Tingling, Pins and Needles Not ALS

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BandersnatchF

Well-known member
Tingling and pins and needles are not A/L/S symptoms. They're caused by sensory nerves, which A/L/S spares. Much more likely is either stress (you certainly have that!) or perhaps minor nerve pinching somewhere between your spine and your legs (quite common). Pinched motor nerves can cause twitching, and impinged sensory nerves can certainly cause pins and needles and tingling.

Hang in there—you'll be fine, physically. Hopefully, you can work out the marital problems as well, though there's less we can do about that ;).
 
Hi Troy,
I will be personally be praying for you tonight. I know what it is like to have people think you are a nut job. People without bfs have no clue as to what we are going through. Trust me, I understand completely and will be praying for your comfort and for problems in the home.
God Bless
 
Troy-

If you think you are having the worst possible day you could today, remember that by definition means tomorrow will be better. Sometimes, the best action to take when things are falling apart is none at all.

That sounds lame and goofy and contrary to what humans are programmed to do, but I remember when I was in my "black hole" - body falling apart, wife turning ambivalent (I know your marital issues are likely worse from your description), everything haywire, I resorted in the darkest times to just stopping everything and turning within myself. For me, that meant just laying on the bed and praying the rosary - for the non-religious it just might mean quiet meditation. Ironically, more often than not, just trying to do that brought me the best sleep I had in months - God forgive us for our lack of commitment!!! :oops: I figured I've now DONE everything outward that I can to make it stop and/or better, and failed, now I'm just going to let it wash over me and focus inward, on the piece of me my physical existence it CAN'T touch. I guess the analogy would be a political prisoner undergoing torture - so many stories of those folks simply retrenching into the part of themselves the enemy couldn't touch - the mind, spirit, and will. Pretty inspiring stuff, and while mine wasn't nearly that type of courage - sometimes it does take strength to "regroup within" and let the rest wash over you.

Assume if you will that what you suffer from is really benign - as unimaginable as that is. Assume that it is not meant to be in your body long-term, and also that your external stressors will someday pass. What you are left with is simply needing time - choosing to spend it at peace, looking within, and without "fighting" the pressures, would in that scenario be the obvious path to strength, recovery and peace. Simple time.

God, it was hard. And the only thing holding me back currently from really moving forward fast is the memory of the whole period - and if/when/how it could all happen again. One night I literally could not get up off of the floor by myself. I know Suzi and some others have described similar horrific periods they went through - we ALL made it. You can and will too. I think with respect to your external pressures, you just make sure you are doing all you can do, and doing your best, and all will work out as it is meant. You sound an incredibly compassionate and feeling person - I cannot imagine that the outcome of your current struggles will be anything but the right one for you (whatever that may really be) if you stay true to yourself. Your truest fight is what's going on within you, and to that end, you may just want to sit back, find your inner peace (a peaceful place to hang on), and let time do its thing.

I will pray for you, and wish you strength in the storm. This too SHALL pass.

JG
 
Troy, my combat boots are starting to lose their mirror shine on your skinny behind but I sooooo don’t care. I’ll give you all the support you need :) .

I know all about the wife thinking you’re crazy. My wife has grudgingly watched me clean my AR15 at the breakfast and dinner table (I’ve wrecked the table too). Then, as if that wasn’t crazy enough, suddenly, she has to listen to me whine about my BFS symptoms for five months straight, answering stupid questions like: “does my left leg look smaller to you.” – It drove her bonkers and caused endless strife.

When my wife tells me about her problems I take a second to determine if it’s serious, if it’s not serious, I just go into mindless nodding – or head shaking with a somber look on my face (usually her tone and body language will tell me which is appropriate without listening to another word) We seem to get along fine like this.

I’ll tell you right now; it’s not fare to whine about BFS to the spouse. Once you get a clean dx of BFS, like you have, you’ve got to stop bothering her. She doesn’t get it; she doesn’t want to get it.

