Shaking fingers, thumbs cramping and a whole body spasm

[lizetal]

I recently gave birth to my 2nd baby (april 21st 2011) and i was told that the thumb cramping and shaking fingers; starting while i was pregnant, will go away after delivery; well It actually got worse, it usually happens in the mornings and some times afternoons... and now, starting a week ago i feel like a spasm of electricity in my whole body, as if a got shocked and it lasts 2 or 3 seconds about three times a day. I am not taking anything else but prenatal vitamins (because i EBF my baby) and not sick with anything else. This is really unusual for me, because it doesn't feel muscular, it kind of feels more like the nervous system. Any suggestion or idea of what could this be?

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. You need to be investigated for vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiency manifest due to dietary deficiency since dietary requirements increase antenatally. Rule out any nerve compression, meralgia paresthetica and prolapsed cervical intervertebral disc. Your neurologist needs to get an MRI spine done and nerve conduction velocity NCV.  These symptoms also need exclusion of a chronic demyelinating disorder known as multiple sclerosis where the disease phase is characterized by active phase and remissions. It has multiple symptoms and signs and is a diagnosis of exclusion. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness in any area, problems with walking and coordination, tremors in one or more arms and legs. Bowel and bladder symptoms include frequency of micturition, urine leakage, eye symptoms like double vision uncontrollable rapid eye movements, facial pain, painful muscle spasms, tingling, burning in arms or legs, depression, dizziness, hearing loss, fatigue etc. The treatment is essentially limited to symptomatic therapy so the course of action would not change much whether MS has been diagnosed or not. Apart from clinical neurological examination, MRI shows MS as paler areas of demyelination, two different episodes of demyelination separated by one month in at least two different brain locations. Spinal tap is done and CSF electrophoresis reveals oligoclonal bands suggestive of immune activity, which is suggestive but not diagnostic of MS. Demyelinating neurons, transmit nerve signals slower than non-demyelinated ones and can be detected with EP tests. These are visual evoked potentials, brain stem auditory evoked response, and somatosensory evoked potential. Slower nerve responses in any one of these is not confirmatory of MS but can be used to complement diagnosis along with a neurological examination, medical history and an MRI in addition, a spinal tap. Therefore, it would be prudent to consult your neurologist with these concerns. Hope this helps. Take care.

[ggreg]

Sounds like seizure activity, causes can be several, so I think you should go ahead and visit first the person who said it would go away after delivery, and second a neurologist.  You need medicines to control seizures, they are not good for a person to have so frequently as you.  The docs can also perhaps decide WHY you are having these and then can refer you to the best specialist to handle what's causing this abnormal neurological activity in your body.