Can myoclonus develop into a disease of some sort?
My neurologist recently diagnosed me with Myoclonus. I was wondering if it could become any wores, like can it develop into parkinsons disease or any other disease?
----------
Did you doctor specify the type of Myoclonus you have? You did not mention your age nor the symptoms you have.
You would do well to register at We Move.org in order to take part in the discussion groups.
http://www.wemove.org/myo/myo.html
To read the pertinent info about myoclonus simply go to the link above and move to the next page by clicking NEXT.
What you will find is that while there are parkinsonian symptoms which may be exhibited with myoclonus, the possibility of developing Parkinson's disease is slim. Myoclonus can appear as a symptom of PD but there does not appear to be a reverse development unless the initial diagnosis is incorrect.
Myoclonus appears as a symptom of conditions such as epilepsy, spinal injury, MS, PD, brain tumors, liver or kidney failure and nerve damage. More often it is a central nervous system condition. The causes are varied for myoclonus and can range from medication interaction, drug abuse, anesthesia.
Treatable, often with anti-epileptics, myoclonus is often non-levadopa responsive. It is considered non-life threatening but it can make a serious impact upon quality of life.
You should probably get more information from your neurologist on the way he has diagnosed your condition and the classification he has applied to yours.
It's a terrible feeling to have a condition such as this because there is a "what's next?" feeling which pervades everything.
Other sources of information which you might find helpful:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/myoclonus/detail_myoclonus.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/myoclonus/DS00754
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch221/ch221f.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myoclonus (
+ info)
How do you know if you have myoclonus?
My leg jerk and almost resembling a kick but it doesn't happen all the time, but does happen every day.It's involuntary and painful.I have had epilepsy since I was 11 and don't think there is a connection there because I've had grand mal and petit mal seizures and this is nothing like them.I"ve even tried to sit on my leg while in the car and almost threw myself to the driver just by the jerking motion.I will turn over during the night and get a horrible case of the hiccups. I never get the hiccups and now they wake me from a dead sleep and I may have them for 30 to 40 minutes. I also have Restless Leg Syndrome on Requip and Skelaxin for it, but it does nothing for the jerking once it starts. Other meds are Lamictal, topomax, prozac, tricor, zetia, vicoden. I have RA, RLS, Hidradenitis Suppurativa,COPD,asthma,epilepsy.
----------
Please, don't put your health in the hands of an amateur forum. Respect your mind and body. Consult your doctor. (I am a physician myself and this is the best advice I can possibly give you.) (
+ info)
Will juvenile Myoclonus Epilepsy continue when I turn 18?
I am a 17 year old male. My doctor recently diagnosed me with Juvenile Myoclonus Epilepsy. I was wondering if, #1 I will still have this problem when I become an adult? #2 If so, will it be called something else and what will it be called? #3 Can it develop into a worse disease or will it stay the same? #4 Is this a life long condition? Thank You
----------
1. A lot of people grow out of JME, but many never do and some even develop other types of seizures as well.
2. Even if you still have it when you're 70, it will still be called JME (unless they find something else in your brain that's causing it or find that you've been having other types of seizures that started much earlier).
3. You can develop partial, absence, tonic, or tonic-clonic seizures as you get older, but it's not as common as you'd think. (
+ info)
does anyone know the symptoms and preventive care to myoclonus?
Treatment depends on the cause.
The causes are many: Possible causes include:
* A lack of oxygen or nutrients
* Certain medications or toxins
* Nervous system disorders such as:
o Head or spinal cord trauma or injury
o Tumors of the brain or spinal cord
o Multiple sclerosis
o Parkinson's disease
o Alzheimer's disease
o Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
o Huntington's disease
o Encephalitis
o Stroke
o Epilepsy
o Coma
* Metabolic disorders such as:
o Lipid storage disease (a congenital disorder that usually occurs in children)
o Electrolyte imbalance
o Respiratory failure
o Liver failure
o Kidney failure
o Malabsorption syndromes such as Whipple's disease or celiac disease.
Guidelines for preventing myoclonus depend on the cause. In many cases, myoclonus is not preventable. For example, if you have a family history of myoclonus, there is no known way to stop the disorder from developing.
Some cases that may be prevented include:
* Brain injury—Take care to prevent accidents or injury. For example, wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or motorcycle.
* Medication side effects—If twitching begins after starting on a new medication, tell your doctor. Your provider may be able to lower your dose or switch to a different medication. (
+ info)
hyperacusis, myoclonus, SID, involuntarily shuddering on loud noises and going down hills?
I'm still trying to figure out why I shudder/spasm and grimace and want to cover my ears at loud music (normal by other peoples' standards) and when going down hills. I can't find ANYTHING. I feel really isolated and alone right now (normally you can find out about anything on the internet!), so if anyone know about this please speak up!
