View Full Version : Muscle shaking/twitching/jerking
Hello all. Let me try and explain this as condensed as I can. The last 5 weeks have been 1 of the 2 worst periods of my entire life. I will preface this post with the fact that I have bad panic disorder, general anxiety, serious health phobia's, hypochondria, and mild agoraphobia.
So, I work(ed) for a delivery company and I was driving 40 to 50 hours a week. I noticed maybe 6 months to a year ago I would get car sick at the end of the day in the form of dizziness/unsteadyness. I've had motion sick issues in the past with elevators and other things that make me feel like Im gonna fall, so I ignored it. It got worse and worse and then about 5 weeks ago I had a bad episode and the next day I was still dizzy. Usually by the next morning the sensation goes away. Well, this one didnt. Then the next day it didnt go away. This of course spiked my anxiety badly. I started searching the internet (awful idea) and got stuck on the idea that I had a brain tumor. I started reading all the symptoms, and sure enough, one by one, all this crap started to happen to me.
Within 2 days, I had this heavy feeling in my arm/shoulder/leg on one side. Perceived weakness as they call it. Strength was totally fine, but it just felt funny. I freaked out even worse cause symptoms of brain/neuro disorders is weakness on one side. I went to my doctor, he did a neural check where he looked in my eyes, checked my balance, checked my reflexes, sensations, strength in fingers, arms, ankles, feet.. snapped in both ears to make sure hearing was fine... everything was fine. Told me its anxiety, that I need to take the zoloft he prescribed me. Well, I felt ok for all of 10 minutes then I went back to obsessing. At this point, I started getting this pain on top of my head, with incredible nausea. Two other symptoms of brain tumor. After that, I lost it. I was crying night and day, not going to work, not sleeping, not eating, not drinking water. I wanted to puke all day. I started developing shakes and muscle twitching, which again freaked me out, I never had it before. This went on for a week (no sleep, no eating/drinking) until I was a crazy mess and called my doctor begging for xanax. The xanax helped me calm and helped me sleep. Brought back my appetite, and immediately took away the nausea.
After this, I saw an eye doctor, cause I thought maybe the dizziness was from my eyes, since my vision sucks and I drive all day. She did full check for everything, dialated pupils, said everything looked totally fine, other than just my eyes started to go a bit bad, but generally, my vision was only slightly worse than 5 years since my last check up. She said she can see brain tumors sometimes, and that the eyes will give away brain issues a lot of the time. Again, I felt good for a day or so after. After that, I talked to a somewhat renowned neurosurgeon one of my friends dated. He is like one of 12 people on earth who can perform a certain type of brain surgery. Told him all my symptoms, he also seems to think its anxiety, though the shakiness wasn't there as much when I first talked to him.
Stayed on the xanax, but was/am afraid to take the zoloft. The shakiness has gotten worse and is now everywhere in my body, noticeably worse when I use force on them or lift. My strength is completely fine. I started looking up more shit, and came to believe "great, I have ALS." OCD thoughts flooded my brain night and day and it was like the more scared I was, the shakier I became, the more the muscle twitches happened. I read some stuff with people with ALS and they said people with ALS cant even use a hair dryer, or hold a coffee cup, let alone bench press 200lbs at the gym. This calmed me down. And then kept me searching. Moved onto Parkinsons cause of the shakes. Went back to the doctor. He basically said Im ruining my body with anxiety this is all in my head, take the zoloft, or there is nothing more he can do for me. He said he refuses to do anymore testing on me, cause there is nothing wrong with me. Im terrified cause Im not sleeping well, having horrific panic attacks unlike anything I've had. My muscles twitch, jerk at times, Im shaky, tired, and now it feels like my head/neck shake, and can feel my pulse in it.
Important to note that since I kinda stopped worrying about brain tumor stuff, the "weak" feeling in my right arm is gone, as is the nausea and throbbing head pain/ache, for the most part.
Is this just extreme anxiety? Should I get a second opinion? As I type this, my hands are shaking so bad, but I had an awful nights sleep. I have no clinical weakness, no real coordination issues (still some dizziness at times) no real pain in my head other than normal headaches or whatever.
