I have a problem sleeping at night anyway, of course, but at night when I lay in bed my muscles jump. It can be anywhere on my body - arm, leg, neck, torso. Once I hit myself in the face because my arm muscles jumped so high that when it came down my face was in the way. It's kind of funny as I read what I just wrote but it's not funny when it goes on. Does anyone - or eveyone- have this problem ? It's so strange.
Oh yes, me too, Michelle! Except it's when I'm asleep. Wakes me up. Just the other day, my arm jumped up and almost hit my face, just like you. I don't know why it's happening. I thought it was the Lyrica but I'm thinking it's yet another fibro THANG.
I know I shouldn't say it but I'm glad to know that someone else has the same issue.
I know what you mean about knowing someone else has the same thing happening. When I tell my Dr.s things they look at me as if I'm crazy because they've never heard of such a thing so you wonder if it's just you. So, it's not the Lyrica Petunia because I don't take Lyrica. I guess it's just another Fibro thing. Since FM is a condition of the central nervous system I guess it make sense that things go haywire, like muscles that react on their own because the central nervous system is out of control. I wish they would do more reseach on this because it seems that all my doctors are able to do is throw darts in trying to find a way to help. Then when they can't they get frustrated and start blaming it on you. What a merry-go-round that isn't very merry ! My prayers are with all.
Awww lol. Sorry. I do get twitches and when I'm close to dropping off it's worse. It's like my body is just about to relax, then bang! the whole body goes.
I also wake up covered in bruises so I have no idea what happens in my sleep. I have night terrors too so that probably doesn't help. I have to move my bedside tables away too just in case.
Good job I'm single!! lol
When you put it that way, Michelle, that it's a condition of the central nervous system, it makes so much more sense about the muscle twitching. I'm sorry that you're experiencing it too but at least we both know that we aren't crazy, making it up or alone with the condition. In fact, it happens to me nearly every night now. One night I counted at least 4 or 5 happenings before I fell asleep It started with the legs then the arms started getting involved too. I woke up briefly when the arm did it and was shocked with how high my arm jumped all on its own! I kinda feel like a circus freak or something!
Your neck and torso twitch too? That sounds like it could end up being painful. Do you get spasms there as a result?
I wonder why it only happens at night and in sleep or at the time we fall asleep. I do know that the jerking sensation one sometimes gets when first falling asleep is when your brain is switching gears and one part of the brain is giving control to another part. BUT for me it used to be very rare, and kind of a startled little jump, then a quick wake up. Then it started happening more frequently and I'd dream of falling down stairs or falling just as the feeling happened. Thank you, brain, for giving me a visual to go along with the sensation (sarcasm intended.)
Then it changed to a leg jump. Then the arm jumps. I'm wondering if one day I'll just get up from my sleep and start to sing and dance too. It's possible!
Jo, that is really freaky that you wake up in bruises! Man, what are you doing to yourself at night? Going down to the chav neighborhoods in your sleep and getting in fights with them? Maybe you're fighting with the shopkeeper who fought with our Mike?
Night terrors - interesting subject. I didn't realize that I have a form of them. Sometimes in my sleep I feel ready to wake up and WANT to wake up, and while asleep I try to open my eyes. But they stay closed and I start to feel anxiety, like I'm trapped and can't get "out." I'm very much afraid at that moment. Then a few minutes later, I try to open the eyes again. During interludes, I'm aware that I'm asleep and it feels like a very deep, drugged sleep that I'll never awaken from. The entire experience can be repeated again until I do awaken.
What form of night terrors do you have? Do you have the "phantom/ghost visiting variety" and feel like someone's sitting on your chest? If so, that must be absolutely terrifying! I don't think I'd ever want to go to sleep if I suffered from that!
I think the night terrors would make a good separate thread, Jo, because I'm willing to bt that other fibro sufferers get them too. And night walking/talking/etc. Let's do it!
Lmao Petunia! Yeah it feels like I'm sleep fighting / street fighting. And lost... Well I'll never know I guess. I haven't seen the other contender yet.
Those sound like "sleep paralysis". They're horrible, and I have them too. It feels like you've been possessed and you can't fight back. It seems like something is sat on your chest and pinning your arms down, and you can't scream for help. Awful, awful things. You try to wake yourself up but you can't move a muscle (apart from the freakin twitches!)
