Twitching and terrifed

[Karen]

I've been twitching all over now for about 11 months. Sometimes you can see the skin move, like in my hands, feet and face. It started december 99' last year, now being september 13 2000. Since it started I've had an MRI of the head and spine 3 emgs and nerve conduction studies - one performed by a different neuro (second opinion). My last emg and NCS was 3 weeks ago. Every test has come back normal, including physical examinations by the two neurologists. Both said BFS. I don't have any weakness. My neurologist is very well re-spected and I don't have any wish to see another one but it's not getting any better and I'm just terrified that I have ALS. I'm 31 years old with a husband and a 2 year old daugther that I absolutely adore and the thought of maybe having ALS and thus not being able to see her grow up is breaking my heart, I'm getting to the stage where I'm crying alot, thinking that I've only got so much time left. I know this sounds completely melo-dramatic but If it was just me I had to worry about then it would be a different story, I probably wouldn't care. I just really need some answers because I feel like my life has stopped due to fear of this disease. As I said before I really respect my neurologist but I don't feel comfortable asking him lots of questions. How long after twitching starts does it take to show up on an EMG if you have ALS? Please help.
                   Karen

[candace]

I'm an 18 year old female and for about 6 months now I've been twitching.  It's getting worse and worse as time  progresses.  I twitch everywhere: nose, palms,feet,legs,toes,abdomen,thighs,buttox, fingers,shoulders,back,side,eyes,lips--everywhere.  Sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy.  And when I am alone, I just cry.  I feel like my body is in constant motion.  It feels like the blood is not following properly. In addition, I have "spasms". My hands also shake and I get headaches regularly.  I cannot stand still. I cannot lie still and therefore it's very hard for me to fall asleep at night and being asleep is the only thing I want to do. Nintey percent of my thoughts each day is focused on my "condition".  I cannot concentrate in school. Sometimes, because of the shaking,  it's too difficult for me to type in my Word Processing Course and I frequently find myself concentrating on the speed of my twitching instead of what is being taught in class.  I've been to my doctor.  She took a blood test where she looked @ my hemoglobin and tested me for diabetes.  A week later, she told me there was nothing medically wrong and refered me to a counsellor.  I'm not satisfied with what she's told me. I feel disgusted with myself.  My self-esteem is too low for me to live like a regular teenager.  I don't want to die, but I don't want to live.  I'm glad I found this forum because I really needed a place to vent.  No one understands me, and it seems like no one cares.  Can anyone tell me if the twitching will ever stop? Can anyone tell me of any chatrooms I can go to.  I really need someone to talk to.


p.s I still thank GOD that I am alive.

[Desiree]

I was on several antibiotics & do believe twitches started after or inbetween them. Cipro was one of them.It has been about 4 to 5 months sporadically in wrist & anywhere. Have not noticed in face.

[lisa]

HI-I AM A REGISTRED NURSE WHO BEGAN TWITCHING ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO AFTER A VIRUS AND A ROUND OF ANTIBIOTICS FOR A UTI-I FOUND THE EARLIER POST INTERESTING RE: THE POSS LINK BETWEEN CIPRO PRIOR TO TWITCHING. THE PAST 2 MONTHS MY TWITCHES ALMOST DIMINISHED COMPLETELY. THOUGH AFTER A RECENT ROUND OF ANTIBITICS AGAIN 2 WEEKS AGO FOR ANOTHER UTI, I HAVE BEEN TWITCHING QUITE SEVERELY AGAIN AND IT IS DRIVING ME NUTS FROM HEAD TO TOE, SOMETIMES PRETTY DEEP MUSLCE TWITCHES. I DO HOWEVER TAKE NEURONTIN WHICH HAS DONE WONDERS FOR ME. MY NEURO ALSO SPEAKS VERY HIGHLY OF IT.
I KNOW THIS WHOLE THING CAN DRIVE YOU CRAZY SOMETIMES.

[Kay to Laurell]

Many thanks for the Mass  General Website!!  We truly are not alone or going crazy.  It is a great comfort to me to know that SO many people have the smae symptoms.  I hate to think that I have only been going through this for a month and that it could go on for years...did you read the postings about Gatorade????  I was on that Sugar Busters diet, and I have not had a banana for about a YEAR.  I can't believe it is potassium imbalance.  I also suffer from General Anxiety Disorder so that accounts for  alot of this.  Also, Calcium imbalance causes fasciculations.  I am looking for a cause for this all day long, and can barely get my work done....

[Kay to Laurell]

Many thanks for your reply.  I am going to go on that web right away.  I posted a very long message this afternoon that never got posted...I twitched all day, with numbness in my tongue, feet, and spasms in my fingers!  I went out to dinner, had two glasses of wine, and of course feel better, but STILL feel the twitching in my legs.  It is non stop.  I have been taking valium, and someone has said that it may be the problem!  I also am on estrogen and fosamax!

[Kay]

Many thanks for your reassurance!!!  I was hoping to hear from someone as this is my first time on this web.  I twitched ALL day today in my legs especially, but I also have had some numbness in the left side of my tongue on and off for 3 weeks.  NO slurring, swallowing or speech difficulties or any weakness anywhere, and today I had tingling in my feet.  (I had this about 5 years ago and it went away after I was checked out by a neuro).  I know that it is all anxiety.  I am a TOTALLY type A hard worker and am very stressed out lately.  Now my two middle fingers on my left hand are jerking....The regular twitching has been going on for a month. It started in my calves, and has moved around alot.  My legs are SO twitchy that it has turned into an all over tingling!!! My father-in-law died of ALS 5 years ago, and it still haunts me.  I am very aware of all of the symptoms, tho I don't think that the tingling and numbness in the feet is not typical of ALS.  I am going to try and get up my nerve to see a doctor next week.  But I think that the longer I hold out without ANY weakness, the better off I am.....I also grind my teeth at night terribly, am on Fosamax and Estrogen!