Help!
Lifelonganxiety!
23-03-16, 17:37
It sounds like anxiety to me. You asked if you should get a 2nd opinion, but it seems you are already on your 4th or 5th opinion, and those have all come from trained (and it seems extremely well qualified) professionals.
Nobody here can diagnose you, I guess a lot of us can relate to you though with the symptoms you get and can say we've been through the same fears. Get help for your anxiety - counselling, medication, hypnosis, meditation - whatever works for you. I am almost certain that if you can get the anxiety under control your symptoms will disappear.
Target the anxiety - the disorder you KNOW you have, not some illness you think you might possibly have but is extremely rare.
Yeah, I feel like such a coward. People who are ACTUALLY dying show more courage than I am right now. I have had anxiety/panic off and on for 15 years, but this is a first for these symptoms. It's been about 6 years since my last breakdown, so I suppose being in my mid 30's now could mean a change in symptoms. I did very well with the Claire Weekes method of anxiety/panic removal but health phobia's have crippled me.
I'm in a similar situation, look at my recent Brain Tumor post. I have Xanax as needed an started Zoloft last Thursday. My symptoms aren't the exact same but I can sympathize with you.
I get tons of twitches that I never got before I started freaking out and going to the ER. I can prop my ankle up on my other legs knee and let my calf muscle just hang in mid air and watch it move like my nerves are randomly firing but when I'm walking or have that muscle tighten it doesn't do it. I get them in feet hands arms and legs. Almost my whole body.
It is freaky and I hope it's all a anexity and will go away. I mentioned it to my doctor a week ago she didn't seem worried just worried about my anxiety and said the twitching should go away. I even mentioned als to her she just laughed.
I'm in a similar situation, look at my recent Brain Tumor post. I have Xanax as needed an started Zoloft last Thursday. My symptoms aren't the exact same but I can sympathize with you.
You have a link to the post?
Here ya go: http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=181857
Here ya go:
Thanks! I sincerely doubt you have a brain tumor.
Thanks! I sincerely doubt you have a brain tumor.
Same here with you, my friend. The anxiety is just killing me. And waking up nauseous daily and only with a slight headache. I am working toward getting help, though. Seeing the doctor, taking the meds. I just keep hoping it's not a BT, like you!
Same here with you, my friend. The anxiety is just killing me. And waking up nauseous daily and only with a slight headache. I am working toward getting help, though. Seeing the doctor, taking the meds. I just keep hoping it's not a BT, like you!
I had extreme nausea and pains in my head for a few weeks straight. Xanax helped with the nausea. When I stopped worrying about Brain Tumor, the symptoms seemed to ease. Now, Im stuck on ALS, or Parkinsons, or some neuro condition. It's very scary, especially when everyone around me is just telling me Im fine and its anxiety. I actually called my doctor again today, told him that I was twitching and shaking and having jerking sensations, and didn't seem concerned. I feel like people with anxiety are often seen as the "boy who cried wolf." No one takes us seriously. :mad:
Was your twitching happening before the anxiety? Mine wasn't.
I was on ALS, Parkinsons, and MS before a Brain Tumor. Now I'm stuck on the dreaded BT. I guess I would probably be in much more pain and not getting on with my normal day if it was a BT. I know the Internet says sometimes the pain comes and goes and there is more pain when lying down and in the morning, but I often wonder how accurate all of that is. I guess I just feel I'd be in worse shape.
Was your twitching happening before the anxiety? Mine wasn't.
No, twitching started about a week after extreme worry.
---------- Post added at 20:23 ---------- Previous post was at 20:22 ----------
I was on ALS, Parkinsons, and MS before a Brain Tumor. Now I'm stuck on the dreaded BT. I guess I would probably be in much more pain and not getting on with my normal day if it was a BT. I know the Internet says sometimes the pain comes and goes and there is more pain when lying down and in the morning, but I often wonder how accurate all of that is. I guess I just feel I'd be in worse shape.
Your symptoms dont sound remotely like ALS or Parkinsons. I mean, nausea and headache can be anything, but those two things aren't even related to ALS or Parkinsons.
