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J.A.
28-11-17, 11:40
Hello everybody,

This is probably thread 1000000 as far as muscle twitching/fasciculations goes. I hope some of you will still take the time to listen to my story.

It all started like 2 months ago. I am a 26 year old male. A little more than 2 months ago I suffered a lighter concussion during my training (kickboxing). Nothing too serious, just a little disoriented, minimum memory loss. Compared to last year, when I also had a concussion which was more heavy than this one, in both cases I was not unconscious. The last time might have been a whiplash also, I'm not too sure. But in the following week I kept having headaches and I was really tired. That might have been because I didn't rest whatsoever, I went back to work the next day. I went on training (weights), haven't sparred ever since.

So in the next 2 weeks I went to the family doctor and asked for an MRI. I was kind of scared for brain damage, I have been kickboxing for about 6 years and taking blows to the head is never a good thing, especially after 2 concussions. The doctor agreed and sent me to a neurologist. In 2 weeks I had a MRI. What happened next is the reason why I'm here. I kind of found myself in heavy panic and fear, not so much for brain damage but the chance of finding something else up there (brain tumor). The result was in a week and I almost went crazy. Never had this feeling before. Thank God, the results came in perfect. No visible damage, no white dots, everything looks just fine. I was calm and getting back to myself for like a week. Untill.. I was at work massaging my neck and all of the sudden I felt a lump on the back of my neck, right above/between the atlas. All alarms started ringing and I panicked heavily. I went to the doctor right away, she said it might be just an bone or a lipoma. The next week I want for a ultrasound. This week also caused MAJOR panic, anxiety and insomnia. At the ultrasound the radiologist said it's nothing to be worried about. It's most likely a lipoma or indeed a bone, it's not located somewehere where it could be dangerous. It doesn't have any strange looks, just leave it where it is and forget about it.

THis also didn't really give me any rest because I (probably) now have a lipoma (basically a benign tumor) on my neck. I am 26, I shouldn't be having this. So from the MRI untill now I have been experiencing sleepless nights, constant anxiety and tension. But since 2 weeks, I began having this weird twitch between my groin. At first I thought it's maybe my gut. But in like 2 days I started feeling it in my thigh, calf, foot. Again.. panic, anxiety, fear. I really felt bad because I keep getting symptom after symptom and it's not a simple harmless sypmtom like a rash or something. Just like EVERYBODY on this forum, I started googling. Wel.. you know the outcome. Because I have twitching in my lower body, and eye as well that for me was pretty much enough symptoms to think I might have MS or some other MND. In the meantime my fysiotherapist (who is a really wise man) told me all of these symptoms (twitches) are very clear symptoms of stress and anxiety for an ongoing period. I went to the doctor, who kind of told me the same. He suggested joining mindfulness. I found that kind of disrespectful, I'm sitting here with twitches in my body and I don't know what it is, and he is suggesting mindfulness therapy. Today I went blood testing for B12 and magnesium.

My questions:

About a month ago I had my MRI. Results were good. At that time I did NOT have these symptoms (twitching). Could it be that in a month time something has sneaken up on me (MND, or something else)?

My doctor said that right after the concussion my blood results were all good based on: magnesium, thyroid, anemia, magnesium, electrolytes, kidney. He said this morning there is pretty much no way that all this could change drastically in 2 months. So he only sent me testing for B12 and magnesium. Could he be right or should I insist on checking for everything again?

As far as the twitching goes: I work out a lot. The last 3 weeks a little less because I am so tired from not sleeping. The twitching is there 24/7, pretty much everywhere expect for my tongue (thank God). 2 days ago I did the leg press with over 500 pounds of weight, that is a sign that there is no muscle weakness yet. Last night I bench pressed 200 pounds, that is also a sign. I have lost mass and weight, but could that be due to poorer eating and little sleep?

And final: I read about BFS. Somehow, I did not get an answer anywhere about one thing. If stress and anxiety causes twitching, do you automatically have BFS? Because if you have BFS, chances are pretty big it won't go away. But if you lower your stress and get rid of the anxiety, does the twitching go away?

That's it. It's a very long story. I hope some of you will the patience to read it. If so, I appreciate it very much. To all twitchers and other sufferers, I wish you the best of luck and health!

J.A.
02-12-17, 13:26
Is there actually nobody who is willing to comment?

