Finding Comfort in Sleep Apnea Board

[captainhawkgirl]

Thank you so much Suzie, Marc, Jhenna, and Jeff. I can honestly say I feel less anxious from reading this board. Even if I have something terrible its comforting to know people here have had/have similar symptoms. The worst feeling is thinking you are experiencing something that no one else in the world has felt because you cant find anything on it.

I posted on a sleep apnea board(since I have it and since most of my stuff besides twitching happens only at night) and no one could relate. It is so hard to describe these things precisely to family and docs. Now when I have twitches my reaction is not as much panic. I still panic with the head buzzing/vibrating though. I sincerely appreciate everyone who took the time to respond. It is really hard for me to believe its all stress but maybe its a combination like you said. Its a cycle. I know I had the shingles virus flare up in my body and that was supposed to be caused by stress then the shingles may be causing the twiches which cause more stress. Sheeesh.

I really would like to get the EMG and possibly an brain MRI. Bare with me I know all the tests for cardio-pulmonary issues, I just found this board so I don't know exactly what neuro tests I may need. Problem is, Im already severely in debt from the tests I've already had for my heart, etc.(I have crappy, cheap ins.) because Im in grad school and its all I can afford.

 

[GraphicDesign]

Hi,

i am an "old twitcher" and i hope i can give you some peace for your mind:

Youe wrote "I started having these twiches all over. The most visible were in both thighs,...."

first some FACTS:

1. in als or other nmd twiches won´t start all over
2. the twiches mosty are not visible
3. buzzing vibartion is a classiy symthom in bfs. in nmd you won´t have
buzzing sensation, i was told that by many neuros!
4. along with the twiches often sleep proplems related to anxiety appear!


i have the twiches now for may years. i have the buzzing vibration all the time (just now). i kow exact the pulsting sensation AND i have had 3 clean emg.

I am sure that you are ok. For peace of your mind ask your neuro for an emg. You have nothing to fear.

When you have any questions please write me a pm, i have read 1000 of
posts here and i have speek with many neuros (in the end with an neuromuscular specialist). I know your anxiety, because i gonig thougt the same!!

We are all sitting in the same boot, but it ist a BENIGN boot!!!

Greeting

Günther

 

[captainhawkgirl]

Thanks again for the replies. I guess I'm asking for support again as I've had a bad couple of days. You've really helped me cope with the twitches. Despite my best efforts, the tremors still scare me bad. They happen like clockwork when I try to sleep.

I've also read about the throat problems a lot on here and the "come for the twitches, stay for the swallowing" thread. I have chronic post nasal drip which flares up about once a month or so but my throat always feels tight, ALWAYS. I've never had anyone really feel my throat but I suspect my sleep apnea must be related to this because I'm not overweight.

Anyways the last couple days I've been getting dizzy like crazy which hasn't happened until now. I know this is a common anxiety symptom but I am on the verge of driving to the ER because I think I might be having precursors to seizures or something. I'm accepting that I'm not going to feel relaxed until I have some neurological diagnostics done. I still have my appointment in a few days but I'm not sure I can wait. Does anyone know about the average costs of an MRI? I have bad insurance but at this point I don't care. If I could get it done at the ER, do you think its worth it. Sorry for rambling, I'm sure I'll regret this post tommorow but I'm going on no sleep and still worried.

 

[eyennyGlimmer]

C_Hawk,

I get dizzy also. I was dizzy for three days last week, it felt like I was on an elevator when I would stand still. I have been having really bad tremors today too. ohhh and those internal tremors in the back of your head are the WORSE!!! I am having them tonight. My symptoms, for some reason seems to be worse on the back of my body. Sit tight you are fine it is just the BFS monster. However it does seem like you have sinus issues. Before BFS I had and have ears that muffle, post-nasal drip, allergies, you name it. Sinuses can make you very dizzy. I am going to go see an ENT Dr. because I think this is half my problem. Hope this helps...Jenn

 

[WrathfulDude]

I'm sorry to hear about your sister and father... That would send anybody over the edge.

First, just as I opened this thread, my back decided to do one of its 'buzzoffs.' Seems a ton of people have that. Frankly, I think this is the coolest part of BFS... I mean, I'm buzzing like a cellphone for Pete's sake!

