BFS Survey

[twitchee]

Okay- my first post here.

1. Age - 36
2. Gender - female
3. Race - caucasian
4. Length of time you have been twitching? - 16 months
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection) - maybe a skin infection, both started at the same time
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? - yes, anxiety in the past & I have taken anxiety medication years ago.
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? - just have IBS like many people
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? - yup
9. Body region most affected? - calves, feet, thumbs
10. Most unusual area affected? - do I really need to answer that one?

Some things I wonder about causing this are: hormones (twitches seem to be worse at certain times of the month), vitamin deficiencies (I have been a vegetarian for 20 years) and of course I worry about MS because I have tingling in my fingers & the bottom of my feet as well. The only thing my blood work has ever shown was slightly high cortisol. Because I started having skin infections, poor wound healing & eczema (I've never had skin problems in my entire life) all in the same month as the muscle spasms started I can't help but feel there is a connection there.

[ming]

1. Age - 25
2. Gender - male
3. Race - caucasian
4. Length of time you have been twitching - 3,5 months, but it's possible I've been twitching before
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching? - huge anxiety, plus I've had very bad stomach flu with muscle pains about two weeks before the onset of my symptoms.
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? - anxiety disorder
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? - I don't think so
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? - YES! Still going through it
9. Body region most affected? - calves and feet
10. Most unusual area affected? - face and prostate

[RunningBear]

Please answer any of the following questions you feel are important.

1. Age
2. Gender
3. Race
4. Length of time you have been twitching?
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection)
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders?
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS?
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum?
9. Body region most affected?
10. Most unusual area affected?
Feel free to add more

1. 40
2. Male
3. Human
4. 5 months
5. A lot of stress, and some depression regarding some things happening in my life
6. No Anxiety Disorders
7. Had cancer and quite a bit of chemo 10 yrs ago, probably not related but thought I would mention it
8. Unfortunately yes, so much so that I went out and brought a lot of Life Ins, and pondered suicide. I still grapple with my fear, though time has diminished it.
9. Arches of feet, around ankles, around knees, shoulders and triceps
10. scalp

Regarding question No. 8, its very reassuring to see 300+ posts on this thread from others with the same fear of A word and no one (I hope) ever got it, also nice to know I am not alone or crazy . . .

[anxietysucks]

[quote="Guest"]Hi fellow BFSers,
I was thinking it might be interesting to start a survey about our individual experiences with BFS. It's totally unscientific, but maybe we can create a valuable pool of information for new BFS sufferers.
Please answer any of the following questions you feel are important.

1. Age
2. Gender
3. Race
4. Length of time you have been twitching?
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection)
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders?
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS?
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum?
9. Body region most affected?
10. Most unusual area affected?
Feel free to add more

1) 31
2) Male

3) white
4) 3 months
5) yes, Bell's Palsy (caused by viral infection)
6)yes, health anxiety
7) GERD possibly, both came on at the same time I have a lump in the throat feeling
YES, and still do...there is just so much information out that contradicts itself
9) legs, and left side of face where I had the Bell's palsy
10) abdomin, and butt

[dARR]

1. Age: 27
2. Gender: Male(except on Tuesdays)
3. Race: White
4. Length of time you have been twitching?: 1 week off three months
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection): Hard training coupled with that stupid intermittent fasting.
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? GAD with OCD tendencies
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS?: Coeliac runs in my family but I am negative
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum?: Just coming out of the tail end of it now I hope
9. Body region most affected?: Calves go 24/7
10. Most unusual area affected?: My face scared the bleep outta me but it hasn't twitched in a week

[johnta]

1) Age 50
2) Male
3) White Brit
4) 12 years
5) Had been 'off colour' (generally sick & unwell) for 2 days - the twitching then started
6) No anxiety conditions, though was very anxious as it all developed (see my story, written here 2004)
7)No other conditions, in fact very fit and healthy
Yes - very scared re ALS for a few months or so
9) All over body, probably legs and arms still most affected
10) most unusual area was my cheek several years ago - in a pub, wife laughed like mad (knew by then it was benign and part of life for me)

just rediscovered this forum - moved house, changed computers etc, forgot about it. Had BFS 12 years now, symptoms come & go a bit, but always in the background, occasionally the foreground and a nuisance.

