Help: Stiffness, Twitches, Shivers, Jerks

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D

Diego4Life

Well-known member
Hi everyone I am new here and am praying someone can help me please. Has anyone ever had there symptoms start with stiffness in
the legs a week later get a small active nonstop twitch in the calf
then a couple days later they are everywhere with the shivering
shakes, body jerks especially when trying to go to sleep I mean
head , legs,arms? I have been to my GP who sent me to the cleveland
clinic for two long days of testing ALL THE TESTS and cant find nothing
only slightly brisk reflexes and two small bright spots on my brain
that they say are nonspecific and probably not due to any clinical cause.
also I have moderate spuring along C2/C3 C5/C6 and an elevated IGG
IGM something but they dont seem to be worried and IM NUTS they
didnt even pick up a fasiculation on the EMG now how can that be ?
has anyone ever had this happen? I also have cramping in my calfs
too. DR Pioro did mention something about BFS but did not say I have
it. Does BFS present like this ? I have been trying everything I can think
of and they wont stop they slow down for about a week long enough to get
my hopes up then there right back. my legs feel weak somtimes and it scares me. I had the testing done five weeks after all this started would they miss something bad? Im 33 years old and I love my life my kids and
my husband and anyone who can help ease my mind please. Iam sorry this is so long .
Sincerely DStar

PS I have been twiching since Feb 2005
 
DStar, the symptoms you describe have been desribed on here many times before.

You have been checked out by the Cleveland Clinic! If there was something sinister going on I am certain they would have found it. If you look at their forum, there are many questions relating to fasciculations and EMG's etc. The one answer that is constantly repeated by the neuros on there is that if the EMG is normal then you don't have ALS.

I can't tell you that this will go away, I have twitched for ten years, but I think you can feel extremely reassured that you don't have anything serious.
 
DStar,

My BFS started out with mild cramping in the legs and forearm. Felt like brief muscle aches. Then I started to feel stiffness in the legs. My tendons behind my knees would even get stiff and hurt. It would take the tendons a while to relax. This was happening in the spring of 05. The twitching started in late May. I've had several neuro exams, a ton of blood work, and 2 EMGs (1 in April, 1 in June) - all normal.

I too get the jerks when falling asleep. It seems to go in spurts. No jerks for the past 2 weeks but the week before that my neck would jerk hard and move my head. I would also get jerks with an arm or leg while falling asleep. My legs are tight and the calves feel like there going to cramp up on me. My legs just hurt. I also had bad cramping in my hands that lasted about 5 weeks but feel better now.

I understand the agony you are going through. I have 2 small children and a husband and love my life. I've had a lot of anxiety and worrying. I keep thinking about my children. I have been saying a lot of prayers. As a little time as past since the twitching started, I am feeling better emotionally. Even though my body has some discomfort and mild pain, I am enjoying the summer with my family. I hug and kiss my kids as much as I can. I think this experience has even made me a better mother.

This site has been a great help. It is good to hear that there are others out there who share similar symptoms and stories. Keep praying and try not to dwell on your twitching, cramping, or stiffness. Focus on the wonderful life you have with your husband and children and it will help take your mind off your worries.

Take care.
Mari
 
I hope you all get this, because I am a little computer retarded.
my 15yr old son has to show me how to operate this computer.
I usually dont have much time to play around learning. I have
3 other small children that take alot of my time.

Thank you for responses.It makes me feel better to know I am
not alone. I hope and pray for everyone who experience BFS
that someday it will go away and everyone can be normal agin.

Thank you guys from the top to the bottem of my heart.


DStar
 
DStar,

Everything you described is typical of BFS. You were checked out by the Cleveland Clinic which IS conclusive. Just look through past posts (there are 100's of them) that describe what you're going through. I'm going through a very similar thing...the tightness, exercise intolerance, everything. I'm tryng to get my head in a non anxious place - and let more life in.
Let life in. I know it's hard. We all know it's a challange. That's why we're all here. Life is a challange anyway without this stuff.
Love your family as much as you can. Do things you enjoy as much as you can. Live life as much as you can.
Come to this site, rant, rave, laugh, cry, ask questions. It helps.

Take care,
Mark
 
Hello Diana


I am so sorry to hear about your ordeal, we all know exaclty how you are feeling. I have been experiencing these bizare symptoms for almost a year now. By far the worst part is the anxiety. I have constant calf/feet twitching and sporadic twitching all over. When I wake up in the morning I experience jerks of the arms, legs, and even face at times. The jerking did not start until I started paxil, which I discontinued in June. My twitching did not start until I was put on Lexapro last June. Out of curiousity, have you ever taken any SSRI's?

Best regards
-Sean
 
Zenseo,

Hi, I was only put on Depakote. Im not sure if thats
a SSRI or not but i started having severe headaches
so they took me off of it. The only thing I take right
now is Nature's Optimal Nutrition liquid vitamin. I
also have xanax when I need it. I remeber when I
first came down with all my symptoms I had to go
to the cleveland clinic for a spinal tap as one of the
test and had to come home riding four hours kind
of reclined .anyway I got the sickest headache of
my life ended up at my GP the next day I was vomiting
awful he gave me a shot of Demerol and Phenergan
It knocked me right out and it KILLED the twitching
for about four days then they came back. Its just to
bad its something you cant take everyday and function
because Id live on it. I read some post on drinking
gatorade Im not much of a drinker but I am willing
to start. I bought the gatorade endurance it has more
potassium in it I hope it works.

DStar
 
Hi Diana


So did the twitching start after the Depakote? This particular drug is given not only for migranes but also bipolar disorder. I find it interesting that some of us on here were on a drug that alters the chemicals in the brain. How long did you take the medicine?
 
Hi Zenseo

I started taking Depakote after the twitching
started. my GP put me on it to help with the
jerking. It did help but I started getting bad
headaches. I took it for two months.

DStar
 
dianna,

I've been twitching non stop in my calves for 16 months now.

I've been to a neuro who didn't even see a need for an emg, as I don't have weakness, atrophy, etc. As a matter of fact, since my twtiches began, my calf muscles have increased 1 inch (due to weight lifting) and I'm training for a long distance race right now.

Lot's of us twitch non-stop, some more locally, some widespread. I'm sure that the CC would have picked up something if there truly was anything going on. They are one of the best in the country.

Hang in there.

Ginny
 

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