Hello all,
I got COVID in January and a few weeks after i got rid of the virus I started getting muscle twitches all over my body (fasciculations). I’ve also noticed a rippling effect in my muscle fibres during contraction.
I was wondering if anyone has also experienced similar symptoms after beating the virus?
hi Greg!
I have had something very similar. I had covid The last week of December and didn’t have any major symptoms. Just very fatigued and drained, was more like a bad flu. How ever since then I’ve had a load of neurological symptoms.
It started with muscles aches which subsided after a week or so, that then developed into neuropathy at night (warm, tingling feet) but again that went after 3-4 weeks. How ever since then I’ve had muscle twitching all over my body, literally from my feet up to my neck and although it is much less now I still have it especially in my legs after a run or bike ride.
The vibrations I also have but these are mainly in my feet, in the arch to be more precise. It’s a horrible feeling but I have certainly begun getting back to my old self the last few weeks but the twitches and vibrations still hang around.
Have you experienced any shaking in arms or legs? I had a 3-4 week period where my left arm was really shaky but again that seems to have resolved itself now
keep in touch bud
Hey Elliot,
Sorry for the late response, but my arms and legs do shake when I put even a little weight on them. It doesn’t feel like they’re going to collapse necessarily, but it’s like I’m on a stage with really bad anxiety and I’m super nervous. Not really sure how to explain it…
When I lean on my arms they also shake/tremble.
How have you been feeling?
Hi Greg,
yes i also have the shaking. I am back running -and cycling which is what tells me im generally ok but i dont seem to be able to shift what feels like the last of my symptoms. The twitches have subsided a lot but are pretty active after exercise still.
What i find is that i can be standing up and just feel as though im tensing my legs, its not intentional and when i realise im doing it i stop and the shaking also stops. It feels like im constantly tense and i think thats the anxiety. same when i lean on my arms.
like i said, its having more of an effect of my psychological state that physical but all symptoms have been much better the last few weeks.
Have you come across many other people with similar issue?
I had muscle twitches from a medicine I take , it can be real weird when your biceps starts moving all by itself. The worst was muscle contraction of my calves at night , because that hurt a lot. COVID effects every part of your body , there are cells effected in every part, those cells the virus killed need to be replaced , it like growing pains as a kid. So Muscles might twitch ,or get tired quicker. Best thing to do is slowly start exercising them to help them rebuild faster.
My mother had smthg like that.
Hey! I don’t know if it is related, but in the late November/early December I was positive tested for Covid with all symptoms (fever, cough, tiredness, numbness and etc.) Since then, like you, i have widespread muscle twitching, some kind of stiffness for seconds, easy getting muscle soreness and not fully recovered taste (or at least it is different from what it was). It seems like sometimes i can provoke twitchings by stretching or moving my muscles. For example if i lay, stand and then lay down again my abdominal muscles will start twitching. Six months, and the only improvement is that my limbs tremors are less active. In addition in the last two weeks heart palpitations occurred and after 3 cardiology visits, all doctors said my heart is fine. Twitchings is the thing that drives me crazy. Some days are less active and some days are out of control. Im 25 y.o. and cant think for anything different from “Whats wrong with me, is it something bad and if it is do i want to know?” My anxiety about one really bad disease is getting really great amount. How are you now, Greg? Do you have some improvement?
hows your mother doing Margaret?
Everything is good, now there isn’t any pain. She is running once a week. Thank u for your interest.
Hi,
I find that my twitching has calmed down. I still get twitches regularly in my calfs and I’ll sometimes get them in the rest of my legs and other parts of my body, but not as often as before.
I started working out about a week ago now and can’t tell if it’s helping yet. I also started seeing a therapist about three weeks ago for my anxiety which I believe has helped reduce the twitching. I should also note that I’ve begun taking steps towards seeing doctors to figure out what’s going on.
Currently, I try not to focus on them and just let the twitches come and go without any judgement. I have accepted that they will be a part of my daily life and are likely benign. I don’t research anymore otherwise I stress myself out for nothing. My only concern now is that when I contract pretty much any muscle in my body the fibres quiver. I am taking steps to see a doctor and get that checked out.
My advice: Stay busy/distracted and reduce stress.
Btw I’m a 22 yo. guy from Canada that is otherwise healthy if that’s any help.
Hey @greg99 and @elliott86287-
I tested positive for COVID19 in January as well. My shortness of breath and loss of smell lasted for ~5 months. In the last 2 weeks my shortness of breath came back and a few days ago, I started getting muscle twitches all over my body. It started while just laying down but now it is constant. Did they ever resolve for you?
Josh
have any of you received a vaccine, also? i had covid in january, no residual symptoms. waited 6 mths and got first Phizer vax. experincing all that each of you has described in the 1 month since!
