Hyper-reflexiness? Everyone has the same reflexes in the same place. You are probably most aware of a doctor checking your patellar or kneecap reflex with a little "hammer". If he/she hits your reflex there? It makes your leg swing out a little. There are several reflexes that should have an involuntary movement of that limb, either leg or arm, when tapped with a reflex hammer. The normal reaction is rated as a "1". In me, mine were rated as a 3+, with a note they were even more reflexive than that but that's as high as the scale goes. I also got "beats of clonus" after my lower extremity reflexes were checked. IOW they'd check my say patellar or ankle reflexes, they'd jump like crazy and then I'd have like an aftershock of that reflexes continuing to fire - as in a beat(s). That's dangerous or can be, signaling a potential sz and in fact I have sz'd just having my reflexes checked. For instance when anyone would tap my knee with the reflex hammer? I wouldn't have just a slight, normal, thrust of my lower leg. I'd nearly castrate the doctor! The reflex in your forearm is often not seen by a patient but the doctor testing that reflex is holding your arm as they test that reflex and can feel a slight involuntary movement of your forearm. Not me. I'd throw my arm up in the air, once colliding right below a doctor's chin. What they found in me was that I had arthritic overgrowth of my vertebra in 2 areas narrowing the passageway of the flow of CSF. The Cerebral Spinal Fluid is in a closed system and bathes the brain and spine. My CSF got into my brain okay but the arthritic overgrowth bones kept it from emptying back into my spine causing too much CSF in my brain causing my brain to have a slight squeezing. That would have had to be fixed no matter the hoped for outcome. I did have surgery and those boney arthritic vertebra were shaved and two auto fusions were fractured (ick). The epileptologists and spine surgeon doing this hoped that it would reduce my sz's and I think it has. I keep a daily sz diary, send it to them weekly but they're not ready to call it yet. What it did do though was at last get my reflexes back to a 1. Although I had two bad sz's a week ago and my reflexes were "brisk" or jumpy several hours after the sz. I expect my brain was still firing. Oh gosh the thought of rubbing myself anywhere gives me the shivers. My skin seems hypersensitive since I got epilepsy. I do get jerks as I'm falling asleep - so pleasant. It seems the jerks picks an anatomical part to pick on each night for about 30 minutes and each night can be different. Currently my ankles are the favored jerking area but I'll take that far over my whole torso or having my neck suddenly get jerked backwards. I've heard of others who are very sensitive to temperatures and on their feet too. In fact my daughter is this way. She has to wear two pair of socks now that it's getting cold or she starts getting muscle twitchies in her lower legs. I DETEST MUSCLE TWITCHIES AND I PERSONALLY THINK SZ'S ARE ENOUGH. Twitchies? Leave me alone. I just get twitchies, everywhere, I don't know why. At the same time if it goes on and on I start feeling very anxious too, like an aura. But my problem? I'm extremely photosensitive. Flashing, strobing, fluttering lights, corduroy, moving icons, some stripes, all checks, some plaids, watching an overhead slow moving fan and so many things? Cause me to start jerking, or clustering with absences or usually an Atonic Drop. I'll have to try the clutching myself real hard and see if I can ease off the twitchies doing that. Currently the back of my thighs are dancing a jig with the twitchies. And again - I hate it. For you, and for me. Gretchen

Maive,

   I know what you mean! Ouch!

-Spiz