KalKalvinKaltern
Member
Hello all, I am new to the forum and I'm sure many of you can relate but it was a relief to see that there were so many people experiencing what I have been going through over the course of the last 8 months. Before reading some of the posts, It felt like I was going through this alone and that what I was experiencing was some strange phenomenon that no one could explain. Here's my quick story:About 10 months ago I became pretty ill with an upper respiratory infection. I ended up with a bad case of bronchitis which lasted almost 2 months. At the same time I was getting ready to make a big move for a new job. There was some stress but not more than manageable. I've never been one to handle stress poorly. One morning I woke up and I felt very jittery - my arms were sort of vibrating and my legs were pretty shaky. I also was showing some tremor in my hands, especially when I typed. I went to my GP thinking that I was developing something new. I was in good health - worked out 3-5 times per week and enjoyed running and weights. I'm in my mid 30's and would consider myself pretty active. GP ran a bunch of tests (You name it, I took it) Lyme, vitamin deficiency, toxins, heavy metals, etc. etc. Probably many of the same tests all of you have taken. Nothing. I moved, started the new job and things got a little worse. I started getting some random twitching throughout the body - everywhere. A couple thumps here, there - yadda yadda. My new GP thought it was essential tremors or anxiety brought on by stress. He also suggested a nuero. Skip to today: 2 Nuero's 2 GPs a brain MRI and a couple of EMGs plus a skin biopsy for small fiber exam... Nothing (biopsy still pending). Everything normal and fine. I also humored the Dr and talked to a therapist who thinks that I do have a little anxiety around this issue but that I am atypical for an anxiety case. Here's some common symptoms I have experienced in the last 8 months: Shakiness/JerkinessTremor (moves around, commonly arms/hands/legs sometimes chin, neck chest)TwitchingPins and Needles in feetSome numbness at timesDizzinessElectrical sensations throughout Internal tremors (like an earthquake??)The last Neuro and a good one I think - thinks it is essential tremors or BFS - viral induced - but as most of you know - that is kind of a hard thing to quantify. She prescribed some mysoline to help. It hasn't really been my favorite remedy so I am really just trying to go without most of the time. The therapist gave me an anxiolytic which I take in low dose that also has a muscle relaxing effect. That has worked the best - but I have lowered the dose to the lowest possible dose I can take... I don't like meds. Anyway - these things have all been pretty scary at times and I made the same mistake as most by googling symptoms early on which definitely put me in a bad place. As time has gone on, things have gotten somewhat better - it comes and goes in waves. Some days are better than others. I have been successful at not changing my routine even when in discomfort. I still am active with the fam - and work very hard to not think about this as much as my brain tries to force me to. I am a very happy guy with not much to complain about - except this. I have not had any other issues like weakness, atrophy etc... None of that has happened at all in 8 months so that is the blessing.I guess I am here for the same reason everyone else is - some reassurance and also to help and share what has worked for me and what hasn't. I don't have the impending doom feeling about ALS or MS anymore like I used to but that doesn't mean I still don't sometimes have a stray thought or do some ridiculous self-test to reassure myself at times. (Although it is getting more rare that I do)I have never posted or joined a medical forum before this - but I felt that I should since it helps to get some of this out and see that there are others like me that have been going through this. If I can help in anyway, let me know.-M
in the end I think talking about it helps and as long as the person you talk to is supportive - all the better. I just feel that my family is supportive enough for me so I see it as a very short term thing. I've only used him the last 3 months.