Scared. Anyone had twitching that wasn’t serious?

[Skidmarink]

I’m doing a marketing course which talked about the ice bucket challenge. It mentioned the guy with ALS who inspired it, and discussed his story. I freaked out because it said his illness started with twitching, and I have had twitching and some muscular stiffness and soreness which has lasted a few months.

See the link below - what freaked me out was this “It all started with some twitching in my upper body and arms. Drinking some Gatorade or throwing a few more bananas into my diet would surely fix that.”

I am shitting myself. I saw my GP today and she said my symptoms don’t match ALS, she thinks I need vitamins and reduced anxiety. But I’m still terrified.

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2109533-my-journey-from-baseball-star-to-als-patient-75-years-after-lou-gehrig.amp.html

Try taking it as I suggest above, diligently. Set an alarm in your phone.

I've had this and it was low vitamin B12.

Is it hands? Are you using device too much?

It’s all over. Arms, legs, hands, face, tummy. First one spot twitches and has an electric shock, then another part ten minutes later. The stiffness and pain is constant but it’s everywhere. The doctor reckons that means it’s a systemic issue like vitamins or a virus.

They checked my B12 and it was fine. Mid range in fact. Iron and D are low so they’ve given me supplements. But I’ve had both of those deficiencies before and it’s never caused this.

@Skidmarink I have suffered with this EXACT same thing and, like you, was utterly terrified (and convinced) it was MND/MS.

I went to my GP many times and she said 'it's stress and anxiety' - apparently it presents this way and although I was convinced that mental health couldn't have such physical reactions, she was right.

Apparently it's really common for anxious people or those suffering from illness anxiety disorders/health anxiety to think this way. And MND/MS is a classic condition to spring to because of the twitching.

I really hope this helps, I remember how dreadful I felt.

@iammother the exact same symptoms? Twitching, electric shocks, pain? I didn’t think it could be “just” anxiety because it’s so severe. How did you make it stop?

I have had twitching for 4 years. Mainly in my legs. Electric shocks or 'buzzing" in my buttocks for 3. I am 51. Like you I assumed the worst. It was MN that told me about benign fasiculation.
Funnily enough it's worse in winter...

Oh I'm 51 so it started when I was 47. I took up running last year and got up to 10k so touch wood I'm still functioning. I'd recommend getting checked which you've done but try and believe them when they say you are ok.

The stiffness and pain is constant but it’s everywhere. The doctor reckons that means it’s a systemic issue like vitamins or a virus.

Or a constant high level of anxiety. I had this during a stressful time.

I twitch too and that's also psychological and exhaustion related. My eye has been twitching on and off for decades, I'm not dead yet!

You do need to stop worrying about it OP. If you're not getting enough vitamins/minerals/sleep your body isn't going to be able to function properly, including the muscles, nerves, your brain too hence the extra anxiety. Anxiety uses up the vitamins you have got, making the problem worse.

I've had this for over 3 years, mine started when I was quite ill with covid so I know what caused it. It gradually lessened over time. I'm still more prone to getting twitches in my arms, chest, eyes, legs, especially when I'm getting ill with something but then it goes away again.

Similar here, mine came on within 24 hours of having a vaccination (not covid) I’m blaming that though it could be coincidence, plus being menopausal I’m sure didn’t help.

OP, Twitching, buzzing, crushing feelings lying down, tripping over things and my leg giving way and aches - not so much pain but sore joints. Oh and I'm perimenopausal though I did have another baby after these symptoms started.
One day they just went away x

Yes, mine was anxiety

I had muscle twitching and had the same worries as you. I became hyper sensitive to any other symptoms. I then realised how dehydrated I was. I had been off work and out of my routine so not drinking enough water and drinking too much alcohol. I drank 2 litres of water within a few hours and it went away completely. You've probably already thought of that but in case not. Also, while MND is in the media a lot at the moment (as it should be to raise awareness), try and remember that it's still very rare, and even rarer in women. There are so many different things it's more likely to be

@Skidmarink sorry for chasing on an old post. How are you doing now and did you get to the bottom of your symptoms with GP? I have low iron and similar symptoms. mental burden is unbearable with all sorts of anxieties.

No I still don’t have a diagnosis. I got my iron and vitamin D levels up and my symptoms have reduced. I still have a small amount of twitching and some muscular pain and stiffness, but nowhere near as bad. The GP said if it was a degenerative disease I’d have got worse not better. He’s referred me to an “unexplained symptoms” clinic to investigate further, but it’s not seen as urgent so the waiting list is 6-8 months.

Oh I did speak to a neurological specialist though. He said ALS twitching is very distinct. It starts with weakness, the muscle fails, you drop stuff or fall over. Then the second part is twitching because the muscle is dying. He said if you’ve got twitching but no weakness it is not ALS. And if it’s all over and not focused on one dying muscle it is not ALS.

Sorry, I’ve not read full thread but just had to pop on to say that’s not the case (you being too young for perimenopause at 44). I started having perimenopause symptoms at 38, and menopause happened at 48. My sister, on the other hand, has not yet had menopause and she is 58! It’s a big range, and can be different for different women. So yes, it could be perimenopause. You maybe need to get it checked out more (hormone tests etc).