sleep like, starts

[HARRYBEADS]

Hello everyone
  I assume you all know about sleep starts... that jolt of electricity ya get just before ya fall asleep that wakes ya up?
Well I get these while I'm awake and they put me to sleep!!

No just joking, but I do get them while I'm awake, it's a shot that jolts parts of the body,or some times the whole body.
  This twitchin is starting to make me self conscious, the other day I was helping my son inlaw  hook up some new stereo equipment and I was twitchin every few minutes, they look like mini siezures.The best way I can discribe them is a sleep start while awake, does this happen to anyone else here, and if so what do you take to control them.

  I will be see my neuro in three weeks and I would like to sound informed about this twitchin thing.

Thanks
Harry

[HARRYBEADS]

Thanks for the information, did not notice this thread till today , not bad though only ten days off.
We will get it on video thanks.

Harry

[Quixotic1]

Harry, I find your discussion of them funny, but not that you are having them.  You appear to be having something called "myoclonic jerks."  They can be normal as in the sudden jack-knifing of the body just upon drifting to sleep or even hiccups, which are myoclonic jerks of the diaphragm.

Your neuro needs to be informed of this new problem.  Write it up and fax it to him.  While you are having them you are not safe to drive or be on the stairs if they disturb your balance at all.  Ask for him to call you and recommend what to do.

If at all possible try to get someone to get video of these jerks when they are visible and happening frequently.  Then you can show the neuro exactly what it is that is happening.  You could also offer in you message to him to send him the video by email if he wishes.

Just some thoughts.  A good online site for movement disorders (and this would fall into that category) is:

wemove.org

Quix

[needanswers54]

Yes, I had just suddenly started getting them since my round of pneumonia this past December.  They can be terrible.  I also have an unstable back and the combintation makes me fall down sometimes.  Quite unnerving.  I think I became over-heated last weekend and I have been having them for several days, now.

I hope that yours end soon.

Torey

[Sunnytoday]

hi there! Yes, I get both of what you were trying to describe.

mine start with a funny electrical feeling in my legs or feet, and then I jerk, either my lower body or entire body will jerk. It doesn't happen very often in a day, unless I'm in a flare, then it will happen over and over.... and yes, I've scared friends. Once, i almost fell out of the chair at church during the sermon becuase i had shook so hard.

I used to only get these right before I fell asleep, but now it's throughout the day, and often it happen's when I'm sitting.

~Sunnytoday~

[LLWB]

I know exactly what you mean. That awful jerk that grips your whole body. I haven't had them while awake as far as i know. I don't know what causes them, but I would certainley mention them to your neuro. Please give some feedback if you get an answer.

[jensequitur]

Hmm...  Not sure what you mean about sleep starts.

I get twitches in my legs, and they're pretty much involuntary, although usually they're triggered by a phantom pain.  I also get involuntary spasms of my arms.

Of course, neuros don't like it when you know too much!  Best just to describe the symptoms and let him or her decide.

[sllowe]

Huh??? Ha/Ha...that was a funny starting paragraph though


Hey, I don't know if this is comparible to what you have going on, but I had for a couple of months, very quick startle type jolts.  Anything would startle me, and I would get that jolt, not exactly like the one you get before sleep though, cause like you said, you are awake.

During those couple of months my eyes were not as focused as usual as well, thinking it was all connected, and that it was definitely some sort of a flare or something.  It did finally pass, but man it had me tweaked.

I never told my doc because mine were not severe like yours, no-one even noticed (I hope).  Hoping some others will chime in w/info before your appt.

ttys,
Shelly