I know all about the wedding vows: “…in sickness and health…” but you’re not THAT sick. Rather you’re just really, REALLY, REALLY, annoyed by all your symptoms. – tell me about it, I’ve been there.

That’s where we come in. Make it a priority to stop griping to your wife and start griping to your buddies – US! We know exactly where you’re coming from.

I don’t bother my wife any more with my symptoms, just you guys. LUCKY YOU GUYS! It’s helped my sex life tremendously – seriously! :D)

So pore it on buddy. Lets here it, I’m all ears. PMs or Posts – it’s your choice.

Whine away and I’ll still respect you for it but a woman never will.

P.S. This post isn’t meant to upset wives or husbands, it’s just the honest truth in my opinion.

I’m thinking of you Troy. Get better buddy.

I read something funny once but I can remember where. It went something like this:

Women and cats will do as they please, and Men and dogs need to relax and live with it.

- Jeff
 
Hi Troy,
Just to ley you know that I'm also sending you all the best. You seem to give so much of yourself to help us other people here - remember to spare some time to look after you.
Kind regards,
Seldean
 
I will absolutely pray for you Troy. You have been a wonderful support to me, and shared plenty of great wisdom.

Hey, just a thought...but I started taking MACA for something else and it has basically eliminated the twitching!!!

Maybe it would help you?

(((hug)))0
 
Troy you sound like someone who wears his heart out there on his sleeve. I love these kind of people, they have an energy for life which is refreshingly contagious; they also get burned a lot too. People will love your spiritedness, but, at times, they will get weary of having everything that passes across your brain, come out your mouth. I am not criticizing you for this, for indeed, I have a daughter who has just such a character. Obviously I adore her, and I like and respect you too.

Why the hell am I telling you all this? Well, because if you are like my daughter, then you like to be constantly reassured that all is right in your world, and that everyone is liking you and smiling at you. I don’t think you should change, for you are who you are, and you sound like a very fine man indeed. So, the reason I am telling/ boring you with this is because BFS really rattles a person’s cage, and if one has the tendency to get rattled easily anyway, it can throw curves from unexpected places….like a marriage.

I throw this out only for your consideration and if I am wrong then you can tell me so, no biggie. If we understand the tendencies that might exacerbate our BFS, and along with that other outside issues then we are not always sent-a-plummeting.

I can not tell you how to behave, nor would I have the audacity to try. I don't think you need to harness your emotions, as to understand that they are working that way. From that you may find yourself less and less in the pickle, and more than just tickled. ;)

I am just responding instinctually to your plea for guidance, and if I have missed the mark then I apologize.

Cheers,
Basso
 
Can't pray for you, but I do wish you all the best.

I know how much this stuff can mess up relationships.

Not sure whether you've seen any counsellors or psychologists or whatever, but it might be worth considering. It helped me.

I sure you already know it, but it's worth remembering that being a bit messed up doesn't make you a worse person, or a different person; just the same good person having a difficult time. The people who care about you will know that, and know that - with time - it WILL pass.
 
Troy

Thank you for all the help that you have given. Now you need to figure out how you can give some back to yourself.

When I was really down and out...I kept a journal. I wrote in it everytime I couldn't take it anymore...for whatever reason. I took it out of my nightstand the other day,and could not believe how down and out I was. I wrote in it for a good 5 months almost daily. My handwriting is at times almost illegible. I remember those were the times when my hands twitched and hurt so bad that it was hard to hold the pen steady. I wrote a lot about my husband in there. He just didn't get it. I was so mad at him on so many of those pages. I at one point wrote that I was going to keep all of this to myself...and not tell him anything anymore...and I think that I almost was able to do that for a while....

My husband is not a bad man, he just didn't....... couldn't understand my fears. If the Dr. had told him he had something benign...he would say o.k., accept it, and believe it. Not me, I am just not made that way. I guess I was hard to live with....I wanted sympathy and support, and he wanted me to feel well, and go back to being happy. It took time. I think that you are probably a lot like me (and a lot of us here) we are wired differently, and it takes a while.