It may be psychogenic. Distracting/self-control works to a certain point, and yet it is a physical reaction. I tried listening to really loud (my standards) music for a few seconds, and I was tense, forcing myself not to tear the headphones off. I even had tears streaming down my face. It's just this stupid uncontrollable spasming thing that happens... I lose control at going down hills or loud music (they both feel the same to me, like my stomach is jumping) and spasm. Sometimes I even do it at the thought of music or hills! Anyone know anything about this? I've been researching nonstop.
----------
Either neurological or psychogenic. Definitely see a neurologist. I am not sure of the neurological significance of hyperacusis, myoclonus or SID. Doesn't SID have a neurological etiology??
I would rule out neurological manifestations before entertaining psychogenic causes (perhaps, situational anxiety or a phobic response). Even in light of the fact that "distraction" helps ease symptoms doesn't necessarily imply a psychogenic problem. Part of the issue may be symptoms that have developed as a conditioned response to an unresolved underlying neurological problem. Symptoms masking (and as an effort to adapt to) other symptoms.
If symptoms are affecting your ability to function on a day-to-day basis and there is a wait to get in to see a neurologist, perhaps treating the symptoms might not be a bad idea for the short term. Desensitization training may help in the in term, maybe Ativan would help situationally?? Hypnosis could help as well (i.e., guided relaxation by an QUALIFIED professional)...
EDIT: You may also want to look up migraines with aura. Do you get a headache within 24 hours of these reactions?? Have you kept a diary of your symptoms?? Could be a good thing to do so that you can have a record to show the neurologist.
May want to look up aura without migraine, as well. Just anecdotally here, auras do not necessarily result in migraine. They sound a little like what you describe.
I know that migraine sufferers are often people who get 'motion sickness'. I also know that what most people *think* are migraines, aren't migraines at all.
You could also try posting your question in the "Medicine" section. Actual MD's, like Mdgreg C, who has answered your question above, can be found 'hanging out' in that section. (
+ info)
Bipolar with myoclonus, temporary Agnosia & temporary Aboulia?
I have bipolar, with random muscle jerking, while awake and falling asleep. I have spells when I can't remember what to do with things, like a baby bottle and formula, I know what both are, but not to put the formula in the bottle. I also can't make decisions or connections during these spells. I get this power surge thing in my brain, it's like being zapped with low currant electricity. It's 3 zaps in a row, then three of those in a row. Mostly when I'm tired, which is all the time. If I lay down and close my eyes, they stop. I've talked to my mental health doc, and she thought for a second it could be epilepsy, but said that all of this can be present in people with dipolar.
----------
When I was still practicing neurology I had many occasions to tell patients that symptoms that last for a second are not warning signs of anything. People can get the sort of the electrical sensations you describe in their scalp, face, back, and limbs. There aren't actually sensory receptors in the brain to feel that sort of thing if they were in the brain. Instead people with muscular pain in their scalp or neck strain for a long period of time can get a lot of those jolts. They have nothing to do with epilepsy or with bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder can get them like anyone else under stress, but they are a symptom of stress, not the bipolar disorder.
Episodes of altered consciousness can be temporal lobe seizures. That's very unlikely if you remember the whole thing clearly. If you have the common experience of walking into a room and forgetting what you were after in doing that, that's not worrisome for a seizure. It's hard for me to tell from your brief description how much your episodes of feeling confused are like that and how much they are more than that. Again these are not directly caused by bipolar disorder, but might be a sign of stress from not doing well with your bipolar disorder or being distracted by racing thoughts or something else that is from the bipolar disorder.
Muscle jerking may be myoclonus. It may be myokymia or fasiculations. Any of those would be a reason to make sure your electrolytes and thyroid are OK. People on lithium often need supplemental thyroid. Have you been checked out by a medical doctor recently?
It's true that all of this can be seen in someone with bipolar disorder, but it's not due to the bipolar disorder directly. It may all go away when you feel better with treating the bipolar disorder, but I think at least a regular medical doctor should make sure there's nothing wrong if not a neurologist. (
+ info)
Need info on Myoclonus Epilepsy and Ragged Red Fibers. can anyone find me a site with info?
i need info on the decease, treatments and indncies and all that stuff
----------
MERRF (myoclonic epilepsy ragged red fibers) is a pretty rare disorder- I've never seen it nor heard of anyone with it- a case of MELAS is as close as I've come.
I assume from your previous questions you are doing some research/ homework, so let me direct you to either 1. pub med (www.pubmed.com) and type in the term "MERRF" to find journal articles regarding them. On the page, select "review articles" under search options to find articles that will discuss the disease, otherwise most articles will be about original research which may be less useful to you.
The second option is just to type "MERRF" into Google and see what you get. The WebMD site had a brief, but pertinent discussion. Good luck! (
+ info)
What do you take for myoclonus?
How is myoclonus treated?
