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Eyelid Twitching

September 8th, 2003

Okay, it seems like a large number of people visiting my site are coming to read about eyelid twitching. In my fourth post (I am now over 250), I simply mentioned that I had one of those eyelid twitching episodes a lot of people seem to get, and it was irritating the heck out of me.

Suddenly, this site became the Mecca for Eyelid Twitchers. I can only suppose that there is relatively little out there about it, or that more people link to my site than they do to sites all about Eyelid Twitching, so I rank higher in Google.

Anyway, I started feeling bad for all those poor twitchers who came to my site seeking information or relief, and just found a really small note saying that my own eyelid was twitching as well. I mean, misery loves company and all, but it really isn’t useful outside of that. So I figured I might as well write something more substantive about eyelid twitching, so here it is.

First off, there’s a name for this: myokymia. “Myo-” is the Greek root for “eye,” and “-kymia” means “I’m making up this etymology.” But the name, at least, is for real. They’re also called eyelid “tremors,” as it sounds kind of psycho to have a “twitch,” or worse, a “spasm.” Nobody likes spasms. “Tremors” sounds cooler.

Myokymia is, according to doctors, “a common condition where a few of the muscle fibers of the upper — or more commonly the lower — eyelid contract irregularly. … Myokymia is closely associated with stress, fatigue, lack of sleep and too much caffeine.”

That’s doctorese for, “you’re eyelid’s twitching, moron. Try changing something.”

This doctor says that myokymia is associated with “brainstem neoplasms,” which sounds even cooler than “tremors.” “Brainstem neoplasms” is bound to get people at the office to pay attention when you talk about your problem. But then, the treatment for that includes a “lumbar puncture with examination of cerebrospinal fluid,” so maybe it’s best not to milk the neoplasm idea too far. Especially for a stupid eyelid twitch.

Frankly, when I get The Twitch, I’m not usually stressed out, I am getting as much sleep as ever, sometimes more, and I don’t drink coffee (I even have decaf Coke). Maybe it’s my Evil Plan to Dominate the World, we usually get eye twitches when we do that.

Some people stand by the theory that it is a vitamin deficiency, usually potassium (because someone once heard that potassium has something to do with muscles; we’re still trying to track that one down), and others swear that it’s a B-vitamin deficiency, saying they lose the twitch immediately when they start taking the pills. I have the strong feeling, however, that this is more to do with something that rhymes with the “flacebo effect.” For all of you who want the above remedies to work, I cleverly disguised my opinions about it there.

Treatment: Reduce your stress, get more sleep, nix the coffee, eat more bananas and B-complex pills. Throw in a couple of sugar pills for good measure. Save the cerebrospinal fluid exam for emergencies.

Or, you might just wait for them to go away on their own. Whatever.

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  1. Zsolt
    November 24th, 2003 at 16:47 | #1

    Yupp, it sounds about correct….I am a medical student and thus no stranger to stress,lack of sleep,coffee,energy drinks and some more stress….myokymia….well I guess just have to adopt to the condition….take me for example, I changed my messenger ID to Dr Evil….you know world domination and all….but I think my twitch is barely visible so I have to keep on explaining it to people

  2. Sab
    December 3rd, 2003 at 11:40 | #2

    hmmmmmm….. i think it definitely has SOMETHING to do with diet.. I have been on a low carb diet for a couple of months, and i have had this annoying eye twitch for the past couple of weeks. However, I have been taking multi-vitamin/mineral supplements… yet the condition still persists. I suppose I shall just grin-and-bear it until it subsides. …Hopefully it will… until then, I am Mrs. Evil……..

  3. Tom
    December 9th, 2003 at 09:38 | #3

    My eyelid started twitching a few weeks ago and it is a royal nuisance. Everywhere I read references Potassium deficiency and the eating of bananas as a possible remedy. The ironic thing is, I never ate bananas up until a 6-8 weeks or so ago and now my eyelid is twitching. Strange coincidence? Maybe…

  4. Tom
    December 9th, 2003 at 09:43 | #4

    As if my life wasn’t complicated enough, I found this on the National Library of Medicine, no fun at all:

    A 48 year old woman presented with a 5 year history of intermittent right eyelid twitching. Electromyography of the right lower eyelid revealed myokymic discharges. Blink reflex study revealed a contralateral R1 on stimulating the left, but not the right, supra-orbital nerve. Sensory and auditory evoked potentials were abnormal, pointing to possible brainstem lesions. Oligoclonal bands were present in the cerebrospinal fluid. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was normal. This case report demonstrates that benign eyelid twitching can be a localized form of facial myokymia and may be a manifestation of underlying brainstem disease.

    Bibliography: National Library of Medicine

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=92037327

  5. Luis
    December 10th, 2003 at 01:27 | #5

    See, that’s what comes from milking the brainstem neoplasms story too often at the water cooler. Before you know it, they’re going right for your cerebrospinal fluid. Damn them.

