Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Twitching before sleep (and sometimes when tired)

bcatz
bcatz
I saw a thread by Kimberly97 back in 2013 about twitching, but at the time, the only twitching I experienced was occasionally.

Now, every single night before sleep, my legs twitch or have little vibrations everywhere. They are gone by the time I wake up in the morning. There is no massive twitching, but occasionally I can feel a light muscle movement.

So, my question is what would cause my legs (BOTH) to feel like they are vibrating inside or twitching until something made them relaxed enough to quit?

I've been off Enbrel since March 1. The twitchiness started sometime in December. Could this be a permanent effect of Enbrel? (It started just 3 weeks after I started Enbrel) I don't understand what restless leg syndrome is exactly even after reading about it. Maybe that's it but nothing hurts.

I don't have MS. Recent neurological exam was fine plus 15 years ago, extensive MRIs of brain were normal.

Anyone else with similar symptoms or insight?
Trooper45yrs
Trooper45yrs
Does it only happen when you are quite tired? Like at the end of the day when you should be going to bed?

I have been on Enbrel for about six months now, and I have noticed those symptoms, intermittently, since I started it. But, mine only happen when I am very tired. I never thought much of it. There are far worse side effects.
bcatz
bcatz
yes, it happens when I am very tired or ACUTELY stressed/worried. But when I am stressed, it is more pronounced twitching and in a more normal place like my eyelid or a calf muscle.

Mostly, it happens when I am VERY tired as you mentioned.
Sunvalleygal
Sunvalleygal
I have done the same thing for years, even long before RA. It happens only when my muscles are extremely fatigued at night and they do not hurt. I always just thought it was my muscles trying to unwind.
lowiina
lowiina
Does a flare ever follow? This is how I sometimes know one is coming.
LynnRivers
LynnRivers
I get twitching in my left leg right as I start to fall asleep. It sometimes wakes me up but don't think it necessarily related to the RA. I've seen plenty of people twitch as they fall asleep. If it starts happening all the time any time then be more concerned.
nerot
nerot
Every evening I start to itch and twitch like crazy. My only relief is to go to bed. I have never been able to figure out why.
Angelpuss
Angelpuss
Hi bcatz, I have twitching of the legs and arms. When I asked my GP if it was a problem needing attention, he said "Not really, unless you start hitting your husband when you twitch. Sometimes, if it's men with the twitches, they could really hurt their partners because of sheer physical strength.
I have been told taking Magnesium can help with twitching.
bcatz
bcatz
Thank you all. I've found that my twitching is basically in BOTH calves and happens all day at rest only. I feel it as I fall asleep, but also while watching tv, sitting anywhere, or even when I'm chatting with a friend calmly.

I'm sure it's somehow connected to RA