Please give yourself the chance to heal, keep posting. I know we are all glad to be here...thank God for all the people who were there for all of us.

I will certainly say a prayer for you....

ristinaL91
 
Hey Troy,

I know totally where you are regarding this stupid twitching. It is absolutely maddening.

I will be praying for you tonight brother that the peace of God might reign in you and that your marital problems might be moved.

Pax,
Mark
 
Troy,

I too have stopped bothering the hubster with my health woes when i found you guys. After all hes not twitching and is (not a doctor person) his own testimony (i am a doctors nightmare) a relentless present at his doorstep.

But anyway, stress the kind that bfs brings toped with relationship abrasions will surely make you think that life is just not going your way and will never again. But you are a wonderful person and an awsome dad. I love your posts and its ok to feel the way you do. If its reasurrance you need you get it here. and if you just need to vent (your entitled) after all weve been through together on this board we deserve to climb a high tower and scream obsenities at the top of our lungs and than get a round of applause for surviving this thing with our lives and dignity in tact . Youve done that and thensome. Prey for you i will dont you worry. and He hears it , help is on the way. God Bless. Chris
 
I wish I had words to describe how awesome you all have made me feel ... I am having such a better day knowing I have great friends here. All of your advice is well taken. God bless you all and grant you peace. You guys are the greatest ...

Thanks for sharing your stories too and inviting me to open up. Sounds like I'm not alone here ... :)
 
Troy - Sorry to hear about your bad day, but glad things are looking up today! I have to say I absolutely had to stop talking to my husband about my health issues. If he even sees me look at my calves, I get a roll of the eyes and "that look" - like you're doing it again! Actually, even my 9 year old daughter will yell at me if she see's me looking at my calves! So if my kids get frustrated with me about dwelling on it, I have to understand that my husband gets sick of it too. So I really do think you have to "pretend" to your wife that everything us fine, and then come here for your support. No amount of explaining will get your wife to understand, it will just make things worse. So make a promise to yourself that you'll try to not bring anything up to her about it. And actually, I think once we start to "pretend" that we feel fine, sometimes I think it actually becomes a reality. If I'm dwelling on things constantly, it does become worse. If I'm distracted and not thinking about things, amazingly, it doesn't bother me as much. So for lots of reasons, just try to keep this one thing from your wife.

Hope your day continues to be good! I'll be keeping you and your wife in my prayers as well!

Julie
 
Morning Troy.

Just getting the sit-rep. How are you feeling this morning?

Better I hope.

My calf twitches drove me mad last night. I'e tried not looking and it really helps.

- Jeff
 
Hi Troy,

How are you this morning, wow with all these prayers going out for you last night.........I figured a little better. The big man upstairs was probably getting sick of hearing your name.

I think the advice that Julie gave you is some good advice. Say nothing to the spouse. Just say, I am still not feeling, and doing too well with this BFS...but I am working on it. That is enough to say. Once I started to do that...I began feeling better. It became a vicious cycle for me. I too kept staring at my twitches...only for me it was my hands. My daughters used to say, "Mom you are looking at your hands again". It became embarrassing. I realized at a point, that I didn't want them to think of me as someone who was so worried that I couldn't take care of them. SO I stopped looking at my hands (well, when they were around, at least!!). I began taking care of myself instead, with no apologies. I took warm baths at night, I tried to get more sleep, or at least rest more. I did what I could, and stopped proclaiming to everyone that I was "sick". I treated myslef as a well person, who had some pain and discomfort. Guess what? I soon started to believe my own P.R., and felt like I was more in control. And soon I WAS more in control.

Just some more unsolicited advice this a.m. for you Troy....

