Hi Doc,
Thanks for your very informative and partially reassuring answer. All though it will take more confidence from myself obviously to get past these somewhat irrational fears, considering the circumstances.
However, you mentioned "twitching" in your answer. I never mentioned twitching...did you perhaps mean tingling? FYI- I actually have gotten some muscle twitching now that you mention it. Are you reading my mind? LOL
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 your doctor.
Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
You are correct that your symptoms could be symptoms of small fiber or large fiber neuropathy. However, given that your symptoms are intermittent, and can completely be absent for times and return at others, this seems less likely. Also, a normal physical examination makes large fiber neuropathy unlikely, though small fber neuropathy could still be a possibility. (There are 2 types of nerves in our body, large and small. The small nerve endings supply the skin and sweat glands. There are two types of sensory neuropathy: small fiber and large fiber (depending on the size of the nerves affected). The diagnosis of large fiber neuropathy is made by findings on a test called EMG/NCS which assess how well the nerve conduct electricity and how well muscles respond. Other tests are used to diagnose small fiber neuropathy. But again, your symptoms are less likely to be neuropathy given your description of them.
Regarding the twitching your experience, this may be benign fasciculation syndrome, which I will abbreviate as BFS. It 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. 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.
It is certainly possible that you may be having some withdrawal from benzodiazepines, and if this is the case, these symptoms should resolve with time. If you feel your anxiety and depression are not under control, I recommend you discuss this with your GP as there are many medications such as SSRIs (like prozac, celexa, lexapro etc) which can be used to treat both anxiety and depression and they are not addicting.
Again, while your symptom description does not sound like a serious neurologic disorder, I can not of course reassure you further without obtaining a history and examining you. I recommend continued follow-up with your GP, with referral to a neurologist as he/she sees fit.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.