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Muscle Twitching - Health anxiety taking over my life

11 replies

ACCx · 25/09/2021 10:48

I hope someone can relate to this and calm my nerves a little bit. I suffer with severe health anxiety and it has been very bad since April. If it’s not one thing it’s another. Currently my fear is MND or something similar. For the past few days I’ve noticed muscle twitching that lasts for a few seconds in different places. Im already taking magnesium supplements from the supermarket as I was having hypnic jerks at night time a few weeks ago which have seemed to have calmed down a lot. Now I’m worrying as surely with me taking the magnesium every day I shouldn’t have this muscle twitching. I spoke to my gp yesterday and she didn’t seem to concerned, she said it’s likely to be the anxiety causing it. Has anyone else had these as an anxiety symptom? What did you do to help it? The more I worry about them the more I notice them. Like if I’m relaxing I think ‘I wonder if they’ve gone’ then I get one. It’s horrible. My grandmas friend has MND so I have looked into it and it’s a horrible thought. :( I’m 26 and anxiety is taking over my life.

OP posts:
Sarahlou63 · 25/09/2021 13:09

This video explains what happens to your body (and why) when it's under stress;

And this video is great at helping you to actively relax;

Knowing what's going on is good for your mind...knowing how to combat it is good for your body.

ACCx · 25/09/2021 14:23

Thank you so much that’s very kind of you! Taking a look now! Xx

OP posts:
Anxiouscottishoma · 02/04/2022 21:43

I have been experiencing the same. What was your outcome? I’m beside myself with worry

LittleOldWineDrinker · 02/04/2022 22:18

My husband suffers terribly with health anxiety. At his most anxious he gets these muscle twitches running up and down his legs. They are absolutely benign but are quite alarming to see. Obviously the more he has these twitches the more anxious he becomes and so it goes on. It's a vicious cycle, and quite exhausting.

uthredswife · 02/04/2022 22:26

Been there and I'm out the other side. It's likely to be Benign fasciculation syndrome. There are some super supportive Facebook pages I recommend you look into. Just search BFS. Here's the thing, MND does not present with fasciculations alone. There are always other symtoms and they are not transient. You don't sometimes lose the use of a muscle and then regain it. My point is that twitches on their own are only a sign of an overactive nervous system probably caused by your anxiety. You are in a spiral. The only way to get out of the spiral is just keep living. And in a couple of years you'll still be here and you'll be grand and that's they proof that these twitches are benign. Stop googling. Start anxiety meds if needed. Walk barefoot in the grass. See a friend. Pm me if you need support. I'm 24 months in and still absolutely fine. They're just twitches. Sometimes my colleagues will moan about a little eyelid twitch and ill inwardly roll my eyes while my thigh muscle thumps so dramatically you can see it through my jeans!

maeveiscurious · 02/04/2022 22:35

I use a magnesium and lavender spray from Holland and Barrett it really helps with cramps and twitches

shreddednips · 02/04/2022 22:41

I'm sorry you're feeling so anxious OP. I have PTSD and had lots of muscle twitching when it was at its worst. I never saw a doctor about it but I'm assuming it was nothing to worry about because it just went away in the end.

Are you sleeping ok? I noticed a huge correlation between lack of sleep and muscle twitching and it improved pretty fast once I started sleeping properly again.

Anxiouscottishoma · 03/04/2022 07:50

It’s a horrible circle.

I had random muscle twitching for a bit but didn’t think anything if it. We’re talking maybe years. But not everyday.

It was 2 Thursdays ago I have had a sore arm (the one I carry my daughter in) and my thumb start visibly twitching. I instantly freak and consulted dr google.

Well since then… I’ve become obsessed. And low and behold i now have muscle twitches and spasms everywhere. I had PTSD after a horrendous miscarriage and I had been discharged from the CBT as I was doing well. However, in the space of 2 weeks I am on medication and being referred back into the service.

GeneLovesJezebel · 03/04/2022 07:51

DH had this before he went on antidepressants.

Anxiouscottishoma · 03/04/2022 07:51

My thumb hasn’t twitched again Just everywhere else 😩

uthredswife · 03/04/2022 09:30

When you have a spot that twitches repeatedly that's called a hot spot. I had one in my left ring finger on my second knuckle and 1 on the tip of my nose. But I get them from head to toe including in my privates! It's 2 years now and I'm still here, going to the gym daily, working full time. If it was sinister I wouldn't be doing that. I have completely cut out caffeine and I think that has definitely helped a little. I wasn't and stíl am not an anxious person but these twitches sent me to some very dark places. I got into a googling spiral and if you Google enough you'll find something to justify your fears. I believe mine may have been linked to Covid, either the stress or the lockdowns or that the actual virus caused them (though I would have been otherwise a-symptomatic). These videos are excellent -

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