muscle fasciculations- What's wrong with my muscles?

[javens]

Hi,Thank you for taking this question. I'm a 22 yr old male and have been having strange symptoms since june 1 2002. It began with horrible pain in my groin/pubic area(I'd had this pain the October before for 2 weeks).Around june 13 I began having pain in upper rt chest when I would breath.Within a couple of days I had pain throughout my ribcage and along my sternum.I've had Diarrhea on and off since June.July 13,I noticed my thigh muscle twitching.Within a couple of days I had twitches all over my body.No muscle is immune(foot instep,butt,eyelid).My thighs are the worst.I also have alot of pain along with the twitching.If a muscle twitches it gets sore.I'm not sure about the weakness.I have exercize intolerance(I worked out my arm and they had shakes afterward).It takes more energy to take long walks.If I stand for a while my legs seem to get tired.I've been to a gastro for the Diarrhea-had negative colonoscopy,endoscopy,blood work etc.I've been to two neuros.I've had 2 clean neuro exams,a clean EMG at 4 months done by a neuro at Baylor(Dallas),clrean mri's of the brain and the entire spine as well as tons of good bloodwork.I'm so confused! My Dr. say I'm fine but I feel terrible.I ache all over.My wife is pregnant with my first child and I'm worried that I have ALS or something. I want to see this child grow up!My Neuro says I have BFS or muscle Pain-fasciculation syndrome.Do ALS patients present with widespread twitches?What can explain the pain? What does an atrophing muscle feel like?some of my muscle in my legs feel kind of bumpy-not smooth.should I be worried?Thanks!

[millbrook1950]

A related discussion, neuro was started.

[t_anunson]

Hi all. I began having neurological problems & fasiculations (twitching) 6 months ago after my daughter was born. I twitched up till a week ago. Turns out my blood pressure was VERY HIGH and was causing a lot of the twitching. The BP is under control now, and I`m not twitching near as much. Some of the nerve problems are a little better also. You guys may wanna check your blood pressure just to be safe!

[YARDIM]

For fibromyalgia:  try http://www.guaifenesin.com
ektup

[levy]

Hi Im very sorry to hear about your symptoms,I was just on the net searching back pain and came across this site. Say I hurt my low back, and neck and had a job full of stress in 1982. Well about four years later it all came on very slow pain all over my body, I would say it was like I fell out of a pick up each day , or beat up very bad,or did real hard exercie day after day, putting it to one side and thinking Im getting older and I was told  you hurt all the time when you get older,I found out thats not true. My hips hurt on there sides my neck hurt bad at the base-I would get muscle twitches-my feet hurt-my chest on the right side would hurt real bad at times, never wanted to pick things up,and I had horrible diarrhea and still have it today, and the pain moves around my body ( a very sick pain ), like in both arms, the harder I worked the worst I felt, I could not sleep,bad fatigue my days off were spent laying around. I would tell the doctors about this and I think they were thinking, hes nuts or its all in his head. Then I hit bottom the pain was just to much , I was thinking ( MS )or Arthritis so I went to a Arthritis doctor, after telling him what was going on for years. This doctor took blood test,and pushing pressure points on my body and me yelling out, he said I did not have Arthritis and that was good but the bad was I had whats call Fibromyalgia, yea you feel like you kind of got the flu, oh theres good days, no one is 100% sure what causes it, my testimony is 17 years later I still have it, I think hurting my neck, back, and the stress and staying in pain all the time open a window in the brain, and it won't shut.Im still in pain, had a ( MRI )just today on my low back. anyway check out my symptoms, one just never knows,you done alot of test just like I did, search fibromyalgia on the internet,some doctors do not know anything about it.No matter what they call it I wish you well my friend and a pain free life. I have a saying I made up, Pain has it's own personally, hard to stay happy but you do. and life is so short but life is so long!!!!--------------end LEVY

[cyn123]

HI i have very similar symptoms as well for about 1 yr now.  I was dx with fifths disease which is a viral disease  and is usually very common in children and harmless.  there is a blood test for it.  I knew i had it because my daughters had it just before me.  With the bllod test they can tell if are in active stage or latent just like lymes.  Fifths can cause nerve damage and muscle pain for some time.  Just a thought for you.  Good luck and i know the fustration you are feeling with not knowing what is causing your troubles.

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

Please keep in mind I have not personally examined you nor have I reviewed your studies, but the normal neurological exams and EMG as well as the remainder of the extensive testing are reassuring that this likely doesn't represent ALS.  Your symptoms also don't sound typical of ALS.  On the exam, there are usually signs of weakness and atrophy (which is wasting of the muscle that you see rather than "feel", muscles appear smaller and flatter) by the time there are diffuse fasciculations or twitches.  If the neuro exam are really "clean" as you say, then BFS or muscle pain-fasciculation syndrome are good possibilities.  These entities can be made worse with stress, exercise, and fatigue.  Baylor has a strong neurology department, but if you feel you want a second opinion consider going to an academic center in Houston. Or you could just follow up with your current neurologist in 3-6 months.  If symptoms worsen or persist, another EMG could be considered to evaluate for any changes.  One thing to consider that may explain the multisystem involvement of diarrhea and muscle problems is a relatively rare syndrome called mitochondrial (energy cells of the body) disease that is diagnosed with muscle biopsy. This of course needs to be taken into clinical  context and whether or not your physicians feel that your history and exam findings are consistent with that possibility. But for now, doesn't sound like ALS. Good luck.

[alohakim4]

I hope this information is helpful to you.  5 years ago I experienced significant muscle twitching in my legs especially my thighs and calves.  The fasiculations were very troublesome to me so much that I saw several neurologists and noone could explain my symptoms.  I had a brain MRI that was normal and EMG's that only showen bening fasiculations.  I was convinced by the research I had done on my own that I either had MS or ALS.  I was 2 months pregnant with my 2nd child during this time.  I was eventually sent to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for some answers.  I saw the head of neuro. there and after much testing was diagnosed with benign fasiculation syndrome.  This just meant my muscles twitched alot and my muscles were easily fatigued.  I am a nurse and although sometimes it is good to have alot of information, it can also be a double edged sword.
I was put on Klonipin for the twitches and this helped alot.  I still experience this today, but because I know it is a benign condition and not a serious disease the symptoms seem much less bothersome.  I hope tis helps you.  If you would like to e-mail me with questions my e-mail is ***@****

[shamrock]

alohakim4,

I have have had twitching in my calves for 4 years.  Once I learned it was nothing serious, you're right, they don't bother me as much even though they're still there & probably always will be.

shamrock

[dizz]

well Javens, with all them negative tests your probably still left with a shoebox full of drugs :)

I had something similar, asked my neuro was it central pain syndrome? She said if I don't know what it is, I'll tell you its central pain or inherited.  Then she said, have you tried increasing your vitamin C intake? I started taking 500mg twice a day and haven't twiched once.

Click below for more info on vitamin C deficiency, I had muscle fasciculations/twitches in my calves, shoulder blade in the middle of my back, felt like my spinal cord was on fire (seemed to migrate or move around from legs to back).

http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section1/chapter3/3q.htm