Nikolai
03-12-17, 02:17
Hi J.A.,

I first started getting the twitching when I was in my late 20s. That's a long time ago. Damn near drove me mad, and I was SO sure it was MS even after the doctors told me it wasn't ... sounds just like yours though. It's from anxiety, and it does go away. Mine went away, but it took a little while (peaked and fell off within a few months, but it was several years before it was really gone gone). I had it in the groin, in the legs and arms and fingers, often waking me up at night -- twitch twitch, or if in a muscle in my back, thump thump on the bed until I turned on my side, but by then often too scared to get back to sleep. I never had any *real* muscle weakness that I could demonstrate, i.e. could lift normally as it seems you can. It's from anxiety. Really. The twitching from the bad things (MS, MNDs, ...) has a different character. It comes with real and screaming obvious weakness and spasticity and it doesn't come and go.

You probably lost weight because you're worried and not sleeping. Happened to me too.

I've been getting all the twitching and associated stuff again this year because my own anxiety has spiked, which is why I came to this forum.

You're ok. Take care,
Nikolai.

J.A.
03-12-17, 13:54
Hello Nikolai,

Thanks a lot for your reply! I'm glad that you were able to overcome the twitching, but too bad to hear that it came back due to anxiety. I have an appointment with the neuro on wednesday. My family doctor does not seem to recognize my problems that seriously, so I called the neurologist on my own.

The family doctor suggested mindfullness, which I find offensive as I came to him with symptoms like muscle twitching. I hope the neuro will have some answers or solutions.

What I really find hard to believe, is that stress is causing all this. I am not even sure that I would believe it if 100 people told me so. It just doesn't make any sense. Maybe it's because I am for the first time in such a anxious kind of situation in my life.

Also, I have been having numbness in my forearms and hands while sleeping. When I wake up, I have to shake them loose and then I struggle to get back to sleep. I don't know anymore..

Deltazv1
04-12-17, 09:06
I'm going through the same thing haha. Mine started with anxiety about my finger. I thought i had RA because my finger was crooked. At the time i had no symptoms at all, only my slightly deformed finger haha. My biggest mistake was constantly looking up symptoms online. I went from RA to MS and A**. I have twitches, vibrating legs, muscle tension my joints also hurt from the tension. A lot people get this after worrying a lot. I a1so Had a water drop sensation on my skin that had me thinking i had ms, finally went away after 3 months. Take magnesium it worked for me. I would twitch every 30 seconds, now i only twitch about 3 times a day. Mine has been going on for about 5 months. Just a few days ago i stop worrying about diseases. I heard this could take up to 5 months of being relaxed to go away. It's most likely caused by stress and sometimes a vitamin deficiency. I had numbness and every symptom you have and more.

---------- Post added at 09:06 ---------- Previous post was at 08:48 ----------

BFS is just a fancy name for harmless twitching. Everyone has BFS just must people get them on there eyelids or legs, but anxiety and stress fuel BFS. I had all over body twitching for months, it's finally going away. I only get a few twitches on my legs mostly at night. You're all over body twitching will go away. The more you worry the more you'll twitch. Twitching in A** start in one muscle and slowly work there way through your body killing muscles. Once that muscle starts twitching you'll be unable to use it. That disease is extremely rare. There's a higher chance of you winning a million dollars tomorrow.

J.A.
04-12-17, 16:05
Hey Delta,

Thanks for replying! That's a hell of a switch from RA to MS and ALS. In your case it really seems to be anxiety that brought you there. What's interesting, you are saying magnesium. I take a lot of magnesium for months now. I also eat pretty healthy and really work out a lot. I went to my family doctor and talked about the twitching, he referred to anxiety and a lot of stress. I asked for a blood test but he didn't really agree on that. I named B12 and magnesium to test, he said well 2 months ago your blood test was perfect on everything so there is no point of testing. I insisted on testing so I did. My B12 and magnesium levels were good, so it's not that.

But I have the SAME problem with joints. My knee joints and wrists hurt. And since I'm into this anxiety thing and I keep geting symptom after symptom, I can't really seperate the joint pains from the twitching or from working out. That's what scares me the most. Any pain or other symptoms I directly connect to the twitching and think it's the worst. On wednesday I'm going to the neuro.

Fishmanpa
04-12-17, 17:45
What are you doing to treat your anxiety? I ask because your post indicates nothing physical is wrong.

Positive thoughts

Deltazv1
04-12-17, 19:34
Hi J.A.,

Does your twitching muscles stop as soon as you move the muscle? If it does that's 100% BFS caused by stress or something less serious. The joint pain is caused by muscle tension, the joints have to work harder.

J.A.
04-12-17, 19:53
What are you doing to treat your anxiety? I ask because your post indicates nothing physical is wrong.

