[ChocolateMarilyn]

Hi, I'm new here... glad to find another resource for bipolar information.

I wanted to ask if anyone else here has sporadic twitches. By twitch I mean a full body spasm that's almost like a chills-up-the-spine thing or a brief shiver like when you're cold. I'm not on any medications right now, so I know it's not a side effect. I THINK it happens more when I'm tired, but I haven't been diligent in figuring out what's going on with diet, sleep, stress levels, moods when it happens. Usually it's just once every couple of months but sometimes it's several times within the space of a couple minutes/hours.

A friend of mine in college (10 years ago, before my bp symptoms got worse and I started twitching) got the nickname of "Twitchy" because she would do this. She was suffering from some type of mental distress (which we never discussed) and I'm wondering if the two things are related.

Have any of you experienced this?

[PT52]

Originally Posted by ChocolateMarilyn

Hi, I'm new here... glad to find another resource for bipolar information.

I wanted to ask if anyone else here has sporadic twitches. By twitch I mean a full body spasm that's almost like a chills-up-the-spine thing or a brief shiver like when you're cold. I'm not on any medications right now, so I know it's not a side effect. I THINK it happens more when I'm tired, but I haven't been diligent in figuring out what's going on with diet, sleep, stress levels, moods when it happens. Usually it's just once every couple of months but sometimes it's several times within the space of a couple minutes/hours.

A friend of mine in college (10 years ago, before my bp symptoms got worse and I started twitching) got the nickname of "Twitchy" because she would do this. She was suffering from some type of mental distress (which we never discussed) and I'm wondering if the two things are related.

Have any of you experienced this?

Hi, ChocolateMarilyn and welcome to PC...you said you're not on meds; have you been diagnosed BP? I know exactly what you mean by twitchy - I do the same thing. But I also have had neurological problems, so I have a lot of screwed up nerves. I'm on meds and I don't think the twitching is any different from when I wasn't. Although, I was on Prozac for quite a while before being dx BP and it was definitely worse during that time.
Guess that really doesn't help much! But welcome anyway, this is a great place to hang out!

[ChocolateMarilyn]

Hi there!

Yes, I was dx in 2007, but I hated my therapist and I dismissed her and the diagnosis until about 2 months ago Unfortunately I waited until I no longer had benefits so now i'm kinda SOL...

I've also wondered if there's something going on with my brain - like seizures or something...

[PT52]

Couldn't say about seizures..I've never really paid much attention to the twitching; I'm aware of it, but I guess it's low on my list of concerns. Do you have a regular GP? That would be the place to start. Find out if there's a physical cause, but also see if you might need meds for BP. I have a hard time separating the physical from the mental because they are so intertwined. A therapist (as opposed to a psychiatrist) isn't a medical doctor, and most likely would refer you to your GP anyway. IMO, self-diagnosis can be disastrous...I put off seeing my GP for ages thinking I had carpal tunnel and ended up with two metal plates in my neck..you just never know..