Muscles twitches
Posted , 18 users are following.
Hi everyone,
For the past two months I've had almost constant twitching in my feet and calves, and have now also developed occasional random twitches in other parts of my body. Sometimes I'll even have a finger or toe jerk. (I've tried taking a magnesium/calcium combination over the past two months; no effect.)
I think I'm in perimenopause. I'm 49 years old and my periods have been extremely heavy and starting to get irregular. About two years ago I started developing pain and it has really escalated (especially in my legs), but the thing that really stresses me out is the twitching. I don't want to go the doctor with this just yet; I've already spent countless hours at doctors' offices and labs (for a facial neuralgia) and I don't want to go through that stress all over again just now.
Does anyone else get this twitching (or ever had it), and do you have any thoughts to share about it? Thanks in advance for any thoughts at all.
2 likes, 57 replies
shannonmairs7 stella-z
Posted
YES!!!!!!
So irritating...mine is mostly my feet and legs, but will surprise me every once in a while and hop around. Feet and legs are almost constant. And magnesium hasn't helped me either.
Hang in there!
stella-z shannonmairs7
Posted
Oh my goodness @shannonmairs7, sounds like we've got something similar going on. Do you ever get actual movement of a foot or finger etc? I get this, very infrequently, but still pretty disturbing. I hope this clears up for you very soon!
Nettie261962 stella-z
Posted
I am 57 now and have had the muscle twitching for 22 years. I've been checked out for it and its benign. You get used to it after awhile. I hardly notice it any more. I too get leg and feet cramps.
stella-z Nettie261962
Posted
Wow, Nettie, it is great to hear that you hardly notice it anymore. (I'm sure you've already tried Magnesium, just to see if there's a deficiency?)
Nettie261962 stella-z
Posted
I have tried magnesium and it does help a bit. Not entirely but does help. I do have fybromyalgia. I just got MS ruled out as well as any other neuro problems. I will be seeing an endocrinologist next week as i have an enlarged thyroid and thyroid labs are off and I also have thyroid nodules. Recently I have developed tremors in my hands and I just feel tremor like in my chest and arms. Hoping to get answers soon from the specialist.
Guest stella-z
Posted
Yes, I have had this too. Mine seems to come for a couple of months and then disappear for a while, only to return again. I had a twitch/spasm happening in my left foot for about 2 weeks where it was spasming every few minutes constantly. It was terrifying. I too have been to my doctors and specialists countless times, so I know what you mean about having to go back again and going through more tests. I ended up getting it checked by my Neurologist (who I see for my chronic migraines - which also only started in peri). He said nothing to worry about. I am 44 years old and have been in peri for 3 years so far. I also have tingling (not pins and needles or numbness) which moves around my body and comes and goes randomly. It is so hard to believe that hormones could cause so many symptoms, but apparently it does for some of us.
stella-z Guest
Posted
Sorry to hear that, @jenjen75 -- but glad to hear your neurologist said it's nothing to worry about! Thank you so much for sharing this.
stella-z
Posted
Thank you all so much. I'm sorry to hear you've had to deal with all the twitching, and also grateful to learn others have gone through this and it turned out to be benign.
Do you feel the twitching is connected with a drop in hormones?
I've been starting to wonder if there's some kind of fibromyalgia or MS or something else going on, since I have so much pain every day now (muscles and around my joints or maybe tendons, unsure), but maybe this is simply all related to fluctuating hormones and will eventually stabilize.
I know my mother went through hell around menopause and she has been in daily pain ever since for various reasons including neurological ones, although her diagnoses from doctors have generally been wishy-washy and indefinite.
kelle34850 stella-z
Posted
I will be 43 in December. All that you described (including the finger movement) started for 2 years ago. For me the random finger movements are when I'm about to fall asleep. It feels so freakish that it jolts me awake. I had to start taking clonazepam to sleep. The muscle twitching really started for after I had a panic attack over the above mentioned symptom. The twitching has stayed with me but it comes and goes. I now have added very achy legs and feet. I go through times I feel pretty normal and then I'll feel horrible. I just thank God for the good days and pray for strength during the bad ones. Overall I am doing very well. It's just these very strange symptoms....But I just try to ignore them and not google. I am not ready to to chase down an answer either. Oh and all this DID align with my periods changing so who knows!?! Good luck! sounds like whatever we have (hormones or not) it's similar!
stella-z kelle34850
Posted
@kelle34850, that is interesting about the clonazepam -- I also take a very low dose. I started taking it last year for a very painful neuralgia along my tongue/throat. It has really helped stabilize the facial pain so it's not skyrocketing, but I have wondered if the clonazepam is connected to all the body pains that I developed after I started taking it... although to be fair I did have some fleeting body pains before I started the clonazepam, so it's probably a coincidence.
