GI Disorder and Internal Shaking

Posted by gigiraj @gigiraj, Feb 15, 2019

Hi all. I'm a 21 year old South Asian female and I have been having GI issues for about five years--mainly along the lines of constipation. I do have bowel movements every day but it takes a long time & I am rarely fully cleared out. These GI issues are always accompanied by other health issues (gas, pressure in head, etc). Recently, some scary new conditions have manifested: In the past few weeks, there have been times where my heart starts beating wildly and very fast. Sometimes, when I'm tired and constipated, my entire body feels like its vibrating internally; the shakes aren't visible but it feels like all my muscles are quivering. At this point, I feel a constant shaking/quivering within my body, especially in my heart cavity.

I have had TWO EKG's and both came back normal. All lab tests for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, etc came back within normal limits. I am very concerned about this internal shaking. My dad says he found something about how GI disorders can impact muscoskeletal system and since the heart is a muscle, it's contracting and being affected. But I wanted to know if anyone here can help!!!!!!! If anyone knows anything at all please please please let me know!!!!!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

@airey2

Hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, runs in my family. It is not the kind associated with diabetes, but is called Reactive Hypoglycemia. It could be considered a food allergy. Certain foods cause the blood sugar to plummet suddenly, leaving you feeling shaky and trembly inside. Eating sugary foods makes it worse (this is why it is not associated with diabetes). My mother and an aunt have it and I have it to a degree. We've learned to eat a combination of carb. and protein (like cheese and crackers) when a spell is occuring. My mother has fainted several times because it got too low, too fast and wasn't able to get to her cheese and crackers. However her blood sugar is always normal, but probably because it is checked when she isn't having a spell.
If she gets too hungry (like fasting for a drs checkup) she has problems, but also certain foods seem to trigger it--often fruits.
Since being Celiac 2 years ago, and now gluten free, I haven't had problems. I wonder if it was related?

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I have never heard of this disease, if it's considered a disease. A friend of mine had the same symptoms as your Mom, and I think she developed diabetes. I have Type 1 diabetes and barely leave the house for fear I will have a diabetic low. I've come close to death. My body does not tell me I'm having a deadly low. I get tired, sleepy and BAMN, I'm gone. Many people are treated as drunks, thrown in jail and died. The police should be schooled in diabetes. I got caught weaving and bumping the curb. I was wearing my Dexcom and with my diabetic necklace, but they still performed an ethanol test on me.I refuse to pay for all the blood work the ER performed when all I needed was glucose. Just a way for the hospital to pad their wallet.I wear a Dexcom meter and that helps, but low blood sugar will take you out. I've had close calls. I can't tell you how many times my husband has called EMS to revive me. I hate Type 1 diabetes.

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@oakbourne

I have never heard of this disease, if it's considered a disease. A friend of mine had the same symptoms as your Mom, and I think she developed diabetes. I have Type 1 diabetes and barely leave the house for fear I will have a diabetic low. I've come close to death. My body does not tell me I'm having a deadly low. I get tired, sleepy and BAMN, I'm gone. Many people are treated as drunks, thrown in jail and died. The police should be schooled in diabetes. I got caught weaving and bumping the curb. I was wearing my Dexcom and with my diabetic necklace, but they still performed an ethanol test on me.I refuse to pay for all the blood work the ER performed when all I needed was glucose. Just a way for the hospital to pad their wallet.I wear a Dexcom meter and that helps, but low blood sugar will take you out. I've had close calls. I can't tell you how many times my husband has called EMS to revive me. I hate Type 1 diabetes.

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@oakbourne This is horrible, that you are taken for being under the influence of alcohol or anything else. It’s frightening too that this happens despite wearing a dexcom which I am not familiar with, but police officers certainly should be.
I can understand being afraid to leave the house alone.
JK

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Thanks, JK, plus the hospital trying to milk me for all I got. This is Beaufort, SC, and they have always been notorious for doing this evil.

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@oakbourne

Thanks, JK, plus the hospital trying to milk me for all I got. This is Beaufort, SC, and they have always been notorious for doing this evil.

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@oakbourne I think my local hospital is the same.
JK

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Hey all, MRI came back normal. Both good and bad-- good because I guess it means I don't have MS but bad because.....what now? My finger twitching has intensified (at rest) but feels better with writing/activity. Am going to see a neuro in September so will update more then.

