strange symptoms, please help

3 months ago I started having slight headaches, and a weird taste in my mouth everynow and then. It has been getting constantly worse and now I have headaches occasionally and the bad taste in my mouth is there ALL the time, wife says my breath smells bad/weird sometimes with it, its really hard to explain the taste its just very unusual and feels like sometimes its coming from the roof of my mouth. It dont go away no matter how much I brush my teeth.  Sometimes when I go to wash clothes and I'm pouring the powder laundry detergent and I smell the powder, its almost as if you would put some of that in your mouth and it tastes like that all the time though. Thats the best description I can give of the taste. Since this has started about 3 months or less ago, I've also lost about 18 lbs unintentionally. My appetite is not good at all, just no desire to eat. I dont exercise or do anything so that cant be the cause.  I also recently developed these strange muscle spasms/twinges, and muscle cramps everywhere, this started about 3-4 weeks ago, before they started I was having muscle pains in my thighs, and calves, and it would switch from one to the other throughout the day.  I also get them in my arms, and sometimes feels like in my head. I get the twitches everywhere, legs, arms, eye.  And I have musle pains in my legs all day, mainly in back of calves. My urine is ALWAYS very clear, no color to it at all. I'm also constantly fatigued all day, no matter how much I sleep it seems like Im just worn out and tired.  What could all these symptoms be of?  Dr ordered blood work for thyroid,CBC,kidney,liver,electrolytes,B12 all was normal. Seems like my palpitations are getting worse also with it and my chest feels weird at times. Also have been getting like cold sweats and temporary nausea.  Just seems like all the symptoms are becoming more prominant and more often. The leg pain and the bad taste in mouth is the most constant.

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

It must be emphasized that in the majority of cases muscle twitches are benign meaning that they are of no consequence and are not resulting from a serious cause. In such cases, the twitches may be related to anxiety/stress, caffeine, and often occur after recent strenuous activity or muscle over-use. It is important in such cases to reduce stress/anxiety levels and to reduce caffeine intake. Tremors of the hands can be physiological that is exacerbated by stress/anxiety and caffeine.

Benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS) is a condition in which there are involuntary twitches of various muscle groups, most commonly the legs but also the face, arms, eyes, and tongue. If the diagnosis is confirmed and other causes are excluded, it can be safely said that the likelihood of progression or occurrence of a serious neurologic condition is low.

When BFS is present but not particularly bothersome or disabling, treatment is not necessary. If severe and it requires treatment, there are a few medication options though this condition is not very common, and the research that has been done on its treatment is limited. Minimizing caffeine and stress, and treating anxiety if it is present, will improve your symptoms.

However in general (and please understand I am not trying to imply I feel this is the case in you), when fasciculations occur in the setting of associated symptoms such as progressive loss of sensation, tingling or numbness, weakness, trouble swallowing and other symptoms, the cause may be due to a peripheral nervous system problem. In general the symptoms would not be episodic and triggered by certain things but would be more constant/frequent without consistent triggers. The location of the problem could be the anterior horn cells, the area where the nerves that supply motor innervation to our body come from. These are the cells that give off the nerves that allow us to voluntarily contract our muscles. The diseases that might affect the anterior horn cells include ALS (also called Lou Gherig's disease), a condition called spinal muscular atrophy, polio-like viruses, west nile virus, and other infections.

Another nervous system problem, neuropathy, may also lead to fasciculations. There will again be associated weakness or sensory changes. Others include hypocalcemia, thyroid disorder, and, if the symptoms migrate, seizures.

Often these symptoms may reflect emotional/psychiatric problems related to stress (what is called somatization disorder). The latter is a true medical condition whereby instead of a patient experiencing depression or anxiety, they experience physical symptoms, and once the stress is addressed, the symptoms resolve.

The strange taste in your mouth may be associated or may not be associated. It seems that this may be your primary problem. Have you seen a gastroenterologist or a dentist? The strange taste could be acid reflux, but it would also be important to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy.

I would suggest you follow up with your primary physician and perhaps a dentist. You may also ask your primary care physician if being checked for Whipples would be indicated

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

[stevencook2323]

Also have very  loose stools ALL the time.

[stevencook2323]

i also wake up at EXACTLY around 4:30am every morning with racing and skipping heartbeat, what could cause this at the same time every morning, think its the VT?