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Non-stop muscle twitching and "running ants" feeling

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Futari
Futari

Hello everyone,

it will soon be a year since this problem of mine started and nobody has yet found a solution to it, so I thought I have nothing to lose by asking here.

Around April last year I started getting muscle twitches. Out of nowhere. It continued for a month, until I finally went to doctor about it, no fun when your fingers get all jumpy when you sit still, or your muscles twitch so much it wakes you from your sleep. It's pretty unplesant when there's muscles moving under your skin all the time. In the thigh, in the leg, in the finger, in the neck... I think I even had it in the eye once. I so much wish it would just stop.

Doctor said it was a lack of magnesium, but a few months later the problem persisted, and a new sensation developed in my left shoulder blade - the warm buzzy "running ants feeling". I moved to another country, so went to another doctor there. That doctor stated that my neck is very stiff and asked if I suffer from migraine, which I don't think I do. They said I should try exercising a bit more - it should exhaust the muscles so they don't have the energy to twitch. They also prescribed going to a physiotherapist, which is a pretty expensive procedure to me, so I am still hesitating. In the meantime, the muscle twitching has subsided to a few times a day, however, the "running ants feeling" became more frequent. Exercise doesn't seem to alter it that much...

Other minor problems I have that might be related to this are heart rhythm problems in the evening and inability to stay in a bent-down position for more than a few minutes (gives me a terrible headache and dizzyness), I also suffer from obsessive thoughts, really often (I mention this since I have heard that psychological health matters a lot when it comes to muscle twitching) If someone could comment on this I would be really grateful. Doctors say they can't do anything about it, but they didn't really think of checking my nerves - maybe there's a pressed nerve, or something?

4 likes, 203 replies

203 Replies

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  • janet33650
    janet33650 Futari

    Posted

    I suffered from "restless leg syndrome" for years affecting my sleep and life.sleep clinician wanted to put me on medication used for Parkinson's disease. TherE was no way I was going to take medication without out trying other avenues.

    I removed all wheat and sugar from my diet. Then had a test for fructose intolerence which proved positive. Within weeks I was sleeping soundly, free of dreppression and a much healthier and happier person free of medications.

    • walter51018
      walter51018 janet33650

      Posted

      Janet hello! Can I ask a question when they gave you a fructose test how was it administered ? II'm asking because they gave me an allergy test for gluten and what is called a skin graph test for other food allergies as well as dust mites etc....... 
  • suaan42217
    suaan42217 Futari

    Posted

    Yes, removing wheat and sugar does assist but did not completely relieve my symptoms and that is why I also take medication. Mirapex (Primapaxil) is the Parkinson drug used to relieve RLS and it is the one I take. It is non addictive and I have had no side effects from using it. Calcium is also a great assistant in reducing my symptoms. It took 5 years to find something to relieve my RLS. I too went to a sleep clinic. It was my neurologist that put together the entire regime of no wheat or sugar and a calcium supplement along with Mirapex. My RLS is severe and just the natural remedy did not suffice and we didn't want to have too high of a dose for the Parkinson drug; I only take. 75 mg each night before bed.
    • janet33650
      janet33650 suaan42217

      Posted

      I am very impressed by your Neuoroligists acceptance  that wheat and sugars may have contributed to your RSL.  After many years of telling my GP there was something wrong, I experimented with eliminating foods from my diet . while in China in 2010 I did not experience any depression or RSL. The difference was, no foods containing wheat or sugar, just lots of stir fried  veg and meat, and  eggs for brekky. I actually considered my RSL to be severe however the fact that you need medication I may downgrade to annoyingly moderate. I was told by specialist at sleep clinic that if I started medications  would probably need to up the dossage each year. Last comment, where were you for all those years I was googling RSL and how to treat. Hope other sufferers read your comments.
  • suaan42217
    suaan42217 Futari

    Posted

    That is  .75mg not 75mg, it didn't post correctly.
  • suaan42217
    suaan42217 Futari

    Posted

    I am blessed with a neurologist that not only believes in medications but also natural remedies. He used to send me yoga techniques when i was more physically capable as well. (after my spinal surgery, it was quite probable I would never walk again. I spent a year in a wheel chair before progressing to a walker and now, a cane and a leg brace (which I am working towards losing as well). Needless to say, yoga is not something I am very capable at right now but, plan to be smile. I do hope my posts assist others with RLS for sure!
  • walter51018
    walter51018 Futari

    Posted

    Hello everyone 

      

    I have read all of your comments and I too suffer the same symptoms and more. since 2010 after I was diagnosed with prediabetes. After diagnosis I tried going on a strict diet and working out vigorously to keep from having another disease . And try to get rid of hypertension, but in the course of my struggle I began having tremors in my right hand, since the age of 19 I always on and off had muscle twitches and sought out help as needed from a doctor and was told that this was stress, lack of water etc...

