What Next?

[tonyr155]

It does appear that the fasciculations especially near the left sideburn area, near my ear ARE WORSENING.  They are happening about every 2 days now, and can last for HOURS.  I can't stand this.  The only thing the last neurologist I saw, could recommend was Tegretol.  I can't tolerate that kind of drug.  I can get nauseous anyway for no reason sometimes.  The neurologist told me more than likely it wouldn't help.   I asked her if this kind of thing can worsen, and she said yes.  I was hoping and praying she was wrong, but it may be she was right.

There is a holistic Dr. near the Dallas Metroplex that I am wanting to see.  After describing my symptoms to his nurse, and her telling him, he felt I might have metal toxicity.  Of course until he sees me, he can't be certain as to why these fasciculations are worsening at such a rapid pace.  

Would this be a good thing to do, be checked out by this integrative medicine physician?  I could put his web link here, but am not certain if this is permissable.

Thank you ~

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there.  There are certain causes responsible for muscle twitching like diet deficiency, drug overdose, and side effects of diuretics, corticosteroids, estrogens, exercise, benign twitches, and nervous system conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, muscle dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy and myopathy. Your neurologist needs to look into these conditions one by one. The other possible cause could be multiple sclerosis and is a diagnosis of exclusion. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness in any area, problems with walking and coordination, tremors in one or more arms and legs. Bowel and bladder symptoms include frequency of micturition, urine leakage, eye symptoms like double vision uncontrollable rapid eye movements, facial pain, painful muscle spasms, tingling, burning in arms or legs, depression, dizziness, hearing loss, fatigue etc. The treatment is essentially limited to symptomatic therapy so the course of action would not change much whether MS has been diagnosed or not. Apart from clinical neurological examination, MRI shows MS as paler areas of demyelination, two different episodes of demyelination separated by one month in at least two different brain locations. Spinal tap is done and CSF electrophoresis reveals oligoclonal bands suggestive of immune activity, which is suggestive but not diagnostic of MS. Demyelinating neurons, transmit nerve signals slower than non-demyelinated ones and can be detected with EP tests. These are visual evoked potentials, brain stem auditory evoked response, and somatosensory evoked potential. Slower nerve responses in any one of these is not confirmatory of MS but can be used to complement diagnosis along with a neurological examination, medical history and an MRI in addition, a spinal tap. Therefore, it would be prudent to consult your neurologist with these concerns.Take care.

[tonyr155]

Well, I finally made it.  I am having these horrible thumps every day now it looks like.  I had a bad long spell yesterday morning.  I was hoping the neurologist was wrong in saying they would worsen.  It looks like she may be right, much to my demise.  Something is not right, and I will get to the bottom of it.  I will NOT TAKE THIS EVERY DAY for the rest of my life!