests for it)  then it is not fatal or "big bad and ugly!" although the symptoms are annoying/painfull at times and uncomfortable.  Most people do make a full recovery from what I have heared!:O)

[thewebthsp]

I have a lot of the same symptoms.  I was exposed to a variant of shingles in late December, and then had a nice array of symptoms with clumsiness, stiffness, muscle pain, and terrible stomach pains.  The clumsiness went away after two weeks, but the fatigue, pain , and localized muscles feeling
"weird" persisted for several months.  I had a whole slew of first perceived facial weakness which went away, then tongue pain/fatigue then upper body (tricep mainly) shaking and pain which also went away and currently my lower legs feel painful and very stiff, and fasiculate at high frequency which is very annoying (though it is I think going away slowly).  My left left leg almost feels like a peg leg at times.  No weakness.  I go to college, and some people reportedly contracted myoplasm in Mexico uring spring break, and probably transmitted it as well, worsening existing symptoms.  My symptoms of severe fatigue and stomch pains went away after a few months, but I still don't feel all that great,so I'm just trying to get by.  I'm wondering what I can do.  The gen practioner said it might be a virus or fibromyalgia, but I don't have any "points" of pain either.

Dave

[fishin]

I also know how you feel.  I am 31 and have not been to a doctor in over a decade.  Suddenly, symptoms like yours have appeared over the last few weeks.  I tore my shoulder muscle a few months ago and thought I might have developed an infection or something. So off to the emergency room with tingling, extreme fatigue, brain fog and real loss of muscle strength.  They said it was anxiety, and I admit to having a disorder but not with these symptoms ever before in my whole life.  I followed up with a neurologist who basically said the same thing and would not continue with an MRI or other test.  She recommends antidepressants for the overall anxiety.  Bascially, my advice to you is to be persistant.  Only you know how your body feels and when it feels wrong, for lack of a better term.  I feel a bit better every day, so perhaps anxiety is either a cause or symptom.  Anyway, keep exploring if you don't feel better.  Get another opinion, which is what I may do.  It could be Fibromyalgia.  That seems to be an elusive disorder with nothing to really peg it down.  Keep your spirits up and know you are not alone.  Good luck.

[jadeeyescu]

Please...tel me when I will be able to post a new question...I have been trying for months and always get the response that it is full.  Is there a certain time that would be good to try??

[doboj]

I have been having all the same symptoms, though I do not recall any rash prior to the onset.  I have had just about every medical test I can think of (including head and spine MRI), and through them I am in perfect health except for two bulging discs and some "normal" lower spine deterioration.  In the end the diagnosis is depression, so now I am on anti-depressants with the same symptoms.  Is there an alternate diagnosis for one without a rash?  Thanks.

[deko]

all of your symptoms are very typical of Lyme disease.  the only reason I know is because I have finally been diagnosed with lyme after 2 head MRIs,one spine MRI, and visits to numerous specialists (cardiologist,neurologist, GP,audiologist, ear nose and throat etc.)I had all of your exact symptoms(plus a few others).  Lyme is infamous for being hard to diagnose because it can mimic many other ailments.  I was treated for depression for about three years but only continued to get worse. The rash alone you mentioned is more than enough proof for Lyme.  Its very,very common for test results to come back negative.  The most accurate  (I'm not a doctor) is the Western Blot test.  Its good that you got the rash though because only 50% of people that contract Lyme get the reaction.  If I were you, I would look for a Lyme specialist in your area.  Don't worry though I've had tertiary(late stage) Lyme and my doc says my chances for a full recovery are quite good. Hope I could help.
                               Good Luck!

[daddybear]

Finding this thread was a revelation for me. Everything you described fits perfectly with what I've been suffering. I live in the UK and four years ago, about 1 month after holidaying in a "Tick" hotspot,my problems began. It started with a mild fever and sore throat then violent headaches, disorientation, muscle and joint pain, muscle twitching(fasiculation)in all muscle groups, Irregular heart beats, severe stiffening of the jaw and facial muscles, abdominal pain. I too was treated for depression, seen neurologist for EMG, MRI, Cardiologist, ENT specialist, nobody found a thing. I can't remember having a rash
or being bitten, but not being aware of Lyme or Tick bites at this time I probably wouldn't have noticed anyway. The fasiculation, Mild fatigue, Muscle problems are constant, however, other symptoms seem to be relapsing, Is this a pattern familiar to Lyme? I have never had any prolonged antibiotic treatment or been tested, is there still hope? I would love to hear from others in the same boat. Please feel free to E-mail me at:***@****
Strength to all.

