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Undiagnosed Muscle Cramps, twitches, and spasms. Need relief...
Hello,
I am a 22 year old female. My illness started just under a year ago. I woke up in the middle of the night with a severe "charlie horse" cramp in my right calf. It lasted 15 mins, and returned again for a second time half an hour later. The next morning i had sever bruising where the cramp was from what appeared to be torn muscles. I was fine for a few days, but then began experiencing a shooting pain whenever i stepped on the outer pad of my right foot. This lasted a week, and from then on my symptoms began to expand.
I started feeling a constant twitching in my right calf muscle, like when you're tired and your eye twitches. It was not visible to the naked eye as it was far enough under the skin to not be seen. I began to notice that any strain on the muscle at all would cause it to seize into a charlie horse cramp. I slowly over the next month began to notice this up my entire right side. A yawn would cause my neck to seize up. Bending over would cause my side to seize up. Writing too long would seize my hand up. And even the slightest movement of my foot would send my leg into the most severe of cramps. When my calves cramp up it looks as though there is water boiling under my skin. It bubbles, pops, ripples, and spasms in an utterly painful and disturbing display.
I had bloodwork done which revealed everything was normal and I was sent to a neurologist. My neurologist preformed an EMG and NCS, which came back normal. I was then sent to have a c-spine MRI done. It revealed that my spine was begining to curve in the wrong direction which i'm told is common for people presenting with muscle cramps. I had an MRI done, with and without contrast, revealing nothing. I had an angiogram done which also revealed nothing.
I was sent to physical therapy which only proved to make my condition worse. By this time the sypmtoms had progressed through my entire body, not just my right side. they tried several medications, none of which helped. I also began to notice rapidly decreasing vision, incontinence, abnormal hair growth, difficulty swallowing, inability to concentrate, ringing in my ears, exhaustion, inability to fall asleep, and stiffness in my joints.
I saw a neuro-muscular specialist at a large presitigous medical college who suggested i inject botox into my legs to stop them from cramping. I have seen so many neurologists now that i'm beginning to feel its hopeless. This illness has comepletely taken over my life and I am so tired from fighting it 24/7. It affects every decision i make and follows me everywhere relentlessly. I am currently on a trial of baclophen which seems to be making things worse, as did most the muscle relaxants i was put on. My new neurologist told me that my best bet is to simply try medications untill i find one that treats the symptoms well enough to make it from one day to the next. This was the most devistating blow yet. I cannot accept that i may suffer from this for the next 60 years of my life with no answers. It cant be normal for a 22 year old to pray to god every night that they find something in her blood work or MRIs... so that the mystery can be solved.
Please, if you have any notion as to what may be causing these ailments, or if there is another doctor i should be seeing, please let me know. I am so despirate for answers.
-Adriane
I am a 22 year old female. My illness started just under a year ago. I woke up in the middle of the night with a severe "charlie horse" cramp in my right calf. It lasted 15 mins, and returned again for a second time half an hour later. The next morning i had sever bruising where the cramp was from what appeared to be torn muscles. I was fine for a few days, but then began experiencing a shooting pain whenever i stepped on the outer pad of my right foot. This lasted a week, and from then on my symptoms began to expand.
I started feeling a constant twitching in my right calf muscle, like when you're tired and your eye twitches. It was not visible to the naked eye as it was far enough under the skin to not be seen. I began to notice that any strain on the muscle at all would cause it to seize into a charlie horse cramp. I slowly over the next month began to notice this up my entire right side. A yawn would cause my neck to seize up. Bending over would cause my side to seize up. Writing too long would seize my hand up. And even the slightest movement of my foot would send my leg into the most severe of cramps. When my calves cramp up it looks as though there is water boiling under my skin. It bubbles, pops, ripples, and spasms in an utterly painful and disturbing display.
I had bloodwork done which revealed everything was normal and I was sent to a neurologist. My neurologist preformed an EMG and NCS, which came back normal. I was then sent to have a c-spine MRI done. It revealed that my spine was begining to curve in the wrong direction which i'm told is common for people presenting with muscle cramps. I had an MRI done, with and without contrast, revealing nothing. I had an angiogram done which also revealed nothing.
I was sent to physical therapy which only proved to make my condition worse. By this time the sypmtoms had progressed through my entire body, not just my right side. they tried several medications, none of which helped. I also began to notice rapidly decreasing vision, incontinence, abnormal hair growth, difficulty swallowing, inability to concentrate, ringing in my ears, exhaustion, inability to fall asleep, and stiffness in my joints.