@highd if you feel comfortable sharing, did the gynecologist help (don't have to talk about it if you don't want to)? I am also curious, because our symptoms are somewhat similar--have you experienced any finger twitching at all? Hope I can give you some more info after my neurologist appointment.

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Hi @gigiraj, I have had the same symptoms for years along with the internal vibrations, brain fog, heart palpitations and irregular beats, eye disturbances, migraines, hot flashes, face rashes, bruxism (teeth grinding-broke a few teeth), high liver enzymes, pain and numbness in arms and legs, joint pain overall resulting in constant physical therapy for varying joint and muscle troubles. For me, most symptoms came at night resulting in years of lost sleep and lots of anxiety. It is a very scary and unpleasant feeling and when I describe symptoms to my doctors, I feel they look at me like I am nuts. All my heart, liver, blood tests etc. were normal. Finally, I went to an Integrative Medicine Doctor and after many tests and time (and money) was treated for nutritional deficiencies, SIBO, parasite, genetic liver impairment (not processing toxins and estrogen properly). Each treatment helped for awhile but symptoms always come back to visit, although thankfully they don't stay as long. I also have Celiac (un-diagnosed for the first 49 years of my life) and now seem to have a nightshade sensitivity. It seems like everything ends up being related to my gut. I cleaned up my diet-no gluten, sugar, nightshades and alcohol and exercise daily. It sounds hard but actually, if it provides relief-bring it on!
I hope my story helps. I wish you luck on this journey. Keep pushing for answers from your doctors and do your own research, something is upsetting your system's balance. You will find it.

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Hello everyone. I see this post has been quiet for several months, and I'm going to try to revive it, because I find myself at the place some of you were at 6 months to a year ago.

My diagnosis for now is IBS-C and non-alcoholic day liver, with asymptomatic (minor) gastritis. Like most people in this thread, my doctors have found nothing to cause my symptoms. Abdominal ultrasound found my fatty liver, upper GI scope found my gastritis. Otherwise, my upper GI scope and colonoscopy were perfectly clear.

I've had blood work done three times in the last year. My nurse practitioner ordered a full spectrum of tests in November 2019. She said she wishes her healthy patients blood results were as perfect as mine. So, I still have no answers.

I am hopeful that someone In this thread has received a diagnosis that makes some sense. The internal vibrations started in November 2019, and were sporadic...I'd have them for a few days and then they'd go away for a couple weeks. Currently I have had them for over a week, with no indication of them stopping this time. They mainly come at night (I'm posting this at 4:45am after waking up at 3am).

i hope everyone finds relief from their symptoms.
Take care everyone.

@gigiraj I PMed you as well.

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@tazdvl

Hello everyone. I see this post has been quiet for several months, and I'm going to try to revive it, because I find myself at the place some of you were at 6 months to a year ago.

My diagnosis for now is IBS-C and non-alcoholic day liver, with asymptomatic (minor) gastritis. Like most people in this thread, my doctors have found nothing to cause my symptoms. Abdominal ultrasound found my fatty liver, upper GI scope found my gastritis. Otherwise, my upper GI scope and colonoscopy were perfectly clear.

I've had blood work done three times in the last year. My nurse practitioner ordered a full spectrum of tests in November 2019. She said she wishes her healthy patients blood results were as perfect as mine. So, I still have no answers.

I am hopeful that someone In this thread has received a diagnosis that makes some sense. The internal vibrations started in November 2019, and were sporadic...I'd have them for a few days and then they'd go away for a couple weeks. Currently I have had them for over a week, with no indication of them stopping this time. They mainly come at night (I'm posting this at 4:45am after waking up at 3am).

i hope everyone finds relief from their symptoms.
Take care everyone.

@gigiraj I PMed you as well.