[LuckyAdam]

1. 35
2. Male
3. White
4. 2 months
5. sick, mononucleosis, strenuous exercise regiment 8 months earlier?
6. No
7. No
8. Terrified of ALS
9. Calves, feet 24/7. 60-100 twitches per minute
10. No place unusual

[michacar]

1. Age: 44
2. Gender: female
3. Race: White
4. Length of time you have been twitching?: 2months
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection): persistant viral infection about 2 months earlier
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? anxiety
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS?: no (back surgery 10yrs ago maybe?)
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum?: sure did and still do from time to time
9. Body region most affected?: right calf 24/7
10. Most unusual area affected?: left ellbow, lower lip

[Rob247]

1. Age 54
2. Gender Male
3. Race Caucasian
4. Length of time you have been twitching? 9 years
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection) I think virus
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? Anxiety
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS?
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? Yup, many years ago
9. Body region most affected? mostly lower legs, calves, but could be anywhere
10. Most unusual area affected?
Feel free to add more Having a severe relapse lately. Lower leg muscles are firing 24/7. Much pain, stiffness and numbness in feet.

[dr octopus]

1. Age-50
2. Gender-male
3. Race-white
4. Length of time you have been twitching?-20+ years
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection)-increased stress
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders?-some health anxiety
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS?-some degenerative arthritis in neck and probably back too (not severe)
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum?-sure, and I did that before the internet
9. Body region most affected?-calves (constant)
10. Most unusual area affected?-lower abdomen right above pelvic area
11)Other symptoms-paresthesias, fatiguing of muscles

[bw2]

1. 40
2. male
3. white
4. 8 months
5. V-Tach
6. health anxiety since v-tach
7. no
8. yes
9. calves and feet 24/7
10. lip

left hand and forearm have a constant buzz and shaky feeling, get mild cramps on occassion nothing too severe. When anxiety is in check symptoms are a lot less but never have left since first noticed last spring.

[bfssurg]

1. 39
2. male
3. white
4. 7 months
5. got worse after flu shot, anxiety
6. not until this garbage
7. no
8. still going through it, going to neuro for second opinion
9. calves (incessant), left arm/hand
10. gluteus, hanstrings
11. muscle cramps (calves, feet, biceps), muscle fatigue, sense of clumsiness, wobbly weak-feeling legs

[Dangerhall]

1. Age: 27
2. Gender: Girl
3. Race: Human
4. Length of time you have been twitching? 16 YEARS
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection): No
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? Yes, in the past.
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? No
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? No
9. Body region most affected? Legs
10. Most unusual area affected? Use your imagination!

[chicagobfs]

1. Age / [b]26
2. Gender / male
3. Race / Caucasian
4. Length of time you have been twitching? / 2 years
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection) / don't know
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? / anxiety
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? / acid reflux
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? / No
9. Body region most affected? / all over,mostly legs, arms
10. Most unusual area affected? /face, tongue
[/b]

[TexOldCarGuy]

1. Age - 47
2. Gender Male
3. Race - White (and nerdy, to quote Weird Al)
4. Length of time you have been twitching? this time, 4 months. But have had other bouts for 10+ years
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection)- Not that I'm sure of, possibly use of newer anti-inflammatory meds like Aleve and Diclofenac.
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? I'm somewhat compulsive and type-A, but usually not to a "disorder" level. Except when twitches are involved.
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS?- Moderate essential tremor, have had since I was a kid.
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum?- Of course!
9. Body region most affected? Arches of feet, thighs, and upper arms
10. Most unusual area affected? Pelvic floor muscle. Amusing for about 5 minutes.. then