Constant Twitch for 4 Weeks: Experiences

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C

Chris2

Well-known member
hi guys its me again.
If any of you missed my numerous posts heres my deal
started in march with a constant twitch very strong in my right shoulder didnt panic till about 3 weeks later when it spread to lets just say all over.

Had first emg normal
in the course of 4 weeks saw 6 different neros for exams and consults
each said you are in great shape and nerologicly( i made that word up) fine

Had second emg 5 weeks into twitching normal with facics in legs no fibs or denervation or waves or anything go home to play with kids and stay off computer

Could not do that ...........wen to NYC Columbia saw nero muscular specialist gave exam ............said you are healthy 99.9 percent sure that this is benign but here at columbia we like to do our own emg come back in July (17)..............started panicing again ......why come back just send me home if i'm that fine .................and tell me to twitch in harmony.

unlike many of the posters here my only complaint is the twitching sometimes thighs will cramp................But my twitching is only one pop at a time in different spots all day. Not a flutter of twitching just one pop that goes off anywhere from my back to arms legs sometimes lip. Does anyone else twitch like that from what is sounds like most of you have a persistant flutter which i get from time to time in a hot spot but than it goes away the next day and just single random pops remain. Still dont know if i'm going back in July i dont know if i mentally can........i'm trying to stay positive but you all know that you are until your not and then you may have a really bad day and get "nto maybe there wrong and i will be weak in a couple of weeks mode" i'm not out to prove anybody in the medical field wrong. oh well i guess we all get into this at least i'm not on the als sites anymore only this one.....thats positive........
God Bless and Stay well everybody

Regards,

Chris
 
In review of your post I can only come to one conclusion: your going to die of old age.

Everything you said was great news - you couldn't have ALS.

We all experence different types of twitching, I would bet that no two people are the same in their expereinces.

Your description of your fasiculations are farther from ALS type twitching that I've ever read on this board.

If I was you I wouldn't have the second EMG. I had my EMG the other day and it was long and painful. Why do #2 when your doctors know your well.

If your EMG was clean, and your clinical was clean, your fine and you need to start dealing with THAT. Not dealing with diying.

In the words of Clint Eastwood: "get busy living , or get busy dying"

Actually you dont have the choice because your going to live.

Regards,
- Jeff
 
The EMG changes are referring to denervation and fibrillations, not fasciculations. The neuro will know the difference between a benign fascic and a pathological fascic. They have distinctly different patterns and lots of people have benign fascics show up on their EMG's

If the fascics are accompanied by weakness wasting and signs of nerve damage, then they are pathological, otherwise they are benign.


"Fasciculations caused by ALS are due to dying muscle tissue (actually necrotic). So, fasciculations due to ALS are always accompanied by muscle weakness and EMG changes. Benign fasciculation are not due to dying muscle tissue, but irritated muscle membranes. They are not accompanied by muscle weakness, nor are there EMG changes (meaning signs of nerve damage known as denervation). Fasciculations can be seen in a number of diseases, such as nemaline rod myopathy. So, if there is muscle weakness with EMG changes (signs of nerve damage known as denervation), then fasciculations are due to a specific disease. When they occur in isolation (as yours did on your EMG), they are usually of the benign variety. Any and every neurologist will tell you this."



Sorry for any confusion ...
Glad to hear that your EMG was clean with no denervation :)
 
Well, sort of. From what I've been told, there's no difference on an EMG between benign fascics and nasty ones. The differences come in the other signals on the EMG that indicate denervation. If you have fascics and nothing else, it's just isolated muscle fibers firing due to any number of conditions: irritated membranes, random nerve firings in the brain (heard that one on Dr. Edell's radio show a few weeks ago), etc. As long as there's no denervation, the fascics aren't a sign of any disease process.

Denervation shows up with a different EMG signature. You'd have things like sharp waves, fibrillations (you can't feel them, but they show up on EMG), reduced recruitment, and larger motor potentials. Lacking those signs, you don't have denervation; you just have benign fasciculations. As many on here have noted, benign fascics are relatively common and are not a precursor to anything bad.
 
I edited the original post because it was too lengthy but yes you are right. It's the company that the twitches keep that matters. There is so much misuse of the word fasciculation. Some people refer to all twitches as fascics and some refer to fascics as the pathological ones. But what really matters is that there are no signs of denervation, sharp waves, fibrillations, motor unit recruitment, etc.

Like my neuro said (an ALS specialist) I'm not even concerned about the twitches/fascics. ALS is not a disease of twitching. It's a disease of weakness. That weakness is caused by denervation (the nerve being withdrawn from the muscle)...
 
Here's a ton of quotes to put the mind at ease. Alonzo gathered these from the Cleveland Clinic Neurologists and there are lots of facts about BFS and ALS. I hope they help, they have certainly encouraged me :)
 
Awsome post guys. Very informative.

I like the science stuff. Everybody who has had an EMG should read this. I know it put my mind at ease.

I knew there was a difference between fasciculations on an EMG and ALS fasiculations, with fibrolations, but this post has solidified that difference.

Nice Work
 
Today I have a follow up with nero #3
Hes is from Staten Island and he didnt do his own emg just looked at the reports from nero #1 and Nero #2 also Staten island neros

he wanted to see me in 6 weeks after initial appointment to see how i am and I guess reexamine me I know that i'll do well on the clinical as i've said in my posts my only symthom is random poping all day at rest and twitching (minor) occationally. I still work out everyday am in very good shape and feel very strong. i know als is a disease of weakness so obviously if it would turn out to be that and i hope not I couldnot be that far along. I guess i just feel that this muscle thing has to be connected to something because it is just to weird to have happened out of the blue. BFS is sudden one day your find the next day you twitch? Does that not boggle anyone else. oh well i'll see what he says and report back later
 
by the way I do remember what this nero said about ALS twitches.

" ALS paients usually dont feel their twitching" he said it was reasurring that i felt mine
 
I purchased Natural Calm, a powder form of Magnesium Citrate. It seems to really help relax my muscles and helps me sleep. My twitching isn't gone, but it's less in intensity and the jerking seems to have really calmed down. But, watch out, take too much Natural Calm and you will get horrible diahrea. I should know! Try it. It can't hurt and it's not expensive.
 
Chris,

My twitches do this and I also have the fluttering ones. I also have cramps almost everyday in calfs and biceps..Hope this helps hon. Dont worry nothing is wrong with you..Big hug..God Bless..Jenn
 

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