  6. Cranberry Babe
    December 10th, 2003 at 17:24 | #6

    A good friend said the upper eye-lid twitching probably means good luck is coming your way. If it’s lower, we’ll leave it as Myokymia I suppose. Hmmm.

  7. Anonymous
    December 15th, 2003 at 05:33 | #7

    My twitching had been frequent (2x a day for 30-60 sec’s) about a year or so ago.. then out of nowhere it disapeared.. IT’S BAAAAAAACK … I do believe it has to do w/ stress (in my case, anyway) … I work out daily, No caffine, Take a multi vitamin, eat well, sleep well ..so for me I can rule out everything except for stress… Mine is a subtle twitch of my upper left eyelid..almost invisible even by under my own close in the mirror examination… but it sure is ANNOYING!! …anyway, good luck with everyones twitching =)

  8. Jamie
    December 16th, 2003 at 08:34 | #8

    I’m not sure what causes it but I’m pretty sure in my case its the diet. A few days ago I was said to have alcohol poisoning and my stomach couldnt hold my food. For about 4 days I’ve been throwing up constantly, I’m assuming I’m not getting the right amount of vitamins. V_O Ahhhh, its twitching!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. December 17th, 2003 at 03:41 | #9

    I’ve had the eyelid twitching for a couple of months now, along with two other people I know that started having the same problem. I was thinking that the dry heat in the house during the winter months had something to do with it. not enought lubrication in the eyes maybe? Couple that with eye strain from working on a computer all day. maybe? That would explain all three people experiencing the same problem at the same time.

  10. Joseph
    December 21st, 2003 at 21:39 | #10

    I am just a medical transcriptionist who does opthalmology reports. I have the same problem. What I have heard the doctors advise frequently for patients that work long hours on a computer is to take intermittent breaks and look at a distant object (usually outdoors, through the window, etc.)

  11. Kathy K
    December 22nd, 2003 at 08:50 | #11

    Thanks for noticing google was putting your comment on top, and making this nice little site.

    I find myself in a convivial crowd of eyelid twitchers. Benign as they are, it is truly annoying when I’m talking to someone either casually or, worse officially, and my eyelid goes twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch … I always wonder if people are listening to me or staring at the misbehaved eyelid.

    What fixes me is enough calcium, magnesium and potassium (minerals) in **good proportion** (MDR magnesium and calcium; potassium about equal to sodium), as well as NO alcohol or caffeine. It takes a couple of weeks and works gradually.

    A low carb diet can make you lose potassium.

  12. idarmadi
    December 22nd, 2003 at 16:27 | #12

    I would like to join this ETC (Eye Twitcher Club). :)

    My upper left eye lid begin to twitch 1 weeks ago. It randomly ‘vibrate’ my eye lid, all day. (I’m not sure whether my eyelid twitch during sleep).

    I used to have twiching, but nothing major. Usually just a couple of seconds and rarely.

    I have a low stress level. I’m not sure about my diet, but I’ve been eating more or less the same food and junk food I’ve ate regularly (at least within these two years). I ate banana, but not often. I almost daily consume vitamin pill (Centrum).
    I barely remember the last time I exercise (maybe during college).
    I’ve worked in front of computer for more than 10 years, and I used to strain more of my eyes during late 80s due to poor-resolution and high-radiation computer monitor. Now a days, computer monitor are much much nicer to eyes.

    I sleep well. No alcohol (except occational beer). No coffee (lactose intolerant). Little caffeine (occational pops). I’m 200lbs and 5.10.

    So, after 1 annoying week, I search the web and found this site. Altough the cause of twiching is still a mystery, but I’m glad that I’m not the only one.

    re,
    id

    p/s: Local myth said that if the left eyelid twitching, it means that somethin bad is bound to happened, and my eye want to cry.
    If the right eyelid twitch, you’ll get a fortune (something happy).

  13. beth boes
    December 23rd, 2003 at 16:10 | #13

    My eye used to do it just “once in a while”, and now it has been happening almost once an hour for 4 days. It’s driving me crazy! I have allergies, stress, I work on a computer all day, and I drink way too much caffeine. So, it seems I have all the contributing factors. However, I’ve been doing these things for years, and the frequent twitch is a new thing. Augh! Make it stop!

  14. Dr. D.
    December 24th, 2003 at 11:24 | #14

    I am a 40 year old physician and get the twitching on and off since 1996. I thought it was low B12 or magnesium actually but now i believe it must be virus since so many people seem to have this. I would hate to think this is a early alzheimer symptom or a early delmyelinating disease . Seems like a lot of people have it and dont know what to do.

  15. kelly
    December 24th, 2003 at 19:13 | #15

    its 4:03 am and I woke up with this terrible left eyelid twitching that started last night. Being a nurse, my mind immediately went the ALS, cerebrospinal fluid, progressive motor disease route…thank you for your web site..even though from past experience I know that about 99% of every medical concern I’ve ever had was a waste of worry it was so comforting to read these comments..I don’t have that great of a diet, rarely exercise, don’t take vitamins…but I am under a tremendous amount of stress and (obviously) not sleeping well at all ( I usually never have insomnia) so I am hoping that explains things for me but I guess I’ll have to wait and see….