    but this tremor at age 39 was a horror. So I stopped working out and thought that I had over worked myself and needed a break. But the tremors continued every time I sat down and tried using my right hand. Which I was told was a resting tremor by my neurologist and that I had what is called essential tremor! So I researched on it and found that there was no cure. Anxiety attacks of death and stroking out was also a symptom at this point I was giving propranolol and primidone which is a beta blocker and  an anti-seizure  medications at that time. They did not work the tremors got worse, it progressed from a resting tremor to an full time involuntary movement. Now they are saying that I have parkinsons. It is my belief that they are all connected parkinsons being the worst of them all . when I say all are connected im talking about ms , rls, essential tremors, neuropathy, dystonyia , etc ! They all from the muscular nervous system! It's a matter of what symptoms your body displays is what point you are at! Like RLS at one point we all may have experienced at one point but was unnoticed at that time and if you look it up its at the beginning stages to the rest ! Restless leg syndrome could occur while your sleeping! Gaiting is one of the symptoms that Parkinson's patients have and this to can occur while your sleeping! I use to have some sort of paralysis while I was sleeping , they use to say a witch was riding my back! What I'm saying is that changing your diet , along with exercises such as yoga , meditation to calm the mind and the body ti-chi , if I spelled it right lol all help but do not totally cure ! It's a plus in improvements. If you are  consistent you will live a more normal life and perhaps not reach the stage to where I and others have to bare! Stay active and hopeful not for meds but for peace within period ! Healing to me. Is stepping up and calming the storm just like Christ ! Research ( seek and ye shall find) 

  • suaan42217
    suaan42217 Futari

    Posted

    Hi Walter, the paralysis when you sleep (aka "a witch on your back" is a very common disorder (about 4/10 people) but has nothing to do with Parkinson, MS etc. Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Some people may also feel pressure or a sense of choking. Sleep paralysis may accompany other sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is an overpowering need to sleep caused by a problem with the brain's ability to regulate sleep. During sleep, your body alternates between REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. One cycle of REM and NREM sleep lasts about 90 minutes. NREM sleep occurs first and takes up to 75% of your overall sleep time. During NREM sleep, your body relaxes and restores itself. At the end of NREM, your sleep shifts to REM. Your eyes move quickly and dreams occur, but the rest of your body remains very relaxed. Your muscles are "turned off" during REM sleep. If you become aware before the REM cycle has finished, you may notice that you cannot move or speak. I have had this o cur many times and it can be quite scary but if you relax,it won't take lo g to pass.
    • walter51018
      walter51018 suaan42217

      Posted

      suaan thank you! That was interesting I never knew about rem and nrem. I will research this. I will also try the mirapex that my neurologist prescribed for me.I was quite hesitant to take it because I researched the side affects and it turned me off! And I tried exercising and it seems to make tremors worst as if my body is lacking something or possibly allergic to something I'm not sure at this point...some of these comments like the ( b12) deficiency this I haven't tried yet ... The potato allergy is also something new... Although if I take white potatoes out of my diet what would be the best thing out her then rice to eat as a starch for carbs? I don't like sweet potatoes and also I'm a diabetic and the funny thing about me is my blood glucose level do not generally elevate it crashes quicker then it elevates so I don't want that because me tremors goes crazy... Hey question when I get tremors they get extremely out of hand like the whole right arm is jumping around... Do any of you guys go thru this as well ? 
  • suaan42217
    suaan42217 Futari

    Posted

    Janet, I reread your last post and wanted to mention, my dose for the Parkinson drug started out at .25mg and it was increased twice on the first year now at..75mg and that hasn't had to change since.
  • Heather2612
    Heather2612 Futari

    Posted

    I would urge everyone with these symptoms to look into neurological b12 deficiency. Look up the symptoms and you will find they all match. Ask for b12 tests and get copies of results as some labs set their range too low. In the uk, 200 is deficient although some labs have theirs set as low as 120. The b12 serum test is not a routine test, therefore you have to request it. 
  • stephens104
    stephens104 Futari

    Posted

    I may have found a possibly effective treatment for muscle twitching.  My own symptoms of this have gotten considerably worse in the past two months, since I first noticed them.  They got so bad that I checked into the ER this weekend, just to hopefully find some relief!  The doctor on call prescribed a drug for treating Parkinson's Disease.  I was not able to find a pharmacy within 10 miles of my house that had any of this drug in stock though, on Saturday.  (Btw, they did a full blood and urine analysis, but didn't find anything abnormal.  They ruled out my having a brain tumor because the symptoms are not consistent with that, so they never did an MRI or CT-scan).

