First Post: Med Student Here

[Nike]

Hi, This is my first post here, though I've been around at this forum for more than a year now.I'm a 26 years old (male) med. student from a country in northern Europe. This is my storyuring March -08, one day I noticed that I was tired in my right leg only. Didn't think more about that, before I had my reflexes in a routine check by a GP. He noticed that my knee reflexes was a bit asymmetric with mild hyperreflexia on the right side. I went home and googled on this, of course finding a lot of sites about a neuromuscular disease that I think everybody is familiar with here =). At the same time, I noticed that I was twitching all over my body, but mostly on the medial side on my right foot (the muscle that flexes the big toe). This made me panic and I went to a GP who sent me to a neurologist. The neurologist made a thorough physical examination and his only findings was that the muscles on both of my lower legs were quite small. He also sent me to a NCV/EMG. I haven't seen the results myself, but my neuro said it didn't show any sign of an NMD, though there were some kind of "nerve damage" in my right leg. This was during the summer -08. After that, the twitching has become worse, and i notice twicthes all over my body every second or so. Also my right foot feels a bit strange all times, and gets tired long before the left, for example if I walk a lot. My body is also a bit asymmetric, especially my shoulders.The twitches I have are mostly single fasciculations, but sometimes the muscle twitch 4-5 times in a row. I also have hot spots that move around, where the muscle kind of trembles for a few seconds before it stops. I have no real weakness that I know of, and thing have not changed so much since let's say last summer. All this makes me worry of course, and it really sucks to be reminded every second with a twitch somewhere.I'm not sure what my point in writing this is, but I appreciate if people who recognizes my symptoms could write their experiences.

 

[Krackersones]

As you know from being around the board for so long that you are in good company here. I relate to all you have said except my hyperflexia is symmetrical. As a med student, I am sure you know that time without severe weakness is pointing away from your worst fears and that there are other things that can cause your symptoms. If things do get seriously worse (and they probably will not from the experience of those on this board), you have access to the best info to get right on it and get the treatment available to stop it in its tracks. Thanks for sharing your story. The more people who report this same phenomenon the more comfortable I think everyone feels that what we have may not be as uncommon as some doctors think but rather the phenomenon has not been that well documented because most people with it look and function normally.

 

[AllGoodHere]

Yes, most of us find that symptoms favor certain areas - my rheumatologist thought this 'favoritism' may be a reflection of spinal damage, past injury, or misalignment. Well, there's evidence for it in my case (the prime areas, not the pnhe). Matter-of-fact doesn't it seems amazing that so many people report these symptoms and so many doctors are totally puzzled by them? Well, Asklepios - that won't be happening with you will it? With so many reports, it would seem that they are as common as migraines. You can't help but wonder about this prevalence though; if it's a relatively new issue in the general population, if it's been around for a long time and just wasn't as prevalent, or if we just would never know about it prior internet access. We all know about regular twitches that may develop and hang around for a day or so then go away in specific areas (eyes - as you'd notice it there) as they are a common occurrence for all mammals - but this constant ongoing pnhe with cramps and/or, constant, migrating, persistent twitching? Most probably, 30 years from now medical science will figure out some sort of initiating factor for this crap seemingly happening out of the blue. Right now we don't know and usually just guess how we could be fine for X years/decades of time and then all of a sudden have pnhe. This what irritates me if I think about it. Asklepios, it will stop worrying you eventually, and become another adjustment (like wearing glasses when your eyes are no longer 20/20) and there is a good chance it will also get better/less bothersome and you will learn to cope with it anyway. Now for me after all these years, it is rather like the loud neighbor next door- I don't like listening to him but I can deal with it as there's not much to be done anyway. Turn up the music and ignore it. Welcome to the board.

 

[paucek.sheldon1]

What I find interesting is as I sit here I can feel myself breathing. I can taste the saliva in my mouth.If I focus I can feel my body against the chair. A little pain in my right ankle. Could simply be the ankle it is touching the ground.My point is there is always a lot of stuff going on with our body. You, as a med student, are more aware of it than us 'laymen/laywomen'. So you are probably more aware of your symptoms.Not to minimize your problems. But I think that is some of the reason there seem to be a lot of people in the medical field with this condition.Med students also probably study a lot. I work on computers for a living and I try to make it a point to get up walk around the building every hour. The other works see me and probably think I am slacking (or a nut). I don't care. I figure God did not build our body to be sitting in one spot for very long.The body is extremely complex. It amazes me it works as well as it does given the garbage I put into it and the stresses I put it through.Not sure if I helped. Just my thoughts.-43RichyThe43rd

 

[hCapitalize]

Anxiety is the worst.I woke up a couple of days ago, in a sweat with a dry throat, naturally with all the news about swine flu, I took my temperature it was 35.8 nothing to worry about.Therefore I concluded that I was physiologically speaking, (considering the rapid heart beat) suffering from a panic attack. I was feeling anxious for no reason whatever, but I was able to look objectively and realise that although my body was showing an anxiety response, my mind need not follow that and continue the loop.The trick is. (and I am not saying it is easy, because you should have seen me when I was not in control) to dissociate what is going on in your body and to be as rational as you can about it. Don't feed on the anxiety because it will only increase your symptoms.Now I am not saying BFS is anxiety, because I know it is not, but if you can diminish that anxiety as much as you can, you will realise that you are not dying, or destined for a wheelchair even.I have real nerve damage, which is probably nothing to do with my twitching at all, and it has caused some muscle wastage, but realising that it is not uncommon compared to the alternative we all worry about, we can deal with it.You can have all sorts of bad stuff showing up on an NCV, arthritis, spinal problems, pinched nerves, whatever, but if your EMG is clear, then you do not have any of the nastys.Everyone here twitches, and I have twitched just about everywhere, and got over the scary ones in my face and tongue.