T Nation

Eye Twitching

Off Topic
#1

I’ve had this problem for about 6 weeks and noticed it mentioned by others in other threads as well. My right eye, the lower lid, has been twitching madly most of the time. It sounds minor, I know, but it gets terribly annoying when it’s strong and almost continuous.

I used to think this was caused by stress, because years ago this would happen every June, which happened to be concert season when I was a fine arts director. However, right now I am under no special stress except for caloric deficit. For about 6 months I have done a fat-adapted diet. Amount of sleep is fine.

I wondered if maybe I need more magnesium and added a magnesium supplement.

I wondered if I had eye irritation due to allergy, so I took Claritin and Benadryl.

I wondered if more carbs would help (I sometimes get blurred vision from low blood sugar on this diet), so I have added some more exercise and more carbs.

After 5 days or so, the twitching is now greatly reduced but not completely gone. Of course, I made 3 changes all at once because I was getting desperate, so I don’t know what helped. I’m favoring the allergy thing, because concert season all those years ago in New England happened to be my nasal allergy season as well, while August/September is especially bad for my allergies here in Southern California.

Any other thoughts, opinions, experiences, suggestions?

#2

Do you consume caffienated drinks, or products?

If so, then i’d be willing to bet that caffiene is the main culprit.

#3

I had this problem too. I got more sleep, ate a wider variety of food, drank some tonic water and added mineral water to my fluids and increased salt in my diet and it hasn’t been back for awhile. I can’t say for sure what fixed it. Here’s where I posted about it and got some suggestions:

#4

This post was flagged by the community and is temporarily hidden.

#5

[quote]AlteredState wrote:
Fasciculations can be caused by CNS stimulants such as caffine, yohimbine etc or by ACH ennzyme inhibitors such as huperzine A, used for memory enhancement.

Any hypertonicity in any other muscle groups that you have noticed? If so then it’s probably the magnesium that’s helping; you might consider upping the dose.[/quote]

You know, I was just about to say exactly that…honest.

I thought it was a fibulating muscle what happens when it don’t get nuff oxygen an stuff, like, - but I think you put it slightly better than me.

#6

Weird…I’ve had the exact same thing happening to me for the past 2 weeks or so except it’s up upper eyelid in my right eye.

I read all the same stuff on the internet (stress, lack of sleep) and I suppose it could be from lack of sleep for me.

It seems to be going away gradually and I didn’t try any home remedies

#7

[quote]AlteredState wrote:
Fasciculations can be caused by CNS stimulants such as caffine, yohimbine etc or by ACH ennzyme inhibitors such as huperzine A, used for memory enhancement.

Any hypertonicity in any other muscle groups that you have noticed? If so then it’s probably the magnesium that’s helping; you might consider upping the dose.[/quote]

That’s what I was getting at. That was my problem at one time, and i’ve known a few others that had it as well.

It’s annoying as hell.

#8

[quote]imhungry wrote:
Do you consume caffienated drinks, or products?

If so, then i’d be willing to bet that caffiene is the main culprit.[/quote]

Coffee every morning, 12 oz. However, I had given up the coffee for about a month when this started.

I’ve also used HRX, but once again a month or two before this problem recurred.

#9

[quote]AlteredState wrote:
Fasciculations can be caused by CNS stimulants such as caffine, yohimbine etc or by ACH ennzyme inhibitors such as huperzine A, used for memory enhancement.

Any hypertonicity in any other muscle groups that you have noticed? If so then it’s probably the magnesium that’s helping; you might consider upping the dose.[/quote]

I haven’t really noticed any hypertonicity. Muscles are generally tight, but no spasms or anything lately, except the eye.

I’ve had the same coffee intake for years, except a few months here and there where I have quit.

Used HRX but awhile before these fasciculations started.

No huperzine. Sounds like I could use some though. :slight_smile:

(Unaware of the term - thanks!)

#10

This past year I experienced my first bout of hayfever in my life. The pollen in Japan is absolutely horrendous and put me past my so-called “Allergen-tolerance threshold” by a large margin.

Anyway I got the usual congestion, eye irritation and so on. For about 3 weeks I endured, and finally the symptoms went away. However, my right lower eyelid started twitching, basically non-stop. As you’re experiencing now, it is annoying as all hell.

It lasted for a good 2-3 weeks after allergy season finished, before it finally went away on its own.

#11

i got this from work. i work with computers and in the summer the light coming in on my left side from the window would make my left eye spasm sometimes. the guy upstairs got it too. not sure if thats whats with you thoughth. :slight_smile:

#12

ive had this and it was due to low magnesium levels.

#13

Possibly stress related? Do the hydration/mineral thing and see if it still happens.

I had this for 4 months in the summer until my graduate application was successfully cleared.

#14

This comes up a lot.

It is both stress and likely magnesium deficieny as well.

EAT WALNUTS.

I do and even with similar stresses as before I don’t get eye twitches anymore.

#15

YOU’RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!

#16

[quote]AngryVader wrote:
YOU’RE ALL GONNA DIE!!![/quote]

in response to AngryVader, I totally agree.
on a long enough timeline the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.

but yeah, magnesium deficiency maybe some calcium and potassium as well.

I used to get those back when I did a lot of cardio, gatorade fixed it.