[chrystalin]

I'm a 36 y.o. female with very similar symptoms.  In Feb. I got  what seemed like a bad flu -- very fatigued, low-grade fever, plus tingling, twitching, shortness of breath, and swelling in my right knee and feet.  After about 5 weeks the fatigue and flu-like stuff went away, but I'm left with tingling, twitching, and swelling, though only in my right knee and foot.  I've had brain & spine MRI's, tons of blood work, EMG, just about all normal.  Tested "equivocal positive" on Lyme ELISA, but negative on Western Blot.  Also, my quantitative Immunoglobulin showed a high level of IgM.  I finally insisted on trying a course of antibiotics on the theory it could be Lyme (though I would have had to get it quite a while before my symptoms appeared).  Am two weeks into course of amoxicillin, but don't feel much better.  Like many of you, the symptoms come and go -- some days I feel almost completely normal, only to have one or more symptoms reappear a few days later.

Has anyone ever recovered from this "post-viral" thing?  Does anyone know of any therapies?  Any other possible diagnoses -- it seems it's unlikely it's MS, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.  It seems like there is just too much controversy over Lyme to know if you really have it or not, and shouldn't it get better with antibiotics?  Any advice is appreciated!

[wes1]

Hi,

I am experiencing the same symptoms.

I am 24/white/male.  
My symptoms started approximately 3 months ago as an onset of panic attacks.  For the first month when no doctor knew exactly what was wrong with me the panic/symptoms was intense, once I saw a neuro and he diagnosed me as having panic disorder (without testing for any neurological diseases) I felt much better.  Since that day I have not had the intense panic attacks, just some mild panic/anxiety but still have the physical symptoms

my main concerns are:
sore/tight muscles
constant backache/spine cracking
sore joints mostly shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers
occasional muscle twitches
and sore/tight jaw (TMJ)

My GP thinks its still panic disorder that occurs subconciously for example in my sleep.

I feel ok overall, but its the general pain that bothers me.

Is this common with panic/anxiety disorder.

Thanks
Wes

[Jelly Bean]

I can't believe I'm reading this.  I have had the same weird problem for the last two or three months.  When is tick season anyway?  I live in the Pacific Northwest - notorious for tick problems, and usually check for them in the fall and spring - but sometimes forget.  Anyway, it started out with incredibly profound fatigue, mild nausea and severe joint and muscle pain.  The pain in my elbows would wake me up every 15 to 30 minutes as my muscles would lock in place and I would have to push my arms open (or shut - depending on the position they locked in).  Painful!  I was afraid to go to sleep!  I take 3 Ibuprofen before bed now and sleep with a couple of ice packs and a heating pad.  My hands are so sore I can hardly write or play guitar or piano anymore (which presents a real problem, as I am a musician) Recently my right hand has gone numb, so I can't feel a pen/pencil/paintbrush in my hand (so my other love - painting and drawing is gone too.)  I also have the swollen knees and my right foot.  It doesn't fit well into my shoes now.  And the stomach pain is at times so severe I can't eat.
I haven't bothered to go to the doctor since I went the last time for my elbows and he gave me a sample of some kind of cream made from peppers to numb the pain.  No tests, nothing.  Wonder if I would get a bandaid for gangrene?  I'm going to try help from a naturopath for a change and will let you know if I get help for once.  (The medical system in Canada sucks right now.)

