Back Pain before BFS?

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TwitchyTot101

Well-known member
Does anyone recall having back problems prior to their BFS?

My symptoms seemed to start about the same time I had some painful lower back problems. (about a month after and after chiropractor)
 
I also had mild back problems before twitching - it was pain in lower back, but not very often (once a month). I don't think that there is any connection in my case.

Marcin
 
Hi twitch,
I have had years of degenerative disc problems, started in my early 30's. To make a long story short, I have had months of problems followed by months of relief. My problem was my cervial 4-5 disc and lumbar 5- sacral 1 disc. Yes, I feel for sure that it makes the fasciculations worse. I had an MRI of both disc areas this year to see how they looked. Not much has changed, but "nothing alarming" either. My back doc said that if you have any type of irratation on the spinal cord it can cause all types of symptoms including making fasiculations worse.

I get frustrated when they don't go away and feel that there are many different reasons why we have them. Why is it that some people have neurological problems after the flu shot? Yes, it's extremely rare, but it does happen. BFS is pretty darn uncommon, so why do we have it? The million dollar question, I suppose.

Take care
 
I too feel your frustration Susan. Do you feel that your BFS is a result of a Flu shot? I often wonder if it was the Flu shot which brought on my BFS. If I had thought that there was any concern I would've never had had that shot. I was at the doctor for something unrelated and just thought that while I was there I get the shot, kill two birds with one stone, hmmmm. I was also under a lot of stress at the time. I guess I'll never know.

Ray
 
Hi Ray,

Regarding the flu shot. There is documentation that some people can have a neurological side effects from the flu shot (not permanent), but it's evidence that isn't really well documented and hard to find. Like all immunizations, there is a very small risk, but the risk of dying from the disease is far greater without the immunzation...especially people who are in high risk groups (elderly, immuno compromised, people with certain diseases).
I know people who won't get a flu shot if their life depended upon it and many are lined up for it, even thougth they aren't in a high risk category. That's a hard one.
Sue :)
 
About one week prior to the onset of my fasciculations, I had terrible upper back & neck pain. It was just starting to subside when my fasciculations began. In fact, I was scheduled to see my GP about the back and neck pain (for a while, I could barely turn my head w/o shooting pain), but ended up discussing the fasciculations more, instead. I've heard one might cause the other, but I really don't know for sure.

Steve
 
Interesting! I haven't heard of that one yet...maybe you could request an MRI of the upper spine to check for any signs of compression? Since they happened so close together there must be some sort of relationship...

I have heard people say that their neuros diagnosed the cause of their twitching being from disc problems. I don't know much about it though.

Jen
 
I had a disc removed in my lower back many years ago. I still have back pain from time to time. Oddly, the leg that had all the pain and problems is the same leg that is twitching! The neuro that did my disc removal surgery said my sciatic nerve was completely bent! Makes me wonder . . . also, my left calf has some residual numbness ever since the surgery. Sometimes when I shave that leg, I can't feel it and I cut myself?

peg
 
Peg:

I would explore this further, given your back history and that your twitching is happening in an area that is related to the problem area from before.
 
I just saw my back doctor the day before the twitching started too!

I have read where disc problems can cause numbness and even twitching -- and a neck disc problem can even affect the legs. I have disc problems in both my neck and back.

Of course, this doesn't explain why the twitching has now spread to my other calf! :( (In some ways, a good sign.)

I will mention it if it doesn't resolve in a few weeks. My psychiatrist swears the SSRI caused it. We'll see.

Peg
 
First off, I do not believe that there is any conection between BfS and back or disc problems. There may be some conection between twitching and back problems ,this I will grant you .

But this does bring up a funny story about my first " Neurologist". After going through many of the same fears and ,and the same test that many of us have , I was sent to a Neurologist . He was a kind and gentle man ,but he reminded my of Carl, from the movie Sling Blade , uuh huu
After the basic Neurological exam ,he ordered an MRI on my brain and my back . These ,thank God were both clear , and so was the Nerve conduction study on my legs ,
At this point he was fishing for answers and ordered more blood work. Again, the results were normal . Then " DR. Carl " tells my that despite the clear MRI that he thouhgt I had a ruptured disc in my lwer back ,and ordered a Spinal Tap . It was at this point that I said good bye " Carl " and and ran like h___ to another Neurologist , who diagnosed BFS .

So my advice to all , is to never stay two minutes in a room with a man that reminds you of a Killer on the big Screen , no matter whow desperate you are for answers .

John
 
Ha ha, too funny. Good advice though.
There was this one guy in one of my classes here at Texas State (I can't get used to calling it that...) that reminded me of Keifer Sutherland in that movie he made with Reese Witherspoon...Freeway or something like that, where he played a serial killer. Creeped me out for a whole semester. Ewww!

Jen
 
i just had an mdi of my lower back. My chiropracter wanted to see whatg was going on have had back pain and lately fatigue in legs came back. just as he suspected I have 2 bulging disks in lower back with a little athritis he thinks I've probaly had it for 10 years and reagraveted it. Thats why the fatigue in my legs gets so bad.
Paul
 
Paul,

What does the chiro. recommend as a course of treatment? I too have a slight bulging disc. I think it was L4 or L5. Keep us posted.

Gary
 
i've had misc back/neck problems for 10+ years. I just found out via MRI about two herniated disks in my neck (c5/c6, c6/c7). My GP said he's amazed at how many people he sees my age (35) that have this problem, who don't participate in any rough activities. He thinks there may be some genetic component. I think my mom had lots of back issues.

Anyway, my neuro said that my twitching could be caused by the herniations. Not sure that makes sense to me, as I've had them head to toe at one point or another. But, then again, maybe slight pressure on the spinal cord could cause a "misfire" anywhere. I'm wondering if I have other disc problems elsewhere in my back...I'm pretty sure that I do. I'll ask more about this at my next neuro follow-up appt.
 
I've had burning off and on between my shoulder blades for years with occasional loss of fine motor skills (went to chiropractor). Didn't find out till my MRI in July that I had severe bulging discs in C5/C6 area.

Very interesting...

Bree
 
Yes, yes!!
I started twitching after six months of walking a lot while wearing terribly fitting shoes and carrying a heavy bookbag. Then, I fell down some stairs. After the fall is when I started twitching. I always consoled myself by believing that it was just a pinched nerve and not ms or some other degenerative disease....maybe bad alignment is the key after all!
Stress, anxiety (tense muscles)+bad alignment+caffeine-magnesium=BFS?

Ann
 

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