Treatment of myoclonus focuses on medications that may help reduce symptoms. The drug of first choice to treat myoclonus, especially certain types of action myoclonus, is clonazepam, a type of tranquilizer. Dosages of clonazepam usually are increased gradually until the patient improves or side effects become harmful. Drowsiness and loss of coordination are common side effects. The beneficial effects of clonazepam may diminish over time if the patient develops a tolerance for the drug.
Many of the drugs used for myoclonus, such as barbiturates, phenytoin, and primidone, are also used to treat epilepsy. Barbiturates slow down the central nervous system and cause tranquilizing or antiseizure effects. Phenytoin and primidone are effective antiepileptic drugs, although phenytoin can cause liver failure or have other harmful long-term effects in patients with PME. Sodium valproate is an alternative therapy for myoclonus and can be used either alone or in combination with clonazepam. Although clonazepam and/or sodium valproate are effective in the majority of patients with myoclonus, some people have adverse reactions to these drugs.
Some studies have shown that doses of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a building block of serotonin, leads to improvement in patients with some types of action myoclonus and PME. However, other studies indicate that 5-HTP therapy is not effective in all people with myoclonus, and, in fact, may worsen the condition in some patients. These differences in the effect of 5-HTP on patients with myoclonus have not yet been explained, but they may offer important clues to underlying abnormalities in serotonin receptors.
The complex origins of myoclonus may require the use of multiple drugs for effective treatment. Although some drugs have a limited effect when used individually, they may have a greater effect when used with drugs that act on different pathways or mechanisms in the brain. By combining several of these drugs, scientists hope to achieve greater control of myoclonic symptoms. Some drugs currently being studied in different combinations include clonazepam, sodium valproate, piracetam, and primidone. Hormonal therapy also may improve responses to antimyoclonic drugs in some people.
What research is being done?
Scientists are seeking to understand the underlying biochemical basis of involuntary movements and to find the most effective treatment for myoclonus and other movement disorders. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a unit of the Federal Government's National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the agency with primary responsibility for research on the brain and nervous system.
Investigators at NINDS laboratories are evaluating the role of neurotransmitters and receptors in myoclonus. If abnormalities in neurotransmitters or receptors are found to play a causative role in myoclonus, future research can focus on determining the extent to which genetic alterations are responsible for these abnormalities and on identifying the nature of those alterations. Scientists also may be able to develop drug treatments that target specific changes in the receptors to reverse abnormalities, such as the loss of inhibition, and to enhance mechanisms that compensate for these abnormalities. Identifying receptor abnormalities also may help researchers develop diagnostic tests for myoclonus. NINDS-supported scientists at research institutions throughout the country are studying various aspects of PME, including the basic mechanisms and genes involved in this group of diseases. (
+ info)
What can I do for my Chronic Myoclonic Jerks. I have MS also. I am looking for someone with Chronic Myoclonus.
My spasums are spontanious and can be very intense. I have had these for 12 years. Since being diagnosed with MS. If there is ANYONE out there that can help with ANY ideas please contact me. I am always in pain :( Thank you Mary
----------
see a doctor. he could offer a lot more help than answers (
+ info)
Does this sound like myoclonus? What is going on?
Sometimes when I'm tired, stress, anxious, etc and I'm lying down in bed watching TV or using my laptop, my left foot will do a quick twitch. It will twitch or jerk to the side really fast. It will only do it once, it's nothing repetitive. Once I register what is happening, it already occurred; it happens really fast. It's ONLY the foot, not the whole leg. Sometimes instead of my foot, it will be a toe. What in the world is happening? I'm 23 years old and in good health.
----------
I didn't think you have myoclonus. It also often happens to me specially in my hands, feet and eyes when I experiencing anxiety attacks. Instead of the word "myoclonus", I will rather call it as "fasciculation".
Alternative names for fasciculations are muscle fasciculation, fasciculations of muscle, and muscle twitching. This is the result of minor local muscle contractions or the uncontrollable twitching of a single muscle group. Most commonly, problem occurs to muscle group served by a single motor nerve fiber or filament. Muscle twitches and fasciculations are minor. Some of those fasciculations are common and normal, while others indicate some neurologic disorder. Common causes for fasciculations are benign twitches that do not caused by disease or disorders. This cause often affects fasciculations of the eyelids, calf, or thumb. Normal and quite common muscle fasciculations are often triggered by stress or anxiety. A diet deficiency, drug overdose, such as caffeine, and drug side effect are also triggering factors. In some cases, strong exercise might cause muscle fasciculations, although I do not believe this might be the case with you.
It is also possible that this only happens to your left foot in your case.
I said it so because I found out that myoclonus is a more serious disease. You have said that you are "in good health", so it is impossible.It may be only due to your anxiety and stress. I also researched that myoclonus has other more several serious symptoms so please stop worrying.
Hope this helps. (
+ info)
We do not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content in this site. Click here for the full disclaimer.