My night terrors are like horrendous, worse than nightmares, and you can't always remember the dream but you wake up suddenly with your heart breaking out of your chest, with a pounding headache too, and completely drenched in sweat but absolutely freezing cold!! And the bed is just eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew!! I'm so sexy! lol
Yes I bet loads of us have some weird stuff going on in our sleep. I know mine is often caused by pain because I'll have horrible dreams where I have been severely injured etc and wake up, then realise that part (or parts) of my body is killing me.
All I know is I wake up feeling like 10 guys with baseball bats did a number on me. The jumping muscles can happen anywhere in my body and a couple of times it was every muscle at once to the point that I lifted off the sofa. I have spasms all over all the time. The only thing that helps are the pain meds which are getting increasingly difficult to get in the state of Florida. In trying to combat addicts they are intruding on the needs of the people that have to use these for any quality of life. Otherwise I stay in bed because my muscles are so painful I can't move.
Petunia, I think you need to keep a video camera ready so that we can share in your song and dance routine. LOL
Michelle, have you tried muscle relaxers at all? They seem to,help me somewhat.
I only get those muscle jerks when my magnesium level is low. I have my doctor check it when I start getting them.
I do that all the time. My husband says I shake the entire bed when I'm asleep. I don't have any advice to give you, but atleast your not alone. ;)
Does the magnesium stop your muscles from jumping ? I 'm going for a blood test next week, so do you think it would be worth checking the magnesium ?
Katie - Sorry to hear you have the same issue. Does it rock your husband to sleep at night ?------- Sorry sometimes humor helps. :0)
Some doctors automatically check the magnesium, others blow you off. But you can ask for it to be checked and make sure your insurance will pay for it too. Be sure to explain all the symptoms so he puts the proper codes down on the lab request.
It is a weird feeling. I'm going to check my magnesium levels as someone suggested. (allergic is the screen name) they said it happens when her ( or his ) magnesium is low, so I'm gonna give it a try. For once it sounds like an easy fix - just take magnesium ! I wish there were such an easy fix for the fibromyalsia !!
Geez. I know what you mean about awakening. I HATE the first thing in the morning because I wake up feeling so awful, which is something new to me. Everything hurts and I feel like either a bandaged up mummy who can barely move or else a 90 year old nursing home patient. Why should we feel so much worse in the morning?
Do you feel better once you start moving? My hands and elbows are the stiffest and they feel better once they're moving around. My back stays stiff throughout the day.
Wow, lifted up off the sofa? Man, that is one NASTY spasm! Did it hurt?
I find I'm getting more spasms in my abdomen area during the day. Wonder if they're related to the night time twitches/jumps and charlie horses?
You put it eloquently - it's wrong to intrude on law abiding people's lives who are using pain meds for PAIN. The abusers should be punished, not those who aren't abusing.
LOL, a video cam would have caught quite a show last night!
Oh, poor Jo! Both conditions - night paralysis and night terrors - sound absolutely ghastly to me. I'd be petrified of going to sleep. I truly feel for you, girl. You are one brave cookie. You keep on keeping on, no matter what. I admire it, Jo.
Oh, that's so WEIRD about dreaming about being maimed and waking up in pain! Your body is trying to make sense of the pain as you sleep. That happens to me in sleep when I have to pee. LOL. I dream about finding a toilet and usually it's dirty or old or scuzzy or busy in my dream.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_point
Dear Michelle,
As i must state, I am not a Doctor, and not trying to make a diagnosis, but I can tell you as a friend to consider this, and talk to your doctor about it.
http://www.triggerpointbook.com/kneepain.htm
My DC recommended a calcium/magnesium/vit D supplement for the RLS, and it took care of it. He recommends and sells the Douglas Lab supplement, it is available on line from numerous places, this is the best according to my Chiropractor.
I hope this info can help you, I hope you talk to your Doctor before beginning them.
Hope you feel better gal, we are all pulling for you!
Hugs,
SK
No not a gentle rocking, but he does have me sleep with cans of paint to mix them. ;P
okay off topic, but have you ever met someone who sold something that didn't recommends it?