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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by llrrrpp on June 14, 2006, at 8:36:24
Hi All
I have a thing from time to time where one of my muscles will just start twitching. I believe it's called fasciculation or something like that.Usually it's an eyelid or a muscle on my hand, and twitches a couple of times and then calms down, or a muscle in my calf small twitchies at bedtime.
Last night it was a gigantic muscle in my thigh. I could actually see it contracting. looked like a snake wriggling under the skin. It's still going a bit too. Strong contractions every second for 2 + hours. Then I finally fell asleep.
current meds - cymbalta 60 mg @ bedtime
I have been taking 25 mg seroquel for sleep. I didn't take it 2 nights ago, just to see how the insomnia was doing (still there).Could this abnormal muscle activity be related to not having taken any seroquel for 48 hours?
Phillipa, I remember that you said cymbalta made your legs twitch, was it like this?
Thanks for your input,
-ll
Posted by Jost on June 14, 2006, at 13:29:56
In reply to leg twitching, posted by llrrrpp on June 14, 2006, at 8:36:24
Recently someone else on pbabble mentioned this type of problem. They were taking cymbalta and said the twitching stopped when they either lowered dose or stopped cymbalta. (I searched and didn't see it--but it was in the last 2-3 weeks or so.)
The twitching could be a lot of things, including even just tension, fatigue, tension&fatigue, dehydration, paxil, celexa, or other things (from a quick check of babble)--either doing them or stopping doing them.
Are you drinking enough water? Sleeping enough?
I got a twitch (near my eye--of course not a large muscle group) possibly from using low-dose seroquel--or possibly from something else, or from being tense and tired-- I stopped the seroquel and it went away-- but I'm not sure that was it-- Probably stopping seroquel could also cause it.
These non-specific symptoms, even a large muscle group, can be caused by lots of things-- if you have a theory, check the progress re: that thing, say if it's seroquel, if it goes away over the next week or so.
Maybe Phillipa or the other person will give a more specific answer. Don't panic-- although disconcerting, it'll get better.
Jost
Posted by honeybee on June 14, 2006, at 14:20:55
In reply to Re: leg twitching, posted by Jost on June 14, 2006, at 13:29:56
Ll!
I wasn't the poster who Jost mentioned but, following a nose dive into a nervous breakdown, going on and off Effexor in December, I seem to have these same fasciculations, as well. (And some mild myoclonus/twitching concentrated mostly around when I'm about to slumber off to zzz land, but not restricted to that liminal, betwixt sleep and waking state.) Not really sure if it's the torment of my anxiety or something that the meds set off, but I'm going to the neurologist on Tuesday and will let you know if I find out anything else about it. My pcp thinks I need an MRI.
Someone else had also posted that she'd gotten myoclonus that disappeared on Parnate (I may be getting all this wrong!) and that she and the neuro couldn't quite figure it out. Maybe this is something less uncommon than we think????
It is a little creepy and annoying, though, I have to say. Like little snaky gremlins all up under your skin...
hb
Posted by Phillipa on June 14, 2006, at 20:25:43
In reply to Re: leg twitching, posted by honeybee on June 14, 2006, at 14:20:55
Hi all!!!!!Yes I had twiching on cymbalta, lexapro. Probably more can't remember. But oddly I'm getting them now. And my theory is that when I lay down in bed to go to sleep that the muscles in my calves are twiching as they legs try and relax. If I have my husband put his hand on my lower leg it seems to help. That's my own theory. Love Phillipa
Posted by llrrrpp on June 14, 2006, at 20:36:26
In reply to Re: leg twitching, posted by Phillipa on June 14, 2006, at 20:25:43
thank you all
I will try not to panic. I'm really good at panicking. a finely honed art, in my case.I will bring this up with pdoc tomorrow and see what he says. since I've never done any meds besides 5 weeks of cymbalta and 4 weeks of cymbalta, I really doubt it could be paxil (lol) whew! I guess we can rule that out!
well, hopefully my thigh will be quiet tonight. Walking on it seemed to help. maybe I can sleep standing up, like a horse (whinny)
thanks all
Danke, jost!
bzzzzz, honeybee :o)
thank you phillipa :)-LL
Posted by kimcrazylady on June 15, 2006, at 11:39:14
In reply to Re: leg twitching, posted by honeybee on June 14, 2006, at 14:20:55
> Ll!
>
> I wasn't the poster who Jost mentioned but, following a nose dive into a nervous breakdown, going on and off Effexor in December, I seem to have these same fasciculations, as well. (And some mild myoclonus/twitching concentrated mostly around when I'm about to slumber off to zzz land, but not restricted to that liminal, betwixt sleep and waking state.) Not really sure if it's the torment of my anxiety or something that the meds set off, but I'm going to the neurologist on Tuesday and will let you know if I find out anything else about it. My pcp thinks I need an MRI.
>
> Someone else had also posted that she'd gotten myoclonus that disappeared on Parnate (I may be getting all this wrong!) and that she and the neuro couldn't quite figure it out. Maybe this is something less uncommon than we think????
>
> It is a little creepy and annoying, though, I have to say. Like little snaky gremlins all up under your skin...
>
> hb
I am the one who had really severe myoclonus which started when I either 1)discontinued the cymbalta or 2)started the effexor XR. (went from Cymbalta to Effexor) Not sure which drug induced it, but it was awful. I twitched quite often and not only when I was about to fall asleep. I looked spastic :)My neurologist ran every test known to man and God, and found nothing. Blood tests were normal; every test was normal. I tried several drugs for epilepsy, and they helped a little, but I gave up on them and guess what? As soon as I started back on my Parnate, the myoclonus basically stopped. I still have a few twitches before I fall asleep or as I wake up, but that is normal.
I've heard about quite a few folks who get twitchy on AD's and it seems to be just a few drugs that cause the problem. Good luck. I'll bet the neurologist doesn't find anything, but it won't hurt to get checked out.
Kim
Posted by llrrrpp on June 15, 2006, at 11:45:49
In reply to Re: leg twitching, posted by kimcrazylady on June 15, 2006, at 11:39:14
I asked pdoc about it. He says maybe the increase in exercise is responsible. I have been riding my bike more often than usual. Since it's only happened once or twice, I'm not that concerned. We were able to rule out restless legs syndrome.
Definitely fasciculations, as opposed to spasticity.
thanks for all your input
-ll
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