Positive thoughts

Hello Fishmanpa,

Well.. I hope there is nothing wrong. This wednesday I am seeing the neuro for the first time about the twitching. I have not had an EMG yet. But my family doctor and physiotherapist think there is nothing wrong. As far as doing anything to treat my anxiety. I am doing nothing yet.. I just want some reassurance that there is nothing wrong. I think that as soon as that happens, I will try to work on it myself. Though I might take medication if advised.

---------- Post added at 20:53 ---------- Previous post was at 20:50 ----------


Hi J.A.,

Does your twitching muscles stop as soon as you move the muscle? If it does that's 100% BFS caused by stress or something less serious. The joint pain is caused by muscle tension, the joints have to work harder.

Hmm, I think they do.. Twitching can only be felt when at rest, right? The last couple of days the arch of my feet and especially right is going crazy. My foot feels tired from it. Is this common?

Deltazv1
04-12-17, 20:12
Hi J.A.,

The twitching is most noticeable at rest. The tired feeling is also common, My feet also hurt specially in the morning maybe because they would twitch all night haha. Mine sometimes would feel like they were vibrating like a phone.

Fishmanpa
04-12-17, 20:35
Well the "Told ya so gang" is on standby. Let us know what you find out.

Positive thoughts

J.A.
04-12-17, 20:49
Hi J.A.,

The twitching is most noticeable at rest. The tired feeling is also common, My feet also hurt specially in the morning maybe because they would twitch all night haha. Mine sometimes would feel like they were vibrating like a phone.


Yes so basically nobody knows if they twitch while moving as it is only noticable at rest I think. But the foot twitching is really disturbing. It moves my big toe a little bit, but the arch is twitching by the second.

---------- Post added at 21:49 ---------- Previous post was at 21:48 ----------


Well the "Told ya so gang" is on standby. Let us know what you find out.

Positive thoughts

That's very kind, I sure will! All the best to you!

Deltazv1
04-12-17, 23:33
My twitching stops when i would flex the muscle. I
I would also get pretty disturbing twitching. I once developed a twitch that lasted all day twitching, it was in my arm. My whole arm would jump. Good luck at the doctor.

J.A.
07-12-17, 13:07
Update: so I went to the neuro yesterday. It was a good conversation. I told him about pretty much everything, all my symptoms and my worries. He calmed me by saying that the chance of MND with these symptoms is less than 3, 2 or even 1%. I had an MRI about 2 months ago, which was clean. So any of the symptoms I have now, would have been noticed by something on the MRI. MS and ALS are very rare (thank God), and both diseases have a build up which doesn't present itself by just twitching all of the sudden. And the stress, and anxiety and insomnia are very much related to twitching and other neurological symptoms.

He suggested an EMG if I wanted to make sure, but then again he said if you have serious anxiety then pretty much nothing can calm and reassure you. He said that he is very sure that an EMG will show nothing, but my symptoms may stay for a while or stay for very long which is often the case with BFS.

I decided to work on myself, which is the anxiety. A good specialist knows what he does and says. So who am I to just doubt his knowledge and think he doesn't know what he is talking about. Maybe this is better, to try and work on the anxiety by also believing in myself that I am allright and that the symptoms are nothing sinister.

We did agree to see each other again in 6 weeks, just to check how I'm doing. He said there is Always room and time for a EMG, even after 6 weeks. He advised me to talk to my family doctor for maybe some medication for the anxiety and sleeping, although the best remedy is to try to take away the stress naturally. I will try to work on it for a while and see how it goes. I'm not a huge fan of medication, and I'm 26 so I should be able to do this. I hope others will also maybe find some kind of support in all this for their own situation. Reduce the stress, and when you reduce it, KICK IT THE HELL OUT OF YOUR LIFE FOREVER!

Fishmanpa
07-12-17, 13:25
Thanks for the update and here's your well deserved "Told ya so!" ;)

Positive thoughts

J.A.
07-12-17, 14:00
Thanks for the update and here's your well deserved "Told ya so!" ;)

Positive thoughts

This is the first time that 'told ya so' actually made me happy instead of irritated! Thanks Fishmanpa, the best of health!

Potter86
11-12-17, 20:17
Ive just posted on another thread i to am having twitches and vibrating snd all the docs ive seen say its stress and anxiety,what i do want to know if anyone can help who have had twitches,on my left hand between the thumbs and finger i can see the skin constantly twitching and everyone now and again my thumb will jerk,id this normal?