I had shaking and constantly dropping things and felt like weakness and stuff. That has gone, well everything but the dropping things. I've kind of moved on from that worry.
I had shaking and constantly dropping things and felt like weakness and stuff. That has gone, well everything but the dropping things. I've kind of moved on from that worry.
Well, you didn't tell me that! Now I dont feel so alone, lol
Yep, I had it all. Numbness as well. It's made me feel nuts and now I've fallen on a Brain Tumor... You're not alone. Even after the check up that I just had, I am still worried.
[QUOTE=Josh1234;1536113]No, twitching started about a week after extreme worry.[COLOR="blue"]
[SIZE=1]---------- Post added at 20:23 ---------- Previous post was at 20:22
Same here I started noticing mine about a week after I went to the ER. So unless super stress or anxiety causes ALS then I'd say it's all due to our anxiety. My dr didn't seem worried at all but he'll I get them everywhere it's like I'm not in control of my own body anymore. I even get them in shoulders sometimes. I was starting to think it was my muscles dying.
[QUOTE=Josh1234;1536113]No, twitching started about a week after extreme worry.[COLOR="blue"]
[SIZE=1]---------- Post added at 20:23 ---------- Previous post was at 20:22
Same here I started noticing mine about a week after I went to the ER. So unless super stress or anxiety causes ALS then I'd say it's all due to our anxiety. My dr didn't seem worried at all but he'll I get them everywhere it's like I'm not in control of my own body anymore. I even get them in shoulders sometimes. I was starting to think it was my muscles dying.
From what I understand, ALS twitching is only after the muscle is dying, and its localized. ALS attacks one limb/muscle at a time. If you have random twitching all over, and no ACTUAL weakness, then chances are, you don't have it. I went to the gym today and hit all my normal numbers, even though I feel like crap and am shaky. People with ALS sometimes can't even comb their hair.
Well mine is pretty much all over at random times. I do feel weaker but I think it's from the anxiety and being like this for months and I haven't did much. I do walk and jog some. But I also lost 30 pounds since early jan from not eating much so I dint that is helping I have been eating more past few days though.
I mentioned ALS to my doctor she just laughed. I think a doctors see plenty of anxiety cases over their years of working to know when twitching and stuff would be caused by that. I mean I think over 40 million people suffer from anxiety each year so that's a pretty good bit. That's over 10% of the U.S. Population.
And I have heard you don't see twitching till the muscle is pretty much already dead which means I wouldn't be able to walk or anything if I had it in my legs.
Well mine is pretty much all over at random times. I do feel weaker but I think it's from the anxiety and being like this for months and I haven't did much. I do walk and jog some. But I also lost 30 pounds since early jan from not eating much so I dint that is helping I have been eating more past few days though.
I mentioned ALS to my doctor she just laughed. I think a doctors see plenty of anxiety cases over their years of working to know when twitching and stuff would be caused by that. I mean I think over 40 million people suffer from anxiety each year so that's a pretty good bit. That's over 10% of the U.S. Population.
And I have heard you don't see twitching till the muscle is pretty much already dead which means I wouldn't be able to walk or anything if I had it in my legs.
ALS isnt about a feeling, its about a doing. Like, my arms and hands felt weak today, but I still bench pressed 200lbs. My legs shake, but I can still squat almost 300lbs with no belt, etc etc... True weakness is when a doctor can push your resisting arm down with two fingers.
Yeah I don't think a doctor can push my arms down with 2 fingers unless they are jay cutler or the Rock lol.
Yeah I don't think a doctor can push my arms down with 2 fingers unless they are jay cutler or the Rock lol.
:yesyes:
Josh, you mentioned that very knowledgeable neuro that you seen. Did he happen to give you any insight on people with BT's? Like real telltale signs or anything of the sort? Just curious.