So you had the finger movement first, and then the twitches? If the finger jerks only happen when you're falling asleep (or half asleep), apparently that's quite common and nothing to worry about, which is great. Also, if it's been two years now without further weird stuff, this should be a reassurance too.
The aching legs and feet -- yikes, I totally hear you. And to boot, it's different types of pain in each area. One kind of pain in the front of the thighs, a different type of pain in the back, different thing in the feet... My cousin, who is doing some intensive study of human anatomy and herbology, tells me that the dropping estrogen in perimenopause/menopause can give rise to all kinds of pain. Awfully painful as it is, it's more reassuring to think of it as menopause-related instead of wondering if it's some terrible other thing. I'm always sorry to read of other women's pain and at the same time admittedly reassured by knowing I'm not alone with this by any stretch.
I really hope your pains get much better and that you will continue your wonderfully positive attitude. Thank you so much for responding.
kelle34850 stella-z
Posted
Another strange thing is that the clonazepam can also CAUSE the finger movements! I know weird! Especially if you don't take the exact dose at the same time everyday then it can cause the strange finger (or foot or whatever else) jerks! My feet and leg pain really started way before the clonazepam but it definitely seems to be worse sometimes. I too feel sorry for every similar story but also reassured. I believe my muscle twitching was originally caused by the extreme panic attack (which I have never experienced before) and now it's just something I have. It comes and goes and I try to ignore it! Good luck to you!
Lisaippie stella-z
Posted
yes!! leg cramps and the cramps make my muscles twitch at times it can be painful also it has woke me up many a times at night
stella-z Lisaippie
Posted
@Lisaippie, that sounds terribly painful!
I was having actual cramps (with pain) in my toes last year around this time, and having bananas and magnesium really helped with that. It was a nasty pain! I sure hope this passes for you and the cramps disappear!
By the way, in case anyone is interested: the twitches I've been having (not painful spasms) in the past two months unfortunately haven't responded to magnesium so far.
Thanks so much for responding.
melissa47441 stella-z
Edited
omg this is me , ive had muscle twitching for a year now seen numerous doctors who eventually reffered me to a neurologist whom i saw last week ! he looked and me and said its anxiety , and went on to yell me if it was something nasty id be getting other symtoms etc je wasnt concerned at all he saidtwictching all over is nothing sinister ! just lately though ive had a heavy eye that droops alittle and is watery , been to opticians and all healthy anyone else have this !? !! cant beileve that hormones can do all this but seems like it does !!
anita42201 melissa47441
Posted
this is what i have been battling with as well for the past 4 months. i also feel internal tremors and vibrations , my body boiling from the inside especially when at rest . Neurologist saw nothing of concern , waiting for blood work to come in . This is an awful experience!
melissa47441 anita42201
Posted
im exactly the same internal tremors/vibrations too , the only way i can describe it to people is like an electric current / shockwaves going through my body !! i hate it as feels so unnatural , my health anxiety has been through the roof !! its nearly cost me my marriage of 21 years !!
anita42201 melissa47441
Edited
i'm so sorry you are going throug this too . If it wasn't for this forum and my cousin abroad telling she has been going through the same thing, I'd be totally devasted . At times i think I'm dying!!!
has anyone felt and seen pulsations as well?
anita42201 melissa47441
Posted
Hi Melissa47441, how have you been holding up with the symptoms of twitching and vibrations, tremors. Can you actually see your hand tremor when you articulate it?
melissa47441 anita42201
Posted
yes the more stressed i get the worse it is and certain food and drink make it worse plus if its time of the month csn be horrible and very scary x
anita42201 melissa47441
Posted
Thank you for responding. I hope you are doing better. I had a few good days last weekend and now, the twitching has started again. Making me feel down. The only thing that seems to help is exercise. I have been jogging 30 minutes 3x a week.