Have you tried taking a magnesium supplement? It won't stop the jerks after they've started, but it might help prevent them or reduce their numbers. Magnesium plays a huge role in brain health as well as in releasing muscle tension. So it can potentially help with jerks, spasms, twitches, cramps of all kinds, and blood pressure (since the heart is a muscle too).
I discussed this in my most recent examination with a Neurologist and he intimated that only in VERY high doses after about 6 months, would that provide any kind of benefit and he indicated there's not enough research to document that it does much at all. While some have sworn by it, the magnesium didn't work for me and it wasn't recommended by at least one physician - just my two cents, not to say ''nah, nah, nah' to Nak, lol (God Bless her)
Okay, realized I'm spamming the thread, so I'll try and work out the best options for myoclonus as I've researched them, my personal experience and what have you...
I have many triggers for my jerks... and I jerk 24/7... I get not wanting to scare people 'cuz when I jerk, I guess my face contorts and obviously I 'skip and stutter' on my words as I'm talking and it scares and confuses people and theyy look at my like I have two heads as I try to continue speaking... and failing to do it... have it happen everytime I talk baseball with a friend from work and he looks at me like an alien when I jerk... mine are violent too and I work at a desk and constantly smack things side to side and make a commotion and spectacle of myself... alas... here's what I know.
Pirecetam and Klonopin are the two VERY BEST medications to get a hold of to actually reduce myoclonic jerks - many general anti convulsants actually WORSEN myoclonus.... those two medications taken in conjunction with an convulsant are the magical package if you have a doctor and can get 'em...
Pirecetam isn't available in the US so I haven't tried it... but Klonopin works very very well... it's just not meant by design as a long-term solution.. but in relaity, there aren't any for myoclonus so absent a medication that 'abates it', I say take the lesser of all evils and get on Klonopin.... most doctors have a reservation to precribe it because it's a benzo and they're insanely addictive but frankly, if you want my opinion, I'd greedily absorb a dependency to a low active benzo(which it really is) rather then live with constant jerks... so a doctor might be really reserved in prescribing Klonopin, but I'd at least fight for if I were you and see how you did on it...
I was recently on Clobazam as well and it didn't do enough for me... was crazy expensive too...
Magnesium? If you're in for the long haul and don't have high hopes, start taking one thousand milligrams of magnesium citrate supplements daily and give 'em about 6 months to kick in and hope for the best......
Meditation/Workout: These actually, as I've been researching more, aren't actually productive to myoclonic jerks. The jerks are a result of too much electrical activity along certain neural pathways... that's why the best 'natural' cureall for anyone with myoclonus is to lay down in a dark room and try to... 'think of nothing.' And completely just not think of ANYTHING AT ALL... 'cuz the slower our thought proccesses get the less we jerk... it's actually focusing/fine motor activity/thoughts that provoke the jerks.
YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST GET 8 HOURS OF SLEEP A NIGHT: This goes double beyond a normal epileptic - because the jerks come out TENFOLD on ANY LACK OF SLEEP.
Caffeine? Kill it. If you're a coffee drinker, say cyanara to it. Tea drinker? Take it without sugar. You need tranquil things that slow down your mind.
If you're having a HELLISH day with jerks and you can stomach it, I actually advise drinking alcohol. Get a mild buzz , enough to feel tipsy... when you're drunk, you probably won't jerk much at all... the hangover the next day is a lethral threat and risk, but if you have plenty of time to sleep, don't get much of a hangover and it's a really 'jerky' day, I say get drunk. That's going to be pretty blasphemous and controversial advice there but in that kind of limited situation, I think it's very practical.
I would avoid smoking marijuana. Some swear by it and as much as it's a 'depressant', I believe it also tinkers too much with some pretty fragile brain chemisty to begin with.. and it ramps up my own jerks personally 'cuz when I smoke, I get paranoid... I get paranoid? I jerk.
Best advice if you're on the go and don't have time to lay down in a dark room to answer your question? Prescription drug-wise, your best bet is Klonoopin. If you don't want to go the precription-route ; drink a couple beers. That or take some OTC sleeping pills in very low dosage.