Pastycakes
24-03-16, 00:25
Not sure if it'll make you feel any better, nothing ever seems to make me feel better, but I just wanted to tell you I had all of your symptoms in the last couple of months. Also tingling in my hands and sometimes feet. I thought I definitely had a tumor or MS, but I had an MRI and everything was perfectly fine. So far, they've only found a severe iron deficiency. I have to see a gastroenterologist, so now I'm scared about stomach or colon cancer. I have all sorts of stomach issues too. But hey! At least the brain tumor symptoms have subsided. My doctor only ordered the MRI to make me feel better and I would probably still be worrying about it if I hadn't had one.
Josh, you mentioned that very knowledgeable neuro that you seen. Did he happen to give you any insight on people with BT's? Like real telltale signs or anything of the sort? Just curious.
I think with brain tumors, its an increasingly obvious thing. Bad headaches, nausea, vomiting, 40 percent of people with BT have seizures - in fact, a lot of people find out they have a brain tumor because they had their first seizure... weakness or numbness, especially on one side, losing your hearing/hearing weird and crazy stuff, vision issues, double or blurred vision etc. Like I said, I've been told that brain tumors, by the time they are large enough to show any symptoms, are pretty intense. My gf's uncle died of one, and the way he found is that he was on the couch for a week, throwing up, not able to move, with a crushing pain in his head.
---------- Post added at 13:34 ---------- Previous post was at 13:33 ----------
Not sure if it'll make you feel any better, nothing ever seems to make me feel better, but I just wanted to tell you I had all of your symptoms in the last couple of months. Also tingling in my hands and sometimes feet. I thought I definitely had a tumor or MS, but I had an MRI and everything was perfectly fine. So far, they've only found a severe iron deficiency. I have to see a gastroenterologist, so now I'm scared about stomach or colon cancer. I have all sorts of stomach issues too. But hey! At least the brain tumor symptoms have subsided. My doctor only ordered the MRI to make me feel better and I would probably still be worrying about it if I hadn't had one.
Thank you. The shaky muscles daily freaks me out.
---------- Post added at 16:46 ---------- Previous post was at 13:34 ----------
Just read a story about a guy with ALS who had twitching all over his body before any weakness showed up. Freaked out now. :(
ALS is really rare And who even knows if that story is true. You shouldn't be googling. And if it started when your a deity started I'd think it would be linked that that. And seems a lot of people with anxiety is having this issue.
Yeah, I had a somewhat nervous breakdown before the twitching started.
Mine didn't start till my Anxeity started. I think we are fine. If doctor didn't seemed worried over it.
FeelLikeNeo
26-03-16, 23:57
Don't go down the ALS route. It ruined my life for 6 months. I lost the best period of my life to those fears and I will passionately stop anyone else making the same mistake.
Probably in July last year I got a twitch in my calf that wouldn't shift. By the next morning my whole body was twitching. This went on for about 3 months and I more or less had a break down. Luckily I left my job to start a PhD, otherwise I would have been off sick for a long time. The move to a new city and new routine made me get my act together, went to the doctor, got on citalopram, and did all I could to make myself better.
Anyways, here I am. The twitching is basically gone -- I still twitch every day but nothing like before, and it's pretty inconsistent. And magically, all that 'weakness' I felt is gone too.
It took a lot to get out of that hole I dug for myself and the best way to avoid it is don't f***ing google. Don't even try. Yes, people have ALS. People die of this terrible disease. But the chances are you don't, and life's too short to worry about it. I'll never get those months back I lost for no reason.
Josh1234 I'm going through. Pretty similar situation as you and terrified still. I have a neurologist appt tomorrow and am scared to death of what he'll say. My body twitches so badly it feels as if I'm plugged into an electrical outlet. I also get myclonic jerks which I'm TERRIFIED are seizures. Constant nausea, dizziness and had a migraine that lasted 11 days no joke. So very scared!
Josh1234 I'm going through. Pretty similar situation as you and terrified still. I have a neurologist appt tomorrow and am scared to death of what he'll say. My body twitches so badly it feels as if I'm plugged into an electrical outlet. I also get myclonic jerks which I'm TERRIFIED are seizures. Constant nausea, dizziness and had a migraine that lasted 11 days no joke. So very scared!
These are also signs of anxiety, so let us know what neuro says!
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