Living with Benign Twitches: My Story

[Alonzo]

Firstly a big huge thanks for this site, I had most all of the same concerns and emotions as everyone else about the twitches I am experiencing and its really great to see your stories.

I have seen a Neuro twice and have been told I have benign fasiculations (I didn't believe him the first time). I was told it was nothing to worry about (how could I believe that as I was certain I would die!). No other information than that was given to me other than it was very unlikely to be anything else. I have had this condition for about a year now, what is different from the other stories I have read is my wife is now also having the same symptoms, hers developing three months ago. This development shot my stress-ometer into hyper drive. We saw her doctor and she said it is probably being tired, my wife had pneumonia two months before the symptons and we have two young children (2, 6mo's). I had said that I have had the same symptoms for a year, when asked she didn't know of anything that is transmissable that has these symptoms. It probably is silly but I want to eliminate the thought of putting my family's or anyone elses health at risk. I was wondering if anyone else has heard of anything that could be passed with these symptoms, or if this is just a coincidence.

 

[diotz2]

You know the old expression, "insanity is hereditary...you get it from your kids" ? You've got two very little kids. I'll bet that both you and your wife and tired and under a lot of stress. No, I've never heard of anything that would suggest that BFs are in any way contagious. Glad you've found the site helpful.

 

[Alonzo]

et tu, BFS is not passed-on or catchy from one person to another. At least not from anything I have studied on it and trust me on this one, I have done a LOT of studying. It is pure coincidence and nothing more. Just keep in mind that EVERYONE has stress and anxiety. That is normal. It is just the differences in how certain people's bodies and minds react to it and deal with it that make "stressed-out" or "anxious" people different from other's. Hang in there. You guy's are not alone. Keep thinking about that clean neuro exam. That is the deciding factor and it came from a neuro, not some Joe Schmo off the street.

 

[dylan.dibber1]

Et tu--my fiancee now twitches on a regular basis. I don't think I "passed it on to her" but rather I think she started to twitch after hearing so much about my twitches. It is kind of like the stories of all the doctors who start twitching after learning about all the serious neurological diseases in med school. The worst part of it is that my fiancee uses her twitching and the fact that "I gave it to her" as a bargaining chip. I now find myself constantly doing things for her that I wouldn't have normally done, because I contributed to her twitching and somehow I "owe" her now...

The bottom line is that I highly doubt you passed your condition on to your wife. Instead, my best guess is that she started to twitch after hearing (or being stressed out) about your twitching. Hope this helps.

 

[Weegidy73]

There is no evidence that BFS is in any way contagious.
I read about a couple on medhelp that both had twitches.
The neuro said that it was possible that they both had BFS.
He also asked if they'd had their house sprayed for ants or other insects. He also said they should consider a dietary reason.
either way he said it was'nt ALS and was likely benign.
BFS is not contagious....Stress is!