I likely had Covid-19 in February/March of 2020 but I wasn’t able to confirm whether or not I had the virus because at that time, testing wasn’t widely available where I live. I went from enjoying running 3-5 miles a day to feeling like someone was sitting on my chest and having shortness of breath for about 6 weeks. Eventually my respiratory issues cleared up but a couple months later I developed Erythema Nodosum in my right leg. EN can have many different causes only one of which being a viral infection. In January/February of 2021 I received the first and second dose of the Moderna vaccine. In April I developed fasciculations in my calves along with a mild peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet. The fasciculations eventually spread to my thighs, arms, shoulders and my back. I’ve had a great team of Drs working to give me a diagnosis with more studies and tests completed over the last 4 months than I’ve had in my entire life. I’ve had a brain MRI, an EMG nerve study, a punch biopsy of the EN in my legs, and multiple blood draws for more labs than I can comprehend. All of which ruled out many diseases and disorders but failed to deliver a diagnosis. On Tuesday, a rheumatologist reviewed my chart and posed the question “Did these symptoms start after you received the Covid vaccine?” My initial response was “No” because the EN in my legs was present long before the vaccine was available. He said, “Not the EN, the neuropathy and fasciculations…” It had never clicked in my mind that perhaps the neuro symptoms I’ve been experiencing could be my immune systems response to the vaccine, possibly amplified by the existence of natural antibodies if I previously beat Covid. Unfortunately because I was never tested for Covid-19 or the existence of the antibodies, this is all theoretical and to my knowledge not a hypothesis that can be confirmed. Reading this thread has actually made me feel a little better about my situation as the failure to get a diagnosis has been very mentally draining. My neuropathy and fasciculations have only gotten worse, but knowing other people out there have experienced similar effects and some are improving makes me feel a little better. I appreciate everyone’s stories and insight.
How are you doing now Greg99? For me the twitching started 4 days after getting my second vaccine shot. It was from Pfizer. It started in my left bicep first and for a long time, it was confined to that area. After few weeks, the twitching started in the right bicep. And eventually after a few more weeks, the twitching started in the rest of my body like legs, back, abdomen, and neck. It freaks me out as it never happened to me before. When I searched the Internet for symptoms like this, I guess we all know the scary names that pop up. I think the more I focus on it and the more I read about other symptoms, they start showing up on my body. So, I decided not to google anything anymore and think of this more as the body’s reaction to an external vaccine. I hope this will go off eventually as the vaccine fades. I am even thinking should I take the booster shot in the future! Anyways, I noticed the twitching’s are more frequent when I am resting , like when I wake up intermittently I can feel the little murmurs in my back, leg, biceps, etc. Once I am active, it limits to only biceps and fewer areas. And the tremors, I felt them a lot initially but I think that has come down over the period of time. Its been 4 months now and I hope it goes off soon.
I have started meditating now. I do it for like 30 - 45 mins daily. I think that has helped in my calming my anxiety and I read it helps to reduce these symptoms. I would recommend trying this. Take care all. I wish you all get back to your regular twitch free lives soon. And thanks for sharing your experience.
I am so glad I came across this thread! I was beginning to think I was loosing my mind, or getting MS (I had an immediate family member with MS). But when I read your accounts, it is exactly what I experienced after a mild COVID infection. I visit my Dr tomorrow for the first time, but my muscle twitches are quite similar to what you explain, and yes, worse after exercise. Thanks for posting!!!
I am so glad I came across this thread! I was beginning to think I was loosing my mind, or getting MS (I had an immediate family member with MS). But when I read your accounts, it is exactly what I experienced after a mild COVID infection. I visit my Dr tomorrow for the first time, but my muscle twitches are quite similar to what you explain, and yes, worse after exercise. Thanks for posting!!!
Im 33 years old and had covid Aug 6th, 2021 and other than severe fatigue, low pulse rate, and breathing issues was doing okay with that recovery other than getting anxiety. I got my second Moderna shot about three weeks later (My first shot happened before covid). I got very sick for just a few hours after the vaccination but started feeling better and that lasted a couple of days. I slowly I begin to have light tremors and my depression and anxiety went through the roof as I begin to think the worst. My primary suggested low dose zoloft and ativan to cope with these symptoms. I begin to have pain in the palms of my feet and hands and well as around my wrists. Then my hands and legs even across my back began to tingle or have a burning sensation and that particular night this numbness begin to creep up my legs and arms. I panicked and went to the ER thinking it was Gillian barre syndrome, but was told it sounded like peripheral neuropathy. The next day which was four days ago the muscle twitches started and I about lost my mind thinking it was ALS also I noticed a few palipatations during that time but not since then. I have continued to have the twitches and they are in my feet, legs, butt, face, back, ribs, stomach, arms places I didn’t even know a muscle existed also I had tmj pain and earache recently with these twitches…Theres not enough anxiety meds to fix what I’m feeling right now but I’m beyond thankful I found this and others experiencing the same. I’m also lined up for a ton of tests and going to the neurologists soon and will ask about the coincidences in all of our symptoms. I have read on another site where some of these symptoms are being treated with steroids and meds used to treat HIV so all of that is very interesting. I have five children and I’m trying to be as active as possible but depending on the symptoms some days I enjoy rest. Any advice on how yall further have been coping or gaining strength please share.
