BFS Survey

[Rebecca]

1. 57
2. F
3. Caucasion
4. 8 months
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. Could have been a bad respiratory infection 2 mos prior; very heavy exerciser at the time; major stress over financial matters
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? Anxiety. I am prone to stress. Lots of panic attacks as a teenager.
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? Don't know if they are related but IBS, acid reflux, mitral valve prolapse
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? Yes
9. Body region most affected? Calves & feet 24/7
10. Most unusual area affected? Scalp
11. I also experience cramping in calves and feet

[giantfan]

1. 40
2. M
3. Caucasian
4. 3 weeks-ish
5. Started Citrolpram about 8 days prior, plus had tingling face which landed me in emerg, then after CT 'thought' they saw something spent 3 days in Hospital awaiting MRI. Went away on planned vacation a day later (without results) twitching started then.
6. Anxiety and stress/panick. Started citrolpram just before twitching started (10mg first few weeks, just increased to 20mg - but still dont feel relaxed).
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? Not sure, terrible insomnia? Didn't get a decent sleep for a few months prior to starting... now only decent sleep if on zopiclone (can't take too long as too addictive).
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? OH HELL YES! Combined with weak right leg (feels fatigued after walking and heavy), but also nerve pain in right leg from hip to knee (like cartiledge is worn or something).
9. Body region most affected? Calves 24/7 like it's a disco dance.
10. Most unusual area affected? Scalp, inner thighs, lower lip/chin.
11. Right leg feels wonky, but haven't tripped, can do most strength tests, but feels 'ticklish' in knee/quad/hip area like irritated nerve/funny bone type feeling. Radiates sometimes into lower spine.

[ClaireDeetz]

1. 23
2. Female
3. Northern European descent
4. I've had lots of twitching on/off for 5.5 months, milder twitching for about a year.
5. No trigger that I've noticed besides anxiety and heavy exercise.
6. Mild general anxiety and health anxiety
7. Sometimes I get restless legs, no idea if this is related. Also, I have mild TMJ.
8. Initially I had an MS scare because of the parasthesia in my hands and feet, but then I read about ALS. I'm currently on a grant to study in Europe and I thought about giving it up to go back home so that I could be near family and friends (since I was, of course, doomed).
9. Calves by far
10. Eardrums and the muscle under my breast feels quite strange when it twitches

Also, hello everyone! I'm new here and weirdly excited to join this community. I've surfed this site a few times in the past couple months but didn't feel like I could truly join until the neuro gave the official diagnosis.

[DougD]

1. 62
2. Male
3. Caucasian
4. 5 weeks
5. A week or so after a extremely stressful situation - since resolved.
6. No disorders
7. No
8. Last weekend, I was convinced I had ALS - Thank you for this website
9. Calves & Arms most, but all over (no weakness).
10. Stomach

[xtremx]

1. 39
2. Male
3. White British
4. 4+months
5. A emergency trip to A&E with a suspected heart attack!!! Was put down to a Major Panic Attack
6. Panic Dissorder & generalized anxiety disorder
7. Long term Omeprazole (For acid reflux) has been know to cause Twitching, also a very bad sleeper
8. YES
9. Right Calf
10. Outer-Side of elbow

[vlaf]

1. Age = 41
2. Gender = Male
3. Race = White
4. Length of time you have been twitching? = 5-6 month
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection) = Dont know, maybe anxiety, stress or lactose intolerant
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? Yes, but its hard to tell whick came first, BFS or anxiety:)?
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? Maybe lactose intolerant or colon iritable
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? Yes absolutly
9. Body region most affected? Twitching and pain in calf, legs, feet, incl pain and numbness twitching in hands
10. Most unusual area affected? Dont know

[bobajojo]

1. Age = 38
2. Gender = Male
3. Race = White
4. Length of time you have been twitching? = 3 months
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection) = If anything, severe health anxiety
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? Yes, have dealt with anxiety issues for 15 years.
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? Have a history of herpes gladiatorum (from the wrestling mats). I know there is some speculation as to whether that can affect the nerves in the long-term.
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? OMG yeah, still am despite clean neuro exam and clean EMG.
9. Body region most affected? Both calves go non-stop, worm-like twitches. Hands are pretty constant too.
10. Most unusual area affected? Tongue freaked me out the most but doesn't happen often. Below my lip too.

[tacitus]

1. 48
2. Male
3. Caucasian
4. 12 years
5. Nope
6. Nope
7. Nope
8. ALS Scare? Oh yes -- pretty much the whole works for 18 months
9. Calf muscles with fascics
10. I started getting (myoclonic?) twitches a few years ago, harmless except they would occasionally affect my jaw muscles which would suddenly cause my teeth to clamp together for such a brief instant that I would wonder if it had really happened. That was until I had a root canal treatment go bad. I had bad tooth ache for several days while the antibiotics fought the infection, and boy, when those jaw twitches happened (mostly at night, going to sleep) I knew about it! I ended up having to try to fall asleep with my jaw clenched, so that I wouldn't be thrown into agony with the next twitch.