[Jelly Bean]

I can't believe I'm reading this.  I have had the same weird problem for the last two or three months.  When is tick season anyway?  I live in the Pacific Northwest - notorious for tick problems, and usually check for them in the fall and spring - but sometimes forget.  Anyway, it started out with incredibly profound fatigue, mild nausea and severe joint and muscle pain.  The pain in my elbows would wake me up every 15 to 30 minutes as my muscles would lock in place and I would have to push my arms open (or shut - depending on the position they locked in).  Painful!  I was afraid to go to sleep!  I take 3 Ibuprofen before bed now and sleep with a couple of ice packs and a heating pad.  My hands are so sore I can hardly write or play guitar or piano anymore (which presents a real problem, as I am a musician) Recently my right hand has gone numb, so I can't feel a pen/pencil/paintbrush in my hand (so my other love - painting and drawing is gone too.)  I also have the swollen knees and my right foot.  It doesn't fit well into my shoes now.  And the stomach pain is at times so severe I can't eat.
I haven't bothered to go to the doctor since I went the last time for my elbows and he gave me a sample of some kind of cream made from peppers to numb the pain.  No tests, nothing.  Wonder if I would get a bandaid for gangrene?  I'm going to try help from a naturopath for a change and will let you know if I get help for once.  (The medical system in Canada sucks right now.)

[Philip1815]

.

[jaw]

Hi,

My name is Jodie I'm 44 and have been treated for lyme, I also  had many test for server pain in my back and joints.  I get rashes all the time from blisters to hives.  I have been in the hospital for meningitis. The doctors just keep guessing and I take alot of medicine for this. Just reading this reminds me of my self, just don't know what to do at this point because this all started after I had gotten  a bite from a tick. Still looking for some answers. Good luck to all of you. Thanks for being here, Jodie

[sarkis]

[tracer]

I am responding to this subject and the muscle twitchin/flu shot subject since they are both related. I am having a similiar symptoms to what you described. I got the flu shot in Nov 2001. At this time I was having joint pain in every joint but decided to get it anyway since I wasn't allergic to eggs or had a fever. I did not want the flu with two young kids to take care of. About four weeks later I developed tingling in my right foot that quickly spread to both feet. The tingling is so strong I call it "vibrations" because it is much more pronounced than tingling. Since then it has started to migrate to different areas of my body like my hands, head, abdomen. It basically moves around the body at various times. About three weeks after this appeared I started getting these muscle twitches that move around as well. It feels like someone is poking me but is not. IT is much worse at night. I have had the joint pain come and go. Fatigue comes and goes. I am no longer sleeping soundly and wake at least twice a night with a pounding heart. I began seeing a floater in my right eye. Keep in mind I have had very few health problems until now. I am thirty-two, female. I have also had nausea, swollen glands, pelvic pain, chest pain, mood swings ect that all come and go. Over the past two days I noticed the tingling diminishing but it was back in full force yesterday night. I have had countless blood work done. All normal except an ANA of 1:160 which was tested the same day I got the flu shot. Since then it has dropped to 1:80 which is borderline. I have been to a neuro who did an MRI of the brain and spine and an EMG - ALL NORMAL. My neuro mentioned he thought the flu shot could have done this and has given me three months to see if the symptoms go away. I pray they do. I have been tested for lyme (some people have it in my neighborhood) but both the ELISA and western blot came back negative. I do not know what to think because I am very aware of the controversy of the test results. Not everyone tests positive and can still have it. It is best to find a lyme doctor who will test from the IGENIX lyme lab in CA.  None in my area do so I am considering going to NY to have the proper tests done.  Do not rely on local lab results. Has anyone had these symptoms and made a full recovery from them? Does anyone know what this could be? I am leaning toward the flu shot or lyme. MS had been ruled out. I have had the flu shot for the past five years and will never get it again. I can only hope my body can recover. It is hard to stay calm when you do not understand or know what it happening to you!

[bucky]

hello i have had all these problems for 5 yrs and can not get rid of these,can anyone help me please symtoms are muscle aches all over twitching sore  tight muscles when i do phisicle work it makes it worse, i am on med  klonipin0.5 mg  ultram  2 a day had all the major tests done mri scan of head seen nuroin boston. also numbness in brige of nose  can this be sress at work lost up here in maine  dr,s have no answer up here can you guide to what to do?

[qtbeme]

A related discussion, Do I have Lymes was started.