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Myoclonic jerks and GERD

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Posted 9/12/2013 8:53 PM (GMT 0)

cry  Started with sore throat and cough last November. Also get acid burn feeling in my throat. Is as if my trachea is full of mucous I can't shift. Developed in to upper respiratory infection by march this year and started on antibiotics. Gastroscope  showed  oesophagitis, exudative gastritis and duodenitis.  Also small hiatal hernia and lower oesophageal sphincter wide open. Bile seen in stomach and oesophagus. Since then I have suffered severe sleep problems in that every time I relax and am about to drop off, a limb or my head or neck jumps making me wide awake. This happens every time I try to sleep night or day and the severe insomnia is killing me mentally and physical. I have been offered Nissens Fundo but am frightened that without sleep I will not be able to cope with the recovery. Am currently surviving on only 12-15 hours sleep a week. Could the bile/acid in my trachea be irritating my system or my vagus nerve and causing this? Has anyone experienced anything similar? MRI scan of my brain and spine normal. Please help

Posted 9/13/2013 1:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Missy-Moo,
I can not really speak about the night time twitches, as I have had those all my life off and on and I cant find out why they happen or how to prevent it, but I can say that a month ago when I was faced with knowing that the only thing that would fix my reflux and pain and sore throat all the time was surgery, i was terrified. I am not even 30 years old and I was also exhausted after months of pain and sleepless nights. Honestly, I am no doctor, but stress takes its toll on the body in strange and crazy ways. Do you think that might be part of the issue? I was so stressed out I went to a psychiatrist inbetween my diagnosis and surgery because I was a mess. I did not want to admit it in real life, but if I can be honest here and help someone to know they arent alone...

I wish I could go back and tell myself how much the surgery would help me. Yes its surgery,and yes the recovery is a pain in the butt, but it has fixed my problem and I am medication free now. My surgeon gave me a loose floppy nissen, and I am only about a month out from surgery and I can eat almost anything. I never even knew how much the reflux was affecting my lungs. I can breathe so clearly now, and that has really helped with my sleep as well.

I know surgery is not for everyone, but this community is a great support and everyone is so kind and helpful. I hope that you find a solution and that we can offer you some support.
Posted 9/13/2013 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there Stephanie, Thanks for your response. Stress may be a possibility but I do not have a problem initiating sleep but the jerking, especially of head and shoulders, makes me wake with a start almost immediately. I am so exhausted that at times I can only see one way out.  Apart from when I had gastritis, etc following antibiotics earlier in the year, I do not have the horrendous pain and nausea most people seem to have  which is another reason I am holding back on the NF.  My main symptom is cough, post nasal drip and feeling of food and liquids are sitting in my throat rather than going right down. I don't even know if my sleep problem is related. Glad to know you're recovering reasonably uneventfully  
Posted 9/14/2013 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Stephanie,

This is interesting, I posted a post a while back about this on here, but didn't get the answers I wanted. I also have GERD and thought maybe that had something to do with it. I got these jerks in my throat for months where my throat would swallow involuntarily right as I would drift off to sleep and I was relying for a while on sleep medication. I have had this happen to me on two separate occasions and both times I was going through high anxiety and depression, before getting on to anti-depressants. My anxiety would trigger this jerk pattern every night until I got it under control. Are you going through any anxiety or stress right now?
Posted 9/14/2013 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
missy-moo,

Hello, this is Kitt and I want to welcome you to HealingWell.  Before falling off to sleep  many people state they  get  "myoclonic jerks....an arm...leg...trunk...finger."

Myoclonus is a brief and rapid twitching of a muscle or muscle groups. The twitching or jerking happens suddenly. It cannot be stopped or controlled at will. There are different types. Some occur normally, like the hiccups or a movement while falling asleep.

If this is a major problem for you perhaps you should see a Dr. re testing to discover the cause of your myoclonus. Treatment aims to reduce how severe the involuntary movements are. The drugs given depend on the underlying cause. In some case, multiple drugs are needed to reduce twitching.

I wish you peace and do visit our anxiety forum if you are looking for members who understand anxiety/stress as you may find others who are experiencing stress related myoclonus.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 9/16/2013 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
shrtcak81- yes, I was really stressed out before surgery and after. So much so I was seeing a professional for it. I got really scared when my reflux got so bad I had a burnt up larynx from stomach acid and couldnt really talk for a month. I had terrible night terrors too.

Now that the surgery is over and I feel better, I have not had a problem with the jerking. not that stress is always the cause for everyone, but i think that was my issue
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