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Muscle Spams and Neuropathy

Neuropathy | Last Active: Nov 10 9:18pm | Replies (87)

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@julbpat just reading this now. Have things resolved? What is the diagnosis? I’m having little twitches.

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Replies to "@julbpat just reading this now. Have things resolved? What is the diagnosis? I’m having little twitches."

@penn1023 Hi. It turns out that many of my odd twitches, dizzy spells, seizure-like activity, etc were related to high doses of carbamazepine (Tegretol). I was trusting a new-out-of-residency neurologist. He had been in a program at a prestigious nearby university. Since I had a definite diagnosis (idiopathic length-dependent small fiber polyneuropathy) and am a nurse who researches everything, I decided to "try" this new doctor. Well, over time he increased my Tegretol dose until I was taking 1000mg/day. I kept feeling worse, and my pain was worsening, so he just kept bumping up my dose. When my UAB neurologist figured out what was happening, he immediately started dropping my Tegretol dose. I now take 300 mg twice a day. This medication works better for my neuropathy pain than any of the other seizure medications. I was just taking too much. I have quite a few records detailing the numerous specialist visits, and diagnostic tests done during this time.
I could be angry, but that takes too much energy. I'm irritated with myself for not realizing what was happening. Much harm was done to me by this doctor. I no longer see him, and I think he was really relieved, because he was in over his head. I lost over a year of my life lying on my sofa fighting dizziness. All that is over now, and I'm back to the usual neuropathy pain, fatigue and weakness!