Muscle twitching, cramping, numbness in forearms. Fear of ALS.

[zny444]

Hello, I am a 29 y/old male.



Thank you for taking the time to read this...



3 months ago I was diagnosed with lower back problems (slight stenosis, and right facet joint arthritis). Referred to pain managment specialist and was given two spinal cortizone injections (lumbar/right facet joint). Upon resting at home, I noticed muscle twitching in my right calf muscle. I thought it was nothing at first but recently they have gotten worse. To make a long story short... I have had a nervous breakdown two weeks ago followed by deep depression. I think I have this horrible disease. I have seen 3 Neurologists (two of which at Universty of Penn) and my primary doctor and all have told me that I suffer from anxiety and to see a psycologist. The twitching has not stopped and I am noticing I wake at night to numbness in my forearms that eventually goes away. I also have noticed slight shaking/tremor in my right arm, a slight tremoring in my lower jaw, a slight indent in my right calf (which is more seen when flexed), cold sweats at night (waking drenched), sever eye floaters, sever left scitatic pain (not shooting/kills me when cough/sneeze), more blurry vision and a feeling of something in the back of my throat. I am walking fine, drinking and eating fine (although my stomach has been very upset these last weeks). I have also been crying to wife about all this every other day. I am at a loss here as I feel my life has been taken from me. I have had a cspine MRI to rule out fibro, bloodwork for vitamin deficancy all negative. The univeristy DRs did not recommend an EMG. PLS help!

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

The fact that 3 neurologist have evaluated and examined you, and not found an abnormality is good news and should be encouraging. Its good that they have not found a serious neurological disease! Based on your symptoms, there is no indication for an EMG, but check with your doctor if you have not asked already as I do not know your full case.



Sometimes the body reacts to stress and depression not just in emotional ways but in physical ways - the brain has control over th e whole body not just thinking and emotion. Getting the brain chemistries back in balance with therapy and medications like SSRIs will hopefully resolve these symptoms also.



Good luck

[motheroftwo]

Your symptoms do not indicate ALS to me.



Good luck!

[jmomtotc]

This sounds exactly like what is happening to me.  I have been suffering symptoms like these as well as some skin rashes and bumps under skin.  I've had a battery of blood tests and a normal mri.  I am scheduled for an emg in two weeks.  My family doctor thinks this is anxiety and has prescribed paxil.  I have not decided whether or not to take it.  I don't believe I can go from a normal happy healthy 30 yr old to a stressed out mess for no reason.  Please let us know what you find out.

[Floxie99]

Out of curiousity, have you, in the past year, been treated with a fluoroquinolone-based antibiotic (levaquin, tequin, cipro, floxin, etc)? If so, you may be suffering from an adverse reaction to that drug. These reactions can come on long after you are treated, and cause long-lasting symptoms like you are experiencing. The use of steroids often exacerbates the effects greatly.

Very often those hurt think they have MS, or ALS, or fibromyalgia, or a host of other maladies.



If you are suffering these weird symptoms, I suggest you check out the following sites:

www.medicationsense.com

www.fqvictims.org

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones

[zny444]

Nope, never took any of those drugs (at least I don't know if I did). Is this something that they would use in cortisone shots? I read that the dyes used in floroscopy can cause problems.



Forgot to mention... I'm also on Paxil and just got back from my first psycologist appt and was prescribed Abilify as well. Was diagnosed as being manic and bipolar. Not sure what else to do at this point... still scared, nervous and feeling twitches now in my face and arms. Wish I could wake up from this nightmare.

[Floxie99]

Nope, they aren't in cortisone shots, but cortisone shots can increase their effects on people.



Levaquin, tequin, cipro, avelox are the most common flouroquinolone drugs.

[zny444]

I don't want to say I "wish" I took those meds but... there is no explanation to these twitches. Forgot to mention the DRs all said I have BFS but I'm having a hard time with that diag. The reason being is the cramping in my calfs, the joints cracking and the indent in my right calf muscle.

[Floxie99]

You may have realized this by now, but BFS, like fibromyalgia, is one of those diagnoses used when doctors don't have any idea what is causing your symptoms.  It isn't really a diagnosis, but more of an inability to diagnose.

[zny444]

I just hope there all right... that there benign and nothing to worry about. What scares me the most is the vibrating in my lower jaw now. Its not like a tremor where my teeth would chatter when there together but more of a vibration. I also notice an engine noise when I plug my ears with my fingers. Man I hope this is all stress/anxiety. thanks for all your comments!

[upnorthjewel]

My dad died from ALS and he didn't really have the twitching so much, ALS causes more muscle cramps.  So much so that you would need medication to stop the cramps. And then ofcourse progressive weakness.  Also, it usually starts in the hands and feet (the cramps).  It really is a rare disease.  I have posted my question in the "Undiagnosed" forum, and one of my problems is twitching.  So I go through days thinking I have ALS too.  My Neuro says anxiety.  My therapist says twitching is a big symptom of anxiety. Who knew? Take Care!!