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Hi all-
Regarding the internal shaking, found a similar support site for neuropathy where many people complain of internal vibrating at night which may be "small fiber neuropothy" (SFN), a nerve disorder. These fibers small fibers (in your skin?) help you feel pain and thermal sensations plus help regulate your heart rate and digestion. Hard to diagnose, requires a skin biopsy. Online reading says that SFN is a symptom, the cure it is to find the cause-diabetes, pre-diabetes, Celiac, Lymes. others? I now have read about Neuronopathy or non-length dependent small fiber neuropathy which may be a closer fit to me (?). Caused by "autoimmune, nutritional, and toxic conditions...the nerve tips farthest from the seat of circulation would be more vulnerable to metabolic disruptions, simply because oxygen/nutrients have to travel more to get there, and more effort is needed to get rid of waste buildup." (not sure where I found this info). So for you, as well as for me, an unhealthy liver is involved (waste removal). I have Celiac (autoimmune), have nutritional deficiencies (because of Celiac) and all this started when I was exposed to industrial demolition dust during construction at work (toxic?). During my joy ride, I was also diagnosed with sleep apnea and after getting my CPAP, found vibrations left for about 2 months (getting more oxygen?). I may be way off base, just really trying to connect the dots to get rid of this horrible vibrating. Been suffering for 5 years.

For liver issues, lymphatic support helped me somewhat. Google "dry brushing", try rebounding/jumping on mini trampoline, exercise, soak in a tub with epsom salts. The lymphatic system is your internal garbage disposal systen so anything to get that moving may help (?).

For those of you with gastro/constipation issues, have you been tested for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)? Fairly common. Gastro doc can give you a breath test.

Best of luck!

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@rjk

Hi all-
Regarding the internal shaking, found a similar support site for neuropathy where many people complain of internal vibrating at night which may be "small fiber neuropothy" (SFN), a nerve disorder. These fibers small fibers (in your skin?) help you feel pain and thermal sensations plus help regulate your heart rate and digestion. Hard to diagnose, requires a skin biopsy. Online reading says that SFN is a symptom, the cure it is to find the cause-diabetes, pre-diabetes, Celiac, Lymes. others? I now have read about Neuronopathy or non-length dependent small fiber neuropathy which may be a closer fit to me (?). Caused by "autoimmune, nutritional, and toxic conditions...the nerve tips farthest from the seat of circulation would be more vulnerable to metabolic disruptions, simply because oxygen/nutrients have to travel more to get there, and more effort is needed to get rid of waste buildup." (not sure where I found this info). So for you, as well as for me, an unhealthy liver is involved (waste removal). I have Celiac (autoimmune), have nutritional deficiencies (because of Celiac) and all this started when I was exposed to industrial demolition dust during construction at work (toxic?). During my joy ride, I was also diagnosed with sleep apnea and after getting my CPAP, found vibrations left for about 2 months (getting more oxygen?). I may be way off base, just really trying to connect the dots to get rid of this horrible vibrating. Been suffering for 5 years.

For liver issues, lymphatic support helped me somewhat. Google "dry brushing", try rebounding/jumping on mini trampoline, exercise, soak in a tub with epsom salts. The lymphatic system is your internal garbage disposal systen so anything to get that moving may help (?).

For those of you with gastro/constipation issues, have you been tested for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)? Fairly common. Gastro doc can give you a breath test.

Best of luck!

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Wow @rjk this is really helpful! Just read your post from October 15th as well and the news about the diet is heartening, especially with such intense symptoms. I should try that out and see what happens. Just to reiterate for everyone---my heart is normal and I don't particularly get palpitations anymore. I've started moving around & getting more physical activity in. But the internal vibrations and finger twitching (which I posted about in another group) are still very much there. Parasthesia in my arms showed up again a few times in December, making it hard for me to sleep.

Just last week, I was barely able to sleep because I had internal vibrations all over my body....usually they have just been confined to my fingers. I was able to sleep just fine last night without them bothering me so I suspect it may have something to do with my period, last week, and the gas build-up that usually comes with that. The SFN sounds very plausible though. Literally all my problems seem to connect to my gut health, just like yours. I got a second blood test that tested my liver last week and will be seeing the results tomorrow---will update if it's abnormal.

Will look into SIBO!

(Just FYI---I'm trying to share as much information about my condition as I can so that people suffering similarly can see what matches. Sorry if anything is TMI)

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Hi all, thought I would give an update on a diagnosis I got in September of potentially Restless Leg Syndrome. I don't know if it has anything to do with the internal vibrating or not......for me, the relationship seems to be through parasthesia, where I need to move my arms because it feels like they're convulsing. The internal vibrations certainly heighten that feeling. But more often than not, internal vibrations are just the shakes or a crawling feeling so I really don't know. But RLS is the first concrete diagnosis I've gotten

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