    While waiting at the pharmacy, I was thinking of what might relieve another symptom which is probably related to the muscle twitching - that of feeling "wired" all the time, like I had just consumed 6 cups of coffee.  I thought maybe this feeling was due to a lack of serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter responsible for inducing sleep.  I knew that melatonin was a precursor for this, and found a bottle of 90 tablets of 5mg melatonin made by Natrol.  I took one tablet just before bedtime Saturday night and slept better than I have in months.  The next day (Sunday), I felt considerably calmer and had far less muscle twitching throughout the whole day.  I took another tablet last night, with the same beneficial results today.  The muscle twitching hasn't completely gone away, but I would say there's about a 75% improvement in just 2 days since starting on melatonin.

    I can't swear this will be a permanent fix for me or anyone else, but I felt encouraged enough by the results so far to at least draw your attention to it.  I will report back here in about a week with an update.  Also, I wil be trying out the PD drug later tonight for the first time.

  • Zee65
    Zee65 Futari

    Posted

    FREE QUICK HOME REMEDIES FOR SPASMS

    For a quick relief so you may focus on your daily activities without having to worry about where next it will twitch, try out the following;-

    1. Tightly Tie a rubber band or a piece of fabric around the affected area as if trying to limit blood flow to the area. Enjoy the relief.

    2. For a more permanent solution, use Icecubes wrapped on a piece of nylon bag & hold or wrap the ice bag tightly onto the affected area for not less than 15mins till the muscles around the twitch turns hard, the spasms will never come back to the affected area.

    3. Also, you can try puncturing the affected area with a sharp needle, intention to ooze out blood. You will get a quick relief & the spasms will avoid this area for a long time if not forever.

    NOTE ALL THE ABOVE SOLUTIONS WORK BY MAKING THE AFFECTED MUSCLES TIRED. WORKED UP.

    • stephens104
      stephens104 Zee65

      Posted

      Thanks.  I'll try #2 instead of #3 on my eyes, which is the area that bothers me the most now.  razz
  • chuck1010
    chuck1010 Futari

    Posted

    Hello Futari,

    I just found your post on this site.  Wow, I have been dealing with the same horrible condition for years.  My muscles TWITCH 24/7 and have done that since 2006.  It all started in my lower right leg and has now manifested to EVERY muscles group in my body.  I have searched for every diagnosis known to man and no one can figure it out.  In general it continues to get worse by the month and that has turned into years now.  I have a long list of details that simply cannot be shared here - just too much info to write.

    I would be very interested to chat directly to hear what you've been through.  Also, anyone else that might see this and have any thoughts I would like to hear as well.  This has been a total nightmare situation with things getting worse with little hope for the future.  If it continues to get worse then my quality of life will drop to unbareable conditions.  The muscle pain is now ridiculous with little relief.  The pressure in my head has recently become a problem as well.

    To this point I have never known anyone else that has this condition nor would I want anyone to have anything like it.  No doctors (and I've been to DOZENS) have seen anything either... they have no clue.

    Since the last post was many months ago I assume you may not respond.  If you or anyone else does respond I look forward to any way I could help someone or certainly apprecaite any hope for improvement.

    I'm in the central USA and now 66 years old.  As I sit here twitching all over I can't image what it could be like in a few more years.

    • stephens104
      stephens104 chuck1010

      Posted

      Hi Chuck,

      Man, my sympathy is with you!  I can't imagine what it would be like having this condition for over 8 years, with it steadily getting worse all the time!

      My last post was about a month ago.  I reported that I was starting to take 5 mg/day of melatonin (from Natrol) just before bedtime.  I have continued to do this, and the results have been VERY pleasing.  I get a VERY DEEP sleep ever night, although rarely do I sleep for more than 7 hours.  My muscle twitching is considerably reduced, although not competely gone.  I would estimate that it is about 50% reduced.

      In addition, I have been taking calcium supplements, I think 500 mg twice a day.  This is on top of mega B vitamins and 400 mg of magnesium per day (I had already been taking these before a month ago).

      I would recommend you try the melatonin.  It definitely has calmed me down, and I think done some real good about the muscle twitching.  Oh, I was also prescribed Ropinirole 4 mg/day (a very high initial dose).  This is typically prescribed for Restless Leg Syndrome, I am told (which I don't have).  I never took any, because I was basically satisfied with results I got from melatonin (+ calcium ?), and have a serious aversion to taking any synthetic prescription meds.  I think they are ALL dangerous and should be avoided whenever possible.