[Shanny63]

1. 48
2. Female
3. Caucasian
4. Four long and horrible months
5. Severe stress and also health anxiety
6. Yes long history of anxiety and especially health anxiety
7. I have IBS, gilberts syndrome and migraines.
8. Yes.yes.yes...had clean neuro appt and clean emg and can still scare myself to death on a bad day...
9. Feet constantly, calves and rest of body occasionally.
10. My tongue which hate..

I also have a lot of sensory issues....buzzy feet and hands and burning sensations in my hands and big thigh muscles...

[chrissi]

1. Age 31
2. Gender female
3. Race caucasian
4. Length of time you have been twitching? 2 months
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection) stress, viral infection
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? i think I do
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? yes, i still do sometimes
9. Body region most affected? calves,hands
10. Most unusual area affected? face
Feel free to add more

Well, i also got alot of other strange stuff, pain, cramp-like-sensations., needles and pins, buzzing, tremor and weird skin sensations..

[plainslady]

1. 33
2. female
3. caucasian
4. 6 weeks
5. extreme stress, allergic reaction to medication
6. diagnosed with GAD and OCD since 16 years of age
7. no
8. yes, but reason has set in now and I realize how my symptoms don't indicate that
9. thighs, calves
10. scalp

I get lots of buzzing sensations, especially in my arms, thighs and feet. I also get pins and needles, but am unsure if it is purely from the BFS.

[rebunka]

1. Age
Just turned 44! (Though I am pretending to still be in my 30's)

2. Gender
Female

3. Race
White

4. Length of time you have been twitching?
3 months in a few days

5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection)
A ton of stress, a lot of working out and running myself down but no actual sickness

6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders?
Yes, I have had panic disorder for about 30 years! I am a huge worrier by nature

7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS?
None that I know of
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum?
Uh YES!!! Big timem just right now starting to stay calm and trust my body (and my EMG), very hard to do depending on how you feel any given day

9. Body region most affected?
calves/legs. I get them in my upper body too sometimes, but 85% are my calves

10. Most unusual area affected?
I would say the Hot Spots are just unusual in general. They go nuts and are much harder twitches than the others. I also get perceived weakness and my twitches are way worse after I work out, or when I wake up in the morning and stretch, my calves and muscles go nuts.
Feel free to add more

[twitchingforengland]

Age: 38

Gender: Female

Race: White

Length of time twitching: Between 6-9 months (very subtle at first) but has been every day for at least 4 months

Anything that appeared to trigger twitching: I don't think so although the continuous twitching which started in the throat happened during a bad cold/throat which is what I thought it was at first, but looking back I was twitching before then but have also suffered from a strange running left nostril (I think sinus related) since about March which is when I think the twitching first started. Also had 4 year stress during University which has now finished (wish the darn twitching would too!)

Do you have any Anxiety/OCD: Not diagnosed but have suffered on and off with health related anxiety for years and also have some OCD tendancies (wash hands alot, lots of things have to be done a certain way etc.. I like to be in control!)

Any other medical conditions that may be connected: No I don't think so

Did you go through typical ALS scare: Not at first until I 'googled' then became very paranoid and am still waiting to see neuro. Feeling a bit better since recently joining this forum and realising I'm not the only one!!!

Body region most affected: Most definitely left calf but happens EVERYWHERE!

Most unusual area effected: Butt cheeks, temples, throat and strange buzzing in private areas!

Any other comments: I am in pre-hospital care - would love to know how many people in survey work in the medical field (I am guessing rather a few!)

[munecagirl22]

still in the als scare neuros not clueless...but iam a twitcher so here it goes..

Report this postReply with quoteBFS Survey
by Guest on Mon September 23rd, 2002 4:54 pm

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 26
2. Gender female
3. Race american
4. Length of time you have been twitching? 9-10months
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching.nope
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? never ever
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? nothing always been healthy.
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? am still dealing with this hourly!!!!
9. Body region most affected? bodywide.. but mainly facecal and right thigh twichs..
10. Most unusual area affected? thorat along with sensory umn sighns
Feel free to add more... buzzing crapming vibrating tremour when using any leg muschle shake bad... with just even a little exeration..
not very tired

[yasmin]

1. Age- 32
2. Gender - female
3. Race - British
4. Length of time you have been twitching? 6 weeks....
5. Was there anything that appeared to trigger the twitching. (i.e. viral infection) stress, mild stomach bug the week before but nothing else I can think of
6. Do you have any Anxiety or OCD disorders? Yes- major health anxiety (for last 10 years or so...)
7. Any other medical conditions that may be connected to BFS? hopefully not
8. Did you go through the typical ALS scare so common on this forum? Yes- the most scared I've ever been in my life (and it hasn't gone yet....!) Waiting to see neuro....
9. Body region most affected? twitches are everywhere but most aware of left arm with sensory symptoms
10. Most unusual area affected? scalp, and ear!