I saw a neuro-muscular specialist at a large presitigous medical college who suggested i inject botox into my legs to stop them from cramping. I have seen so many neurologists now that i'm beginning to feel its hopeless. This illness has comepletely taken over my life and I am so tired from fighting it 24/7. It affects every decision i make and follows me everywhere relentlessly. I am currently on a trial of baclophen which seems to be making things worse, as did most the muscle relaxants i was put on. My new neurologist told me that my best bet is to simply try medications untill i find one that treats the symptoms well enough to make it from one day to the next. This was the most devistating blow yet. I cannot accept that i may suffer from this for the next 60 years of my life with no answers. It cant be normal for a 22 year old to pray to god every night that they find something in her blood work or MRIs... so that the mystery can be solved.
Please, if you have any notion as to what may be causing these ailments, or if there is another doctor i should be seeing, please let me know. I am so despirate for answers.
-Adriane
It wouldn't hurt to try a chiropractor as they have more education in the area of muscle, joint and tendons. It is really hard to find a real good one though.
I was convinced when I was 50ish and had lower back pain so bad I eventually couldn't get out of bed except painful trips to the bathroom. My daughter suggested I go to her friends father, a chiropractor which I did. My husband carried into his office and I walked out after an adjustment. He said it wouldn't last and I had to go 3 times a week, then 2, then 1, then every other week, etc. I am 81 now and my chiropractor says my back is better than most 40 year olds. I am very active, Love to do gardening, landscaping, and refurbish houses, to date. Just got my new dirty house and in the middle of a complete restoration. It's horrible right now. No one can believe how active I am. Thanks to Dr Brinkley, probably now deceased. Carolee
I was convinced when I was 50ish and had lower back pain so bad I eventually couldn't get out of bed except painful trips to the bathroom. My daughter suggested I go to her friends father, a chiropractor which I did. My husband carried into his office and I walked out after an adjustment. He said it wouldn't last and I had to go 3 times a week, then 2, then 1, then every other week, etc. I am 81 now and my chiropractor says my back is better than most 40 year olds. I am very active, Love to do gardening, landscaping, and refurbish houses, to date. Just got my new dirty house and in the middle of a complete restoration. It's horrible right now. No one can believe how active I am. Thanks to Dr Brinkley, probably now deceased. Carolee
Ive been experiencing EVERY symptom like this for months!! And im also adding memory issues and on ocassion im told im slurring my words. Ive had an mri in the past that revealed 3 nonspecific lesions on my brain which im told can appear after a bad headache or mild bump to the head...I suffer from migraines and was a martial artist..I havent been able to go to class much these days. So I was told its not MS. I still think this is untrue..I sometimes freeze for a couple of seconds ...my mind has told my body to take a step, but movement is delayed...so I am also thinking PD..im only 45...im in nursjng school and it has been very difficult because im havjng such a hard time with memory. I may have to quit school. I'm glad I found this thread because now I know I'm not crazy. My current neurologist is very obtuse as most are, so I have a new appg with a new one in 4 months. Thats the soonest appt lol thank you
I am so unbelievably surprised that not one person has mentioned hypothyroidism. All of these symptoms, down to a T fit the description I have fought with. A VERY long story short, the first time my full panel blood work came back everything was "normal" then 6 ,on this later, same tests, different doctor, my TSH was abnormally high at a 97.13H on a range of 0.4-4.0, and my TPO AB antibodies were a staggering 569H on a range that is supposed to be under 35. Test. Test. And test again. I am very strongly adamant that many doctors do not realize how unbelievably strong our thyroid impacts our body. It is literally as if it is another brain. Some people were thought to be scicotic and out in insane asylums long ago, only to find out in a examination of there deceased body that they in fact had a goiter and an abnormally scared over thyroid. I have had an ultra sound of my thyroid and my endocrinologist tells me that me thryroid has been beat up by my own immun system for years. I will also tell you that any and all auto immune diseases can cause hypothyroidism, as well as pregnancy and many other causes. Look it up. Stand up for your life and find a doctor who is will to help and keep helping.
-Rachel RockHardAngel Thyroid Fighter!
