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Suggest Treatment For Myoclonic Twitches When Diagnosed With Anxiety And Depression

Posted on Wed, 7 Jun 2017

Question: I'm not sure what to do.
I get myoclonus in the middle of the day and a lot of the time it's my neck shoulders and arms (sometimes my back ir sometimes just on hands and wrists) that all randomly jerk. I get this around 4 times a day. some good days. some bad.
I also have where I stretch and all my muscles extend or clench. this isn't me doing it on purpose. I literally can't control when it happens. it happens a lot with my jaw where it clenches extremely.
there's these visual, auditory and sometimes tactile hallucinations. the visial hallucinations vary from scenes to colours, patterns and sometimes just completely black. this happens almost 5 to 7 times a day. the auditory hallucinations vary as We'll, from non existent music, conversations or a high pitched ringing. the tactile hallucinations are usually a sensation between my shoulders land it's usually a sensation of pickling or bugs crawling on that area. I have had a couple of times where all of a sudden I felt like something bad was going to happen and I started panicking. my heart rate XXXXXXX (u had an episode where my bom was at 172 while sitting down).
I know it's a lot to take in but I had an reg but have not received an answer and starting to freak out. I have Borderline Personality disorder. anxiety. ptsd. depression. And am on a few meds. elavil. celexa. gabapentin. ativan. seroquel. pantoloc and stemetil.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Myoclonus, antiepileptics

Detailed Answer:
Hello and Welcome

I appreciate your concern

I understand that you have multiple issues to cope with. An EMG and NCS (electromyography and Nerve Conduction Studies) would be required to determine and correlate these twitches/ jerky movements with any seizure activity and/or cause.

As discussed in the previous answer, an EEG and brain imaging would be indicated to rule out a central cause for these symptoms. Metabolic profile including blood sugar and serum electrolytes including calcium, magnesium and sodium are important to determine as possible triggers.

Anti epileptics like levetiracetam and valproate are used for control of myoclonus symptoms in individuals who don't have epilepsy. So they can be advised in consultation with a neurologist. Though , I would advise a holistic approach in working up the other causes as well and not just addressing the myoclonus.
Wishing you best of health

Thanks

Let me know if you have any query

Please consult your doctor before deciding on any further course of action.

For future follow up / correspondence you may ask me directly at the link given below

http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/Funnel?page=askDoctorDirectly&docId=68107

Dr. M.S. Khalil

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil (5 minutes later)

I have had an EMG in my arms. came back negative. had an EEG. during the breathe test, certain muscles clenched up and I lost feeling in my right arm for 4 hours and the strobe test left me with my head nodding to the right without me doing it. but alas, I haven't received the results yet.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Explained

Detailed Answer:
Hello again.

If there were positive EEG findings for epileptic activity with history of seizures then it makes it all the more indicated for antiepileptic drugs to be used that would address the seizure activity as well as the myoclonus.

Whenever the results are available you may share them to comment further.

Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar