twitching over a year

[cdfixer]

I started twitching in my right calf over a year ago. It progressed to my left calf,toes,buttocks,arms and upper leg muscles. on occasion there is a weak feeling as an overexerted muscle. I went to a neurologist a little over a month and a half after this started and had EMG and nerve conduction study as well as complete blood tests. All came back negative for anything other than slightly elevated liver enzymes. The fasciculations are worse at times and then I don't notice them for several weeks. Now they are back and I feel as if my knees are weak and there are times when I slightly get off balanced. This comes and goes. I also had a MRI and it was normal. I am presently taking .5mg klonopin at night. My toes are moving and sometimes cramp at night. What is going on???

[ggreg]

Dear Fixer,
Yes, I forgot to mention it was my bad back that triggered the RLS.  Another thing, RLS usually starts in the right calf, like yours did.
GG

[irish27]

I had symptoms of muscle twitching, facial twitching, spastic body movements, myoclonus, rapid eye blinking, progressed to unable to move legs at times along with leg weakness at times. I also experienced photic stimulation and audible stimulation that caused myoclonic jerking or "psychogenic seizures" or manifestations. All my tests were negative: EEG's, MRI's, CT's, spinal tap, bloodwork, etc...They finally concluded I had brain conversion disorder.  I have been dealing with it for three years. The only thing that has helped me has been cognitive therapy.  Benzodiazipines help some for anxiety. This disorder is brought on by one's nervous system being overstressed due to anxiety, stress, depression. Sometimes one has had a history of emotional/ sexual/ physical abuse.  In my case--emotional. I was working two jobs, taking care of family, working nights with lack of sleep and extremely anxious about a new monitoring system being implemented with my job in the sleep lab.  The anxiety rose to an elevated level, and I asked for a med to 'help out". They gave me a sample of a SSRI--zoloft.  Within days, twitching occurred first in my leg then to my face and then I could not speak. I think the zoloft started the ball rolling, but all the
neuro people think no...hmmm. Also, pfizer refused to answer my question whether
the med could cause permanent nerve damage...hmmmm.  Irregardless, the cognitive
therapy has helped irregardless of relapses.  Take care and hope you find an answer

[cdfixer]

I forgot to mention I have been diagnosed with moderate to severe arthritis of the spine.

[ggreg]

Sounds a little like Restless Legs Syndrome, but when you said your toes cramp up, made me think of iron and potassium deficiency.  Your doc can see if you have any deficiency by drawing more blood, and you could try taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement with those items in it, take it a couple times a week, and see does that help.  Also, sometimes a bad back can cause this sort of thing if it hurts, particularly in the lumbar spine, might be that's why your leg muscles (and other ones) are bothering you, in which case perhaps prescribed physical therapy might help.  Otherwise, like I said, sounds like RLS, and that is treated by medications, with mild opiates the best drug for it, makes your legs settle down.  I have RLS and even with meds, I have seen the muscles in my calves rippling, usually when I've been up and around too much, and I'll take some support knee-high stockings and pull them on, and the compression is just enough to let me fall asleep... heat also helps them not ache so much.