As for the swallowing, remember you likely didn't dwell on this nearly as much prior to reading google... Also remember that it's allergy season. Yesterday, my throat completely closed up, and when I could swallow again, all I could swallow is my blood... I freaked out for about two seconds and then realised that has nothing to do with anything--well, except for allergies... Allergies can wreak havoc on your jaw, throat, sinuses, etc. etc. But then again, so can anxiety, since these are all prime tension spots. I can't recommend much, except to BREATHE. I remember (because it was less than a week ago), of 3 sleepless nights--it makes everything--the twtiching, swallowing, jaw, etc. hurt. The mind is sabotaging the body-this is no good! I know it's hard to relax about this but always keep in mind:

a) Your twitches are all over--this is not a sign of anything deadly! Now, don't try like me to 'listen in' and see if perhaps you had it wrong and focus on twitching in one part of your body and discount the rest... If you believe it enough, it will become true!

b) Bulbar-onset of ### is scary. But--keep in mind, it has nothing to do with your twitching all over. It's completely unrelated. IF you convince yourself that you can hardly speak, swallow, etc. it WILL become true. Anxiety CAN and DOES do that... And if you really have a problem swallowing, think about how much more likely it IS to be something like the allergies (hayfever is doing a war-on right now, at least in my region) than anything more serious, let alone ###.

 

[ZombieMartyr]

Hey, your symptoms are very similar to mine. All I can tell you is PLEASE listen to Jeff, IT WILL PASS. My electric shocks and jerking when dosing off is slowly going away. Twitches still there but not bothering me anymore. Vibrations in my head... don't care anymore.

As far as your vision problems, I had some when I was seriously deprived of sleep. My head would hurt when opening my eyes and I was very sensitive to light for a few minutes.

"I think your anxiety about fasciculations caused some sort of sleep disorder." That's what one of the doctors I've seen told me. I beleive him.

It will get better.
Sleep is important. Deprivation will only cause you more symptoms.

 

[captainhawkgirl]

I had my neurologist appointment on Sat. I go to school very much in the sticks and I have serious trust issues with the doctors around here. I told the nurse I was having fasciculations and she didn't know what that was. The neuro did a quick exam by making me walk on my heels and toes, follow a light with my eyes and tested my reflexes which was normal. Then I took off my shirt and he watched for a while to see any fascics and of course I couldn't get my muscles to comply.

Anyway he said the twitching could be caused by a laundry list of things so I specifically said I wanted to make sure it wasn't *** and he said well since you mentioned it, fasics are a symptom and I had been having them for a few months so he didn't want to dismiss them as nothing.

He has ordered a lot of bloodwork to be done in the next few days locally and told me he would schedule tests with an *** expert at the university of kentucky. I'm sure it will be a while before I can see him but I guess I'm gonna go through with it even though I cant afford it at all. Sorry to keep bumping this thread but I'm not telling most of my family about this so they wont worry uneccessarily. This board is my outlet.

 

[captainhawkgirl]

Well everyone, its been a couple months and I just wanted to post the latest. I went to the university Neuro, who is the head of an *** clinic. He did a thorough neuro exam and said I was as strong as two oxes and that he couldn't, in good faith, order further testing for *** and didn't order an EMG. He said it was all stress induced and didn't really listen to any of my other concerns.

I trust that with his experience, that I don't have ***. However, I'm still having troubles. My twitching is more intense then ever and in new places. Most of all though, I don't sleep hardly at all. I'll go for maybe a week of getting decent sleep, then I'll be up for a couple days(like now). Its hard to describe but I'll wake up after drifting off with the dropping/scared feeling and chest pain.

I have sleep apnea and I'm on cpap so I don't know why this is still happening. The worst part though is right after that sensation it feels like I'm having a seizure or something. I've never had epilepsy so I don't know for sure but there is fast-paced twiching that feels like its inside my head sort of like flickering or flashing. Once I get up it goes away, but it is a very scary sensation. My theory is that I'm not breathing and this is some kind of after-effect of a lack of oxygen to the brain.

I had a clear ct-scan but this is starting happening after. I know this may be off topic but the fasciculations along with everything else has been going on now for 9-10 months so my gut tells me its all related. If anyone has any experience with epilepsy or similar symptoms please let me know.