Sensations of fizzing or buzzing, or paraesthesia in limbs

[Invisible Woman]

I have to say that I completely sympathize with how maddening this must be to doctors. In software engineering those are the exact worse problems to figure out: unpredictable and hard to reproduce. But, still, not an excuse to just give up. I have worked harder to chase bugs on which no lives hinged than any of the BPS brigade ever worked their entire career. They never gave it any real efforts.

Yep. Unlike most other careers BPSers get (very well) paid even when they make matters worse not better.

 

[Forbin]

In this short audio interview and transcript, a neuropathologist talks about how Covid-19 affects the brain and peripheral nervous system. He is asked specifically about the "fizzing feeling."

https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/interviews/how-covid-19-affects-brain

Phil - Interesting. That's maybe the brain itself; in terms of other neurological stuff, Paul and lots of other people that I've spoken to talk about this fizzing feeling? Paul says it's in his arms and legs; other people say it's in their skin at all times; some call it buzzing, some call it 'peppercorn feeling'. What do you think might be going on there?

Kieren - One of the surprising things that has come out about COVID-19 is it can damage the peripheral nervous system, which is all the tiny little nerves throughout your skin that provide your sensation. This has emerged as a real feature post-COVID, of damage to peripheral nerves causing changes in the sensation of the skin. So maybe loss of feeling, what we call anaesthesia; but also just changes in feeling, unusual or maybe painful feelings just from light touch, et cetera.

 

[mango]

 

[NelliePledge]

I know some people have these tremors regularly. I have only had them a handful of times. I had a realisation that I was visiting friends in Provence my neuropathic pain was aggravated by heat so I took pregabalin for a couple of weeks which I don’t normally take. I checked the side effects and tremor is a very common side effect. I haven’t taken pregabalin since, I’ve not had a tremor since - over 2 years.

 

[chrisb]

I used to think this ptom was highly significant but I have read lately that it can be a symptom of hysteria or conversion disorder.

No. I don't believe it either.

 

[Invisible Woman]

I've recently realized that for me this tends to happen once the effects of adrenaline have worn off.

Particularly when I've pushed a little and then you get that very misleading feeling of wellbeing that deceives you into thinking you're okay to carry on doing whatever. The come down from that normally triggers the internal tremor.

 

[Kitty]

The come down from that normally triggers the internal tremor.

Same here.

The strangest one I get is a deep grinding sensation that goes all the way down my spine. It's as if the top of my spine (and nothing else) was in contact with rock that's being drilled at low speed with a heavy machine. The muscles radiating out across my back then start going into spasms, which makes me arch up as if I've got tetanus. I then start hallucinating really vividly.

It's not drug-derived, as I've never been on any meds at the times I've had it. It only happens when I get really, really unwell with the start of an acute flare involving feverishness, the 'poisoned' sensation, extreme hypersomnia, etc.

I suspect the spasms and hallucinations are due to some kind of neurotransmitter imbalance. It sounds a bit scary, but at the time, it feels incredibly exhilarating.