Thinking of you,

ristinaL91
 
Hi all:

I'm doing much better with all of your offers of support and prayers/ advice and everything. I got to bed at 3:30 in the morning and got up at 8:00 for work (ouch) but I had a great peace, minimal twitching, no pain and I took a Xanax, drank a big glass of water, turned on some classical music and prayed until I fell to sleep. I find that night time is the best time of day for me. That's where I can lay down, get some perspective, thank God for giving me more than I ever deserve and realize that He has a purpose for my life that I won't always uinderstand. It's almost like an adventure sometimes, like "hmmm... where will God place me today?" I know one thing for sure, he has blessed me immensely with all of my friends on this forum you guys are the greatest, BTW< TrisTrip, are those boots steel toed ? ;)

BTW, I believe in the power of prayer and positive thinking. The Bible says that where 2 or 3 are gathered together that God will be with them...

You know, it's funny because I used to pull up my pant legs and stare at my calves for long periods of time ... I'm sure glad I don't do that anymore ... Oddly enough, I was in a meeting yesterday and we all wear shorts to work, and I saw this guys calf twitching like REALLY big twitches and I just said, you know, it's normal, it happens to everyone off and on and most people just arent as attuned to it as we are ;)
 
AMEN Troy! The Lord has blessed us all, we could of been dx with worse. I praised the Lord when Dr. told me I had BFS. Prayer is the best medicine.
"Jesus took my infirmities and bore my sicknesses. Therefore I refuse to allow sickness to dominate my body. The life of God flows within me bringing healing to every fiber of my being (Matt. 8:17, John6:63)

There is a little book that is called. God's Creative Power for Healing if anyone is interested. It is wonderful....

Even though I am new I am still here to listen....Jenn
 
Troy,

I am not a church going person...I just don't get what I need there, I squirm and fidget like a little kid.... and I probably annoy everyone around me anyway. BUT...I do believe so strongly that God is all about. He works in such mysterious ways....that we don't notice his signs. That twitchy calf guy you saw at work....think about it. Just a thought. Someone sending you a little sign to make you feel better. AN answer to all those prayers???? Maybe.

ristinaL91
 
Wow, I am so happy for all of your caring words and for your concern for me. I'm really flattered actually. Thank you all. You know, I'm not much of a church-going person myself but I do believe in God and in Jesus and his teachings. I discover that my best time with God is sitting at a coffee house reading the Bible and asking Him to let that wisdom shape my life. I think sometimes that God has allowed me to go through the whole BFS and ALS worry thing to teach me to depend on Him. Before, I would read promises in the Bible and think that they were for everyone except me. Now I RELY on all of those wonderful promises and take them at face value.

Here are some of my favorite verses:

When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God ...

... you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.

Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with you and that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is.

For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope

I will lie down in peace and sleep,
for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.

God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.

Trust me in your times of trouble,
and I will rescue you,
and you will give me glory.

But God is my helper.
The Lord is the one who keeps me alive!

Give your burdens to the LORD,
and he will take care of you.

------------------------------------------
 
I want everyone to know that I am not preaching to anyone nor do I want to make this a support group about religion. I just put my own thoughts and heart into words and post what "I" believe. I don't want anyone to get upset with me if I ever talk about the Lord on here because you guys have been great to me and don't know what I would do without you.

I do have to say Troy that you do not have to go to church to have a relationship with the Lord. Being Religious and having a love for Jesus are two different things. Religion is just a general term but knowing and loving the Lord is having a relationship with Him and following His Word. You mention that you think the Lord has allowed you to go through this to depend on Him. I fully beleive that, this is how He works to get you to come to Him. Sometimes the Lord throws bricks at us but boy sometimes those bricks stinkkkkk ;) but do believe he is the best medicine.

I do want to aplogize in advance if I offend anyone whenever I talk about the Lord on this forumn. Just know that this is "my" belief and I will always pray for everyone on here and say things like God Bless You and you are in my prayers, etc. but I do not by any means intend to make this about religion. I just speak from my heart....God Bless US All and keep smiling :)
 

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