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guwainengle

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After waiting 6 weeks to see a Holistic practitioner, I finally met with one who offered me some hope today. I have been dealing with the facial and leg fasciculations for @ 4 months- taken everything from Neurontin/ Valium/ Wellbutrin/ Xanax and Flexeril. Nothng has worked at calming the monster. I figure I would pass this info that I gained today from an expensive Holistic professionl visit to see if anyone has had any luck with this approach. I spent @ 1 hour answering a 4 page marathon multiple choice questionaire and another hour one-on-one with this doctor and here is what she said and perscibed. She said that although she has only ever worked with 1 ALS patient, she has many MS patirnts and directed he approach to treating the symptoms with a regimine of natural vitamines and herbs and oils. I can not say if this will work, but I did purchase the regimin and started taking a few hours ago. Here is what it is. A product called Cytozyne which contains neonatal adrenal complx, superoxide dismutase and catalese- this is a pill and taken 3 times a day. A magnesium supplement that is in powder form that contains 615 mg of magnesium and this is taken 2 times a day in a tea form- tastes like fruit tea when mixed. An oil called DHA oil blend- this contains omega 3 fatty acids/ ALA/DHA/EPA Omega 6 and Omega 9-- This is one nasty tasting oil and is taken 3 times a day- she said this help the mylin be protected. And finally a spray for under your toung 3 times a day- it contains Helianthemum,nunmularium,clematis,impatiens and prunus- I do not know what any of these are-- it tastes good. So after the initial cost of the visit and the supplements I spen @ $250. If it works I will be happy-- If not.. I can say I at least tried. Hope this helps anyone who wants to look at another option.

G
 
Well it probably won't hurt you and $250 isn't that much money to some but you have to remember that MS symptoms will go into remission on their own so who knows if it's the herbs. She didn't say if the ALS patient is still doing her program did she and how are they?
Not wanting to rain on your parade but I'm a natural skeptic. Let us know if it does make you feel better. Maybe there is a combination out there that will work.
AL.
 
I would like some relief for fasciculations, too. They wake me up at night so what I really want is sleep. I thought of 2 things: sleep meds and acupuncture. My insurance covers both but, being a basically lazy person, I'd rather not do a trial-and error thing.

Anybody have any thoughts on ways to relieve the fasciculations? Thanks, Cindy
 
Massage can be an effective treatment for reducing fasciculations, and stretching is as well. Massage is also often covered by insurance. Sharon
 
what are fasiciliations (sp)

my husband kicks some at night, and jerks some, but nothing facial, so i don't really understand what you are talking about.

could someone explain to me? i have a stack of als info in my den to delve into, but no matter what i read, our members are slowly leaving us.

the heartbreak is unbearable.

love to each and every one of you - patients, family, caregivers, etx.

jackie
 
Hi Jackie,

Fasciculations are the little twitching things you see on the muscles like pulsating jerks under the skin.

Maybe someone else can explain it better.

Hang in there...we have to hope that soon there will be something to help PALS!
 
As I understand it, the fasciculations are involuntary muscle twitches that look like little bitty jumps under the skin. They happen repeatedly, even while the muscle is at rest. They are caused by the motor neuron trying to reconnect semi-successfully and numerous times to the muscle that it is supposed to operate. Each time, the connection is weak and begins to degenerate, so the motor neuron tries again resulting in numerous nerve branches to a single muscle fiber that do not work in a smooth coordinated way. This is the fasciculations in ALS, as well as I can remember from it being explained to me by a doctor months ago. I could be not completely accurate in this description.
I do not know the reason for or physiology of benign fasciculations in other disorders.

My dad was seeing a naturopath to improve his nutrition and calcium uptake, because he had been told he had osteoporosis. She was the one who told him she thought something else was going on and referred him to the MDA clinic. His regular doctors were clueless, even the neurologist he had seen the year before. In my opinion, any type of practitioner needs to be aware that their expertise only extends so far, and to be willing to refer a patient elsewhere as needed.
 
fasiculations

I have not really seen the fasciulations but when I am tired it feels like my muscles are rippling or moving although the joint isn't moving. Could this be a fasiculation? Do fasciculations occur at times or once they appear are they a constant phenomenon? It sees everytime I go to ALS clinic the Drs. look at my legs to see if they see anything. I do have twitching at times but this feeling is different. Thanks for your help. Becky
 
I really can't say-- mine are so random and usually in my legs/calfs/shins and face-- sometimes in my deltoids that being constant never happens... It just seems like they happen for a while// milliseconds and randomly all over> and then stop and happen again-- And when th edoctor looks for them they don't happen other than once-- they just say it is benign fasciculations.. I will say though.. the herbal/ hollistic approach does not seem to be doing too much help at this time-- but I am still taking it hoping that it will take a week to make a change.

G
 
For my father, who was diagnosed with ALS, the fasciculations were constant. If you took a look at his arms, legs, or back, there they were. Always and without fail they were quite apparent. He did not mention them as something he could feel. The doctor pointed them out to us. He still had some muscle function, not yet completely paralyzed, though the muscles were becoming atrophied.
 
Mine are and have always been constant once they started. I can feel the bigger muscles move although they aren't very big anymore.
AL.
 
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