Hi, @bill54321 - I wanted to add my welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect and also introduce to you even more members who are familiar with myoclonic jerks and may have input on whether you are different in having them not only in sleep, but when you lay awake in the mornings or when starting to get drowsy after meals. @jenniferhunter has talked about myoclonic jerks, as has @kerivb and @lizaa @nikkyuze.

How have you managed these myoclonic jerks thus far, bill54321? Are you taking any medication for this at this time?

PLMD starts whenever I get tired and sit down to relax, unless I ingest MSG, and then it starts within 7 minutes of the meal.

Over time, I have learned that I have specific dietary triggers: MSG, chocolate, and caffeine. Getting off these items has lessened the severity and I can manage the symptoms by taking the Nuepro patch.

It sounds like yours may also be triggered by diet. The problem is that MSG or a form of MSG is found in many processed food. Almost all fried chicken from fast food places has MSG. Of course, a lot of Chinese food contains MSG, and my experience in asking these restaurants if they use it usually results in bad information as they might not add MSG but they may use prepared sauces and soy sauces that contain MSG. Recently, I learned that the Whataburger hamburger contains MSG. Many Campbell's soup products contain MSG.

@bill54321, I had exactly the same symptoms in 2010. Since I have celiac, I was referred to one of the most well-known celiac doctors.

He told me that my symptoms were caused by gluten triggering a process that stripped myelin off the nerves, allowing signals to jump from one nerve to another. Once I found and eliminated the hidden gluten in my diet, the myelin should build back up, causing symptoms to end. Resolution of symptoms should be on 6-8 months.

Amazingly, eight months after I eliminated the hidden gluten the myoclonic movements stopped. They have not returned.