I am a 36-year-old male 5'6 185 lbs. My problems started in the middle of 1998 with a sharp stabbing pain to the right side of my neck, lasting only a moment. This happened numerous times over the course of several months. 

Next I had a ligament in my right calf make a loud pop when I was walking down the stairs, it produced a bruise on my leg and left me limping for a week or so. X-rays showed no damage internally. I have noticed that almost every joint in my body pops when I move. These pops are often loud enough for others to hear. 

I then experienced 3 episodes of blurred vision in my left eye. The vision loss would start with jagged lines and progress from blurred peripheral vision to almost total blurred vision in that eye. This would last from 15-20 minutes. No headache followed and it was only in the left eye. My left eye was also very painful and light sensitive on several other occasions without blurred vision, the pain lasted anywhere from 2 to 12 hours. I was also experiencing heart palpitations from time to time. I had a brain MRI that was normal, except it showed a sinus infection. My eyes were examined by an ophthalmologist, with no abnormal findings. I do wear glasses for distance.

I also had an ultra-sound of the heart and carotid artery, also a thallium stress test. All normal. My blood work was all normal, the only note worthy finding was the level of Nickel in my blood, 3.7 on a scale of 4.0. I am sure this was from work exposure to a Nickel plating machine, although it is still in the normal range my doctor feels it is worth watching. I do work around heavy metals, arsenic, boron, and phosphorus but the blood test for these metals were well within the normal range. Only the nickel level was alarming. A lyme test was also performed and was negative. 

In early April 99, I saw an ENT for the sinus infection and was put on Ceftin. I had been on and off of Ceftin and Cipro throughout 1998 for chronic sinus infections. I was also exposed to the chicken pox virus around this time, I had chicken pox as a child so I did not think anything of it, but thought I should mention it.  

In mid April I started having fasciculations, this started above my right eye, left biceps, and left chest area. My doctor mentioned the possibility of ALS and I was refereed to the Westchester Med Center for a consult and an EMG with NCS on 6/25/99. By now the fasciculations were wide spread, I have twitches in my temple region all the way to the bottom of my feet. Some times they are multiple contractions and sometime only a single contraction, also they are sometimes felt as a flutter. The doctor I saw is very experienced in ALS and was able to say with some certainty after the neuro exam that I did not have ALS. He also performed an EMG and NCS both of which were normal. He felt it was Benign Fasciculation Syndrome.  

I feel that the fasiculations were worse while waiting to have the tests, most likely from the stress and concern over ALS. After the tests my doctor put me on 10mg of paxil a day to help calm me down, which it did, but it did not help the fasciculations. I am now off of the paxil, after being on it for three weeks. The fasciculations seem to have calmed down and are now mostly in my legs and abdomen.  

I am also starting to experience buzzing in my left arm and entire left hand, this happens after carrying my daughter in my left arm. She aprox 40-42 lbs. This has happened 3 times. I do not have any weakness, but the buzzing comes after holding her for 10-15 minutes, and lasts a few minutes.  

I have made some life style changes, such as no caffeine, moderate exercise, and vitamins. I have also started seeing a chiropractor and have not had the  ain in my neck, blurred vision or pain in the eye for some time now. 

I am not sure if all of the symptoms are related, I have read some info on Cipro causing some of the same symptoms in others, but I have been off of it for quite some time now. I have also seen it mentioned that BFS sometimes follows a viral infection and was wondering about my exposure to the chicken pox virus.  

The fasciculations, ligament pops in my joints, and buzzing continue, and of course even with the normal tests, I continue to worry about these being symptoms of something bad.