      My family doctor described this condition as "muscle fibrillation".  He did not seem very concerned about it, and gave me the impression that it was not all that unusual.

      I am also in the USA (Southeast) and am 65 years old.  Not sure I can tell you more than I have here, though.

    • rejaul20713
      rejaul20713 chuck1010

      Posted

      Hi Chuck,

      Just joined the blog today. I am so sorry to hear about your condition. I made a reply to Futari few minutes back. It was something on my struggle with the symptoms which are now a lot better than when it first started out with. Hopefully, we can discuss more on this.

      Take care

    • yoalexz0429
      yoalexz0429 chuck1010

      Posted

      Hi Chuck, sounds like I am having the exact symptoms as you. It started with numbness in my right toe, then quickly shifted to the entire right leg, then both legs and now my right arm. My arm and leg won't stop shaking.. blood test, urine test , vital signs all came back normal..the doctors r saying it's cuz of the stress which I don't think is the case

      Have you found what helped that will stop the shaking/twitching?

    • chuck1010
      chuck1010 yoalexz0429

      Posted

      Hello,

      The twitching started in my lower right leg (just above the angle) in 2005.  At first it was no big deal (annoying), but I was an intense competative raquetball player & didn't want to lose anything so I went to a specialist.  He told me I was twitching - really, I knew that - and then it just kept moving up my leg.  Within a year both of my leg muscles were twitching 24/7.  Within 2 years every muscle in my body was twitching 24/7.  I have been everywhere - Mayo Clinic, Northwestern Memorial in Chicago, IU Nuerology in Indianapolis and talked with the best neurologists in the country - nothing!  They don't have a clue.

      Sometimes the twitching in my right leg (the worst area) is so bad the residual pain is really bad - like a 7-8 for days.  These fasciculations (twitchings) are in my arms, back, butt, face and even eyes.  Most are annoying, but I do have times when the intensity level goes way up (have no idea why) and the muscle fatique creates pain.

      Quality of life is not good - actually real bad some days.  Way too many details to share here - I could write a book but it wouldn't be a good read.  I've tried everything & now just dealing with whatever happens.

      Not much else to say but glad to share what I know if I could keep anyone from going through this ordeal.

    • yoalexz0429
      yoalexz0429 chuck1010

      Posted

      Thank you for your prompt response. Are you still twitching 24/7? because that's what's happening to me right now. On good days (like right now) it would be just my right leg. on a bad day, it'll spread to both legs and my right arm.. Went to the local emergency, and was told that everything was fine, and this is the cause of extreme stress/anxiety..I disagree, booked an appoitnment with my family doctor

      My doc booked an emergency MRI scan for me..and prescribed "Lycrica" for me. I'm not going to take it just yet, i read online that this is used for epilepsy/seizure. So im going to wait a few days and see..

      The plan is to get my MRI done first -and go see a chiropractor. (My friend who had similar issue with us got her twitching issue treated - so she's going to recommend a chiropractor for me) ..apparently, the twitching could be the cause of a lower back spinal injury.

      I'll come back and share if there's any updates.

    • chuck1010
      chuck1010 yoalexz0429

      Posted

      Yes, my muscles twitch 24/7....  a nightmare actually.  On good days it becomes more confined to right leg, but NEVER quits.  Some time arms & back are just crazy.

      I have been diagnosed with BFS - benine fascicular sydrome - well be may be benine, but it's cronic to me & I'd wish this on NO ONE.  In my opinion stress has little to do with it.  I believe a have an auto immune disease triggered from chemical exposures.

      I've tried EVERYTHING !  No drug(s) has helped - and Lyrica was the worst.  No help, but major side effects.  The neurologists have no clue.  Early one they suspected ALS, but after 9 EMGs there is no evidence of muscle deterioration.  They simply twitch (fasciculate) 24/7.  That equates to running a marathon over a few days but NEVER resting to recover.  This is brutal !

      I started jogging in 1984 & for nearly years did not miss a day.  Now my muscles work out by themselves & the pain (fatique) is horrible with no stopping.  Good, hot food actually helps (not sure why), but gaining 100 pounds is not an option either.  I have developed other issues as well but that's for another day.

      In 2010 I started a clinical lab testing business & now have access to every test known to man.  With doctors, specialty labs, our staff, access to every resource and I still have no answers.  I have offered anything to everyone to come up with any reasonable improvement & NOTHING.  Even after 3 trips to Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) they said to not come back.

      Chiro, accupuncture, massage, drugs, diet, vitamins, nutrients and very test known to man - the muscles still twitch (ripple).  I take long, hot baths, rub down with Bio-Freeze or analgesic creams, wrap my legs with Ace bandages to be able to sleep.  Most days (and nights) are not fun.

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