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Muscle Spams and Neuropathy

Posted by jeanniem @jeanniem, Jun 10, 2021

I was diagnosed last year with small and large fiber neuropathy. Originally, the neurologist said that he thought it was a slow-moving peripheral neuropathy. Since then, it has been suggested that this is an atypical polyneuropathy. And things are advancing at a pretty regular basis.

One symptom that has increased significantly over the last couple of months is muscle spasms. I am having them in my lower leg and foot and there is one spasm in particular that just won't stop. It is beginning to last longer and longer. For those of you that have neuropathy, is this a common symptom?

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

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penn1023 | @penn1023 | Feb 8 6:22pm
In reply to @julbpat "@penn1023 Hi. It turns out that many of my odd twitches, dizzy spells, seizure-like activity, etc..." + (show)
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@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!

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@julbpat glad all the twitching is gone!!

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