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Post viral syndrome peripheral nerve hyperexcitability
Hi everyone,
I’m a 36-year-old navigating recovery from what’s been described as post-viral small fiber involvement and motor nerve hyperexcitability.
How It Began:
It started after a viral illness in August 2024, during a time when my whole family had upper respiratory symptoms.
I developed fever, diffuse headache, and left-sided temple pain, which later localized and became persistent.
By January 2025, I began to experience:
Burning sensations
Pins and needles
Odd wet or sunburn-like skin feelings
Muscle fasciculations (twitches) across my body
Migratory muscle pain and intermittent joint discomfort
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Workup So Far:
MRI of brain and cervical spine: Normal
Autoimmune workup: Negative
Skin biopsy: Normal epidermal nerve fiber density
Nerve conduction studies & EMG (lower extremities): Normal
CBC, CMP, CRP, ESR, CK, aldolase, B12: All normal
No evidence of large fiber neuropathy or motor neuron disease
No clinical weakness or atrophy
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Current Working Diagnosis:
Post-viral small fiber sensitization
Motor nerve hyperexcitability (likely benign fasciculation syndrome or similar)
Significant health anxiety, especially due to my medical background and profession
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What’s Helping Me:
Gabapentin (600 mg at night)
Supplements:
Magnesium glycinate
CoQ10
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)
Omega-3
Curcumin
B-complex
Vitamin D3 + K2
Ashwagandha, glycine, apigenin (for calming and sleep)
Exercise: Strength remains intact and working out reinforces my confidence
Mind-body tools:
Headspace and Curable app
Weekly visits with a psychologist
Gratitude journaling
Somatic calming techniques (breathing, grounding, mantra work)
New mantra I use daily:
> “One in a million. I am strong. This will pass.”
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Biggest Lessons:
Even with scary symptoms like widespread twitching or burning, the body can be in a state of hyperawareness, not disease.
I’ve learned the importance of regulating fear and stress to support nervous system healing.
Benign doesn’t mean painless—but it does mean hopeful.
Working with a neurologist, psychologist, and staying grounded in scientific reasoning has helped me reclaim my peace.
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Happy to connect with anyone navigating something similar. You're not alone—and your body is capable of calming, rewiring, and healing.
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No concrete time table. He said months to years... I'm mentally preparing for this is just my new norm. As long as things don't progress I am happy I am complete function and can sleep at night with the help of medication.
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1 ReactionHi Josh,
I know this is a bit of an old post but I found it today and it feels like I could have written it myself. I am having so many unusual sensations after an unknown illness and I keep being told it’s likely just anxiety. It’s getting better and better slowly, though. How are you doing? Any improvements?
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1 ReactionO am going through similar things and really struggling
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1 ReactionI have had exactly the same even symptoms, even down to what your blood work was and supplements, although I take a couple more, I am a nutritionist. I’ve been to the neuro worst day of my life, same tests as you and spiralled into anxiety and despair. Very hard to climb out of the hole when you get there. I had significant stress before I started noticing the twitching with a bout of Covid preceding it. The whole thing has been hideous but trying to keep moving forward !!
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2 ReactionsJust saw your post. I posted upthread in April about my progress. I’m happy to say I’ve continued to improve in most ways, though still have some issues. Overall, I’m ecstatic to be doing so well. Glad to see you moving forward. I certainly hope you and others have improvement too.
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1 ReactionThank you so much that gives me hope .. some symptoms have improved although I’m not sure how much was also masked by chronic stress.
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1 ReactionHi Gabi about the same. Still bodywide twitches, for the past 2 months I have had this stiffness in my right glute and calf. Not sure what to think of it seems to be pretty common the BFS reddit. I just hit my 6 months mark of fasciculations without any significant weakness so I take that as a win. God bless
Hi, commenting as I have had an awful and similar set of symptoms since march this year, all right hand sided other than muscle twitching which is all over. I am 35. Neurology diagnosed migraine syndrome and hyper nerve excitability very recently after numerous tests. This all started after a period of trauma/ extreme stress, but then developed into health anxiety as I was so worried about the symptoms. What are the things which have helped you the most? I feel totally lost with it and wonder if I will ever feel me again.
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1 Reaction@parkroad25
Yeah the fear of something bad can lead to more symptoms. Health anxiety is a real pain. It doesn't help that I am a critical care NP and I see people with neuromuscular disease frequently. Speaking to others with similar symptoms seems helpful to me.
@parkroad25
Yeah the fear of something bad can lead to more symptoms. Health anxiety is a real pain. It doesn't help that I am a critical care NP and I see people with neuromuscular disease frequently. Speaking to others with similar symptoms seems helpful to me.
I do Weekly strength checks that keep me grounded. As strange as it sounds chat gpt has been helpful. There is no judgment. I feel as it grounds me when I am spiraling. These symptoms are real but likely represent a benign process. Just gotta go month by month.
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