-Rachel RockHardAngel Thyroid Fighter!
wow, your description of symptoms are so like my own! I was put on a gluten, dairy and sugar free diet in January of 2013. I never cheated. By March, the cramps started. I had NEVER had leg cramps in my life. Now, the toes bend down by themselves and if I don't stand up, it moves up the leg even to my thigh! Had problems start in my left eye in July, floaters, dry eye, then pain and it just didn't feel right. It is June 2014, my retina detached May 14 and had emergency surgery -- had to warn the surgeon that the toes might start cramping during surgery. I have tried Magnesium Malate (take it every day), take potasium powder, calcium and now vitamin B complex -- drink at least 64 oz of water a day ... the cramps are now worse. Glueten must have a mineral or affect body chemistry a postive way even with all the bad . . . I am 55, exercise regulary, but cramping gets worse if I get tired.
i have the same thing. the doctors have done an MRI and 2 EMG's and blood tests. all come back with nothing abnormal. "the good news is we found nothing wrong, the bad news we still don't know why you are having these nerve and muscle cramp issues." that news is just blaaa. flat. i don't know what to call it. it basically tells me that i am going to be on muscle relaxers forever and one day i think i'll have so many cramps at one time i wont be able to speak (my throat cramped up like yours...it was scary!!!!) i've tried more potassium, more magnesium, more calcium.... nothing works. braggs vinegar, leg cramp pills my dad bought for me from a health store, liquid supplements..... nothing ever helps. it's getting worse. when i put on my socks my left upper ab cramps up. my feet cramps, calf cramps, side calves, a toe moved on its own and went sideways. i have been getting cramps on my under belly and it feels like with that cramp my body wants to close in half like a clam shell. i think it has something to do with my blood not delivering the nutrients and oxygen to my muscles. but i don't know how to fix it. i have recently started taking Laminine. it's only been a few days so i am not sure. but check them out. i just wanted to reach out and just tell you i have the same issues and if it makes you feel crazy, nutty, and heart ache because you can't find a curse AND it ***** having these interruptions all the time! we just want to live but not with this electrical nerve storm going on in out body wondering when these nerve twitches will turn into a pulling of the muscles otherwise known as a cramp. Oh, i hate having to JUMP out of bed in the middle of the night to stretch out the cramps when all i want to do is SLEEP. Errrrr, right!? Good luck my friend. Shell from so cal.
2 Comments
i have the same thing. the doctors have done an MRI and 2 EMG's and blood tests. all come back with nothing abnormal. "the good news is we found nothing wrong, the bad news we still don't know why you are having these nerve and muscle cramp issues." that news is just blaaa. flat. i don't know what to call it. it basically tells me that i am going to be on muscle relaxers forever and one day i think i'll have so many cramps at one time i wont be able to speak (my throat cramped up like yours...it was scary!!!!) i've tried more potassium, more magnesium, more calcium.... nothing works. braggs vinegar, leg cramp pills my dad bought for me from a health store, liquid supplements..... nothing ever helps. it's getting worse. when i put on my socks my left upper ab cramps up. my feet cramps, calf cramps, side calves, a toe moved on its own and went sideways. i have been getting cramps on my under belly and it feels like with that cramp my body wants to close in half like a clam shell. i think it has something to do with my blood not delivering the nutrients and oxygen to my muscles. but i don't know how to fix it. i have recently started taking Laminine. it's only been a few days so i am not sure. but check them out. i just wanted to reach out and just tell you i have the same issues and if it makes you feel crazy, nutty, and heart ache because you can't find a curse AND it ***** having these interruptions all the time! we just want to live but not with this electrical nerve storm going on in out body wondering when these nerve twitches will turn into a pulling of the muscles otherwise known as a cramp. Oh, i hate having to JUMP out of bed in the middle of the night to stretch out the cramps when all i want to do is SLEEP. Errrrr, right!? Good luck my friend. Shell from so cal.
2 Comments
I've had all of this for 15 years. Blood work was always negative. I've needed called crazy, all in my head and just looking for pain killers. I finally found a rheumatologist to work with me. Even though my blood was negative for RA he put me on Plaquinel, an RA medication. Within 4 days all of my symptoms were cured. I bet so many people are suffering this odd form of RA because their blood is clean and the doctor is dismissing it for something else.
I have the exact same thing. They even gave me nitro pills for the esophageal spasms that feel like a heart attack! I now for sure have peripheral neuropathy, but I'm not a diabetic and they can't give me a reason whyou I have it. Every test they have done, I have prayed they found something wrong with me. Everytime I was disappointed and told everything turned out normal. I know something is wrong and I don't know if they will ever figure it out, so in the mean time I just have to take a different pill to treat every symptom. Just wanted yall to know that ur not alone.
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