Q. I get widespread muscle twitching with anxiety and OCD. Should I worry about ALS?
Hi doctor,
I am a 20-year-old male. For the past seven months, I have had widespread muscle twitching. The most annoying ones occur in my eyelids. I am diagnosed with anxiety and OCD, and I took Lexapro for 90 days. A couple of days ago, I was instructed by my doctor to stop the Lexapro due to the feeling of being off-balance and some minor changes to my vision. I am terrified of having ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Within the past few days, I have had the urge to clear my throat every few minutes. I do suffer from health anxiety. Please help.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I would like to know how it started and progressed in detail. How it was with the said medicine?
Please answer a few more questions. Is there any weakness of hands or leg or anywhere? Is there any abnormal sensation or loss of sensation? Is there any loss of muscle mass? Is there difficulty in swallowing, chewing? In which part of the body fasciculations started and then migrated to which part? Or it started all over the body simultaneously? Do you take any CNS stimulants such as coffee or any addiction or abuse of substance? What were the components of blood work? What is the content of medicine Lexapro? And how you were with Lexapro in terms of fasciculations?
Thank you doctor,
No weakness anywhere in the body. No loss of sensation. No loss of muscle mass. No difficulty chewing or swallowing. Twitches started in my calves and the next day they were everywhere. I used to consume coffee or energy drinks daily but stopped. Blood work was a basic metabolic panel.
I am taking Lexapro 10 mg once a day. It had little to no effect on twitches.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Since you have none of the symptoms which used to be in ALS, you have nil chances of having the same. This is likely to be due to anxiety or stress-related. This condition is better known as benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS).
You can try tablet Carnisure (Levocarnitine) 500 mg twice daily for 15 days, if not relieved you need to be started on other anxiolytic medicine than Lexapro.
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