Nervous Breakdown: Year Later

[raideryparkeryranger]

We'll, it's been a year. Of couse this brings me nothing because I had a nice nervous breakdown last night because my *beep* twitches were all over so bad. I have them everywhere, almost every *beep* second. Played softball last night (had a game) and felt fine, running fast, hitting the ball hard, fielding it... Never felt weak for a day with this stuff, can do everything normal, but I just can't find anyone on this site who is twitching like I am. Have or have had twitching in both feet, both shins, both calves, quads, hamstrings, butt, groin, unmentionable areas, lower back, upper back, both hands, both forearms, both biceps, both triceps, both shoulders, both sides of my neck, all over my face, and even in my scalp. I have this every day. Some more than others, but always everywhere. I read BFS waxes and wanes, but mine does not. It's always there, never lets up. I'm petrified of doctors, always have been, and I'm more petrified of going to the doc and them telling me that I'm the one guy who has all over twitching without weakness, but it's still the dreaded. I feel like I can't win because I can't go to the doc, and I keep having this *beep* stuff. It's better in the morning, then it gets worse progressively, with it's climax right when I'm trying to sleep, or when I'm resting. Still, everytime I fflex the affected muscle, all of the twitching stops... so, as far as rules go, it seems that they are benign, but I can't live with that, there are too many, too constantly, and I get hotspots almost every day. Some have been with me for one year now, without any stopping.

 

[raideryparkeryranger]

And... I'm 27 years old, this started one year ago.

 

[twinTwosome]

It has now been too long without weakness (and you are sooooo young) for it to be anything serious. I know it's annoying, but I am confident you are fine. Really! I'm sure I've asked this before, but what are you doing to manage anxiety?

 

[raideryparkeryranger]

I'm going on a vacation in September to Hawaii. Hopefully that will help. Just sick of it, that's all. I know that sounds petty, and only you guys understand, but this is the ABSOLUTE HARDEST thing I have ever gone through in my life. I'm a popcorn machine.

 

[twinTwosome]

I'm thinking meds E. What do you think? Hawaii will be great (and would certainly work for me, but I am properly medicated.) BFS is real, but it is also exacerbated by stress and anxiety.

 

[Krackersones]

If you really twitch as much as you describe and in as many places, you need some medication to at least try (even for a day or two) to see if it makes a difference. I went from feeling like I couldn't work to working overtime just because of .5 mgs of Klonopin twice a day. There are others who have used other meds that have found relief. You really need to try something if your quality of life is down the drain. What is life if there is no quality to it? Yes, medications have some risk. You should know what they are. But everything you do has risks but you take them if they improve the quality of your life overall. The biggest example being driving a car. Krackersones

 

[edirish73]

Hola Eric,God, I needed almost a whole day to just have something reasonable to say to you amigo;we've had the opportunity to talk quite some times through PM, I've shared with you the strategies that might work on you but I just dont get it , it's the same loophole over and over again : Do do guys twitch this much....crap? I'm so afraid about ALS that I cant go to the Doc..... type of thread.Sad Eric, very sad.One year Eric, one whole year my friend. You've refused to confront your fears and anxieties but preferred to consciously feed and nourish them. Your ALS fear has become like your pet, hell it's your pet,it's your life,the object of your affection. You are almost on a masochist level, you're afraid of ALS but totally refuse to embrace the facts and truth of your life: Zero Weakness, Zero atrophy and Zero Balls to face it through a simple Doc appointment.Come on!!!Actually, given the nature of your mental approach to BFS, I'm blown away knowing that you ONLY twitch. Man you are so lucky, God forbids that you never ever experience other BFS symptoms like Pain, really. Twitching is peanuts compared to the other symptoms. The time for action has come for you amigo.How much more precious time of your life are you going to waste on this self-pity spectacle you've mastered?Oh BTW, It was totally my intention to be harsh, be grateful that I dont have you in front of me bc I'd be slapping you so so so hard that your twitches would be gone for quite a while! Think about it,Eduardo

 

[simonw00]

Hi EricI don't know if I twitch as much as you but I would guess I'm not far off. I have been going for 10.5 months now. I am not phased by them any more. My calves twitch non-stop (including the night - although they don't wake me from my sleep, I note they twitch in the night if I wake up to go for a pee). All the other areas you describe are also affected on a daily basis in my case too (except my scalp), although these other body sites only tend to twitch for a few seconds at a time and perhaps only a few times each day for each of the many body sites you described. I am a doctor by the way and understand your fear of going to see a doc - just in case you are told something terrible - but I think the other people who have contributed to this post have given good advice about trying medication if the fasciculation distresses you. You clearly have a benign process going on so I think you should bite the bullet. My current anxiety is around cramp and pain - this is a new problem for me and I am not finding it as easy to come to terms with this as I did (finally) to accept my fasciculation.All the bestSimon

 

[JeffTheGreat]

I can relate. I have an EMG scheduled this week but I'm seriously thinking about rescheduling it a couple of months down the road for the same reason you are avoiding the doc. To be honest, if I had found this site I probably would not have gone to the doctor. For me, the doctor appointments induce more anxiety than anything else.My guess is that your anxiety over the twitching is making it worse. One thing I have learned (I'm 5 months in) is that stress and anxiety and THINKING about it makes it MUCH MUCH worse. Unfortunately, getting beyond it is much easier said than done. Funny thing is that if you look at it rationally, you can probably pinpoint when it started and when it really got bad. Mine really got bad AFTER I consulted Dr. Google. Mine started with some serious thumpers in my left tricep. I had gotten hammered on St. Patrick's Day, then made a bench press bet against a dude and drunkenly benched more than I should have without warming up or anything. Not surprisingly, the thumpers started the following day. A day or two later I was still having them periodically so I consulted Dr. Google. Well, Dr. Google told me I was probably just fatigued and dehydrated (which I no doubt was after getting hammered and hitting the weights). However, not being completely satisfied wth that diagnosis I continued to search and guess what else I learned about fasiculations? I learned it was one symptom of a pretty nasty disease. About that time my anxiety shot through the roof and I didn't sleep more than 3-4 hours per night for a couple of weeks. My calf muscles went nuts and I started having twitching in other places as well. 5 months in, I'm still twitching, but it's getting better. I haven't gotten a clean bill of health yet (clean EMG), but I'm pretty confident that I simply twitch or have BFS...whatever you want to call it. I've been fortunate enough to have good days and lately I've seen the twitching decreasing in frequency and intensity. Listen to the people here...try to relax a little. Your mind is a very powerful thing. I completely believe that you can help yourself by thinking rationally and putting the negative thoughts out of your head. When you start to think negatively, tell yourself "NO" and just don't go there. Focus on the good things in your life. You have your health right now...enjoy it and don't *beep* your time away worrying about tomorrow. Hell, you could just as easily get run over by a beer truck. I'm 39...that is too young to be worrying about you know what, but 27?!?!?! Give me a break...get out there and enjoy your life and forget about this crap.

 

[BarbiePetals]

Please know you are not the only one with these symptoms. I too have all over twitching. I have twitched everywhere at one point or another even my scalp also. My legs are the worst especially in the morning. I bet when you get to Hawaii things will calm down. I just came back from the shore and had hardly any twitching at all. It was wonderful but as soon as I got home it started back up full force. Also, why are you so afraid of going to the doctors? They may help ease your mind and give you some meds. This is also the hardest thing I've ever gone through also so please know you are NOT ALONE! There are many, many of us here in the same boat. We all twitch like crazy also.