I tested posivitive for Covid 2 weeks ago. my symptoms have been mild and I was not concerned at first but after 14 days I still have a low grade fever around 100 degrees. I also lost the sense of smell on day 5 and has not returned yet. On day 6 I received the Regenerom treatment. I was not sure I needed but everyone thought I should get it to keep the symptoms from getting worse so I did. Starting that night I starting having this twitch right before falling asleep that keeps me up. After 2 nights of not being able to sleep I contacted my doctor who prescribed Xanax. It has been helping sleep but as soon as it wears out the twitching comes back. I really don’t know if it is a result of the Regeneron treatment or covid. It has me very concerned as well as the fever. I hope to make it through this.
It is bittersweet reading everyone’s replies to this! It is somewhat relieving to know that you’re not alone with these symptoms but also frustrating to not have any concrete answers. I have experienced the same. I had all the symptoms of long term covid. I never had a positive covid test but I did have a positive antibody test. Flu like symptoms in December that turned into a headache and fatigue like I had never felt before. I could barely walk up the stairs. Laundry was too much for me to handle. (I am a healthy 37 year old female, high energy, ex college athlete with two boys I was going on runs with while they rode bikes the month before this happened). This turned into burning in my hands and feet that quickly turned into joint pain to the point that I had trouble walking and opening a water bottle. This migrated to my lower back (SI joints) and I couldn’t drive because the pain was too much. This then turned to neurological symptoms (while the former symptoms did not go away) where I would wake up with tremors, hear palpitations, racing heart, inability to control my temperature, phantom pains where it felt like my arms were being pulled off of my body and then I would wake up and there was no pain. I had the muscle twitching and also slight jerks in my limbs. The worst of it all was going numb from my left ear all the way to my left foot and waking up feeling numb. I had extreme inflammation that travelled throughout my body. I saw a rheumatologist, spine doctor, cardiologist, went to the ER, a neurologist, saw my PCP multiple times and all tests and bloodwork came up normal and as they called my 4 MRI’s and multiple X-rays, unremarkable. I was given diclofenac and a muscle relaxer to calm the inflammation and the neurological symptoms in March. Within 1 month I was able to do a half mile walk slowly and the pain and neurological symptoms started draining away. I have since been on an extreme low anti-inflammatory diet and have taken measures to live a calm(ish) lifestyle (incorporated meditation, yoga, earlier bed time, etc.). I am feeling very little pain now, can go running with my boys again, handle my workday, drive long distances, laundry… you name it! However, I still have the facilitations and the foot, arm and leg jerks. It is truly the most unnerving thing! So far, as everyone else has shared, no doctor has presented an answer. I have had one doctor tell me that viral reactions eventually go away over time and only time will tell. Another told me that some viral reactions produce symptoms that you could end up having forever. Neither felt too encouraging. I have had some direction from a few medical doctors as well as holistic advisors though that has helped and may help others on this thread. Here are some of the things I do now that help:
Daily Vitamin D, B complex, multi vitamin
Daily electrolytes
I was told muscles need Magnesium, Potassium, and Calcium. I do all of these but I add Magnesium Calm (really works for me) that helps to rest and relax the muscles at bed time
Limit caffeine or any other stimulant as this can increase the twitching
Low stress has been the key: so I add meditation, yoga and stretching as much as I can find time for to my day. I have started going for a massage every 2 weeks. I also have started energy medicine.
I add daily juices and lots of greens to keep inflammation away. Add lots of turmeric and ginger as well.
Tons of water. If I am not hydrated the twitches erupt again.
I will workout but not to the point that my muscles feel strained or exhausted since this also can increase twitching and it sure does for me! This sucks sometimes because I love a good workout but love not feeling the twitching more.
I notice when I don’t stick to this the twitching and jerks get worse. It is sometimes hard to do but when I stick to this the twitching is minimal, and does not bother me, and when they don’t seem to bother me my anxiety levels are lower, and you guys know how the anxiety and twitching cycle can go down a rabbit hole quickly!!
Hopefully this might help someone in the interim until medically they can figure out why COVID causes this and what the long term outlook is for those of us who are experiencing this. Hopefully we will all get answers and a way to rid ourselves of it!
Yes! I unknowingly had covid and experienced this symptom for months and thought I was losing my mind! (Confirmed positive later by infectious disease doctor.) I also got covid again, this time confirmed, and am going through this symptom all over again. It’s bizarre! Mine seems to bother me mostly in the evening and while sleeping. Interestingly, I found sleeping propped up helps. I suspect in my case it has something to do with blood flow in supine position. Long covid is almost more bizarre of an experience for me than was covid.