  16. SECAII
    December 28th, 2003 at 04:45 | #16

    Twitch..twitch..twitch…..twitch..twitch..aaahhhhhhhhh!!!!![upper left lid….bad news…bummer!)
    (fun site! Thanks!) Secaii

  17. Phoebe
    December 28th, 2003 at 06:56 | #17

    My upper left eyelid has been twitching like crazy a few times every hour for a couple of weeks. YES, I am under stress!
    My wealthy 70 yr old mother in law has just married a 30 yr younger, gay man with aids…. My mother has parkinsons so I was afraid I may have that…life is funny sometimes. Thanks for letting me know that I am not the only twitcher!

  18. Lisa
    December 29th, 2003 at 04:09 | #18

    I can’t believe there are soo many of us twitchers around… I just so happened to be curious about this problem I’ve been having on and off for years. I decided to go on line to do a little research (not expecting to find anything really) at least I was’nt expecting to find so many people with the same thing I have. Thank-you so much for talking about this with others. I always think the worst when I have some kind of a medical “thing” going on. The fact that I’m not alone already makes me feel better. By the way it’s my left eye lid that twitches and does so randomly throughout the day. I has’nt happened for a while, but it’s back… Lots of stress lots of coffee and trouble spleepin the past few months. Guess I need a vacation!

  19. Courtney
    December 30th, 2003 at 10:58 | #19

    Count me in with all the rest of the eye twitching victims. I’ve had upper left lid twitch on and off all day, every day for about a week. What fun! As for the reasons…well, STRESS could be number one, too much time on the computer, less sleep than normal, and more CHOCOLATE (caffeine?) than normal. I think it’s the high stress levels due to dealing with my amazingly difficult “senior” relatives; mother, aunt, etc. I call it “senior follies.” Misery DOES love company so I feel I’m in good company here. Happy New Year everyone!

  20. susan
    December 31st, 2003 at 03:33 | #20

    Well, glad to see I’m not alone. I think it is stress,in my case. I had minor surgery and notice the next day my lower left eyelid is twithing 2-3 times an hour. It is very annoying. I have had it before a couple of years ago and thank God it went away. Well good luck to all fellow twithers and Happy New Year !

  21. Luis
    December 31st, 2003 at 09:26 | #21

    Hmmm…

    Maybe I should set up an eyelid-twitching bulletin board….

  22. Debra
    January 1st, 2004 at 08:03 | #22

    My eyelid’s twitching too. I have had a cold type virus off and on for the past few weeks and am guessing it’s probably related to that and the holidays. Maybe the fella who mentioned chocolate has something. I’ve eaten way more desserts over the past few weeks than I had all year!

  23. Jen
    January 2nd, 2004 at 11:27 | #23

    I, too, decided to research this “eye-twitching” thing I have experienced on and off since I was a teenager. (I am approaching 31 now.)
    I heard everything from vitamin deficiency to stress might cause it. For me, I think it’s related to sleep patterns. When I don’t seem to get enough, my eye twitches. Today’s New years day, I was up way too late (or early, I should say) and my body is like what the heck are you doing to yourself? So it makes sense that I have “the twitch!”
    It is comforting to find that many people have this problem, however.

  24. Floyd
    January 3rd, 2004 at 15:08 | #24

    WOW! I was hoping to find a little info on eyelid twitching, but did not expect to find it to be so common. Mine is the upper right lid. It happens many times per day. I will try some of the “cures” I have read about here. Thanks.

  25. Bill
    January 3rd, 2004 at 15:49 | #25

    I feel strongly that stress is behind these damned infernal twitchings. Both eyelids have been going nuts for the past couple of weeks. Half an hour on the elyptical machine drives them away for about fifteen minutes. I’m a salesman, and I really wonder what my would-be customers think when I’m telling them how they’ve got to have my product and the eyelids start to shaking. The ultimate was three days ago when, sitting across from a purchasing agent, her eyelids started jumping around too!!! If only I could blame it on something fun…like a cocaine addiction! Oh well.

  26. Jason
    January 4th, 2004 at 13:26 | #26

    I AM NOT ALONE!
    Can I join the club?? lol
    This is unbelievable, I never thought it was this common because there is so little info out there on treatment.
    The only thing that seems to be uniform in all the information is the name of the condition.

    My left upper eyelid started in early October maybe once or twice a day.
    It has gotten worse since then, at least 10x a day for about 30sec or longer
    I?m 22, I take my Centrum vitamins religiously.
    I gave up coffee & soda a few years ago.
    I was a Pepsiholic & I needed to loose some weight.
    So the only things that seem to remain are Stress & Brain stem Neoplasm?s. lol.

    Hopefully it is just stress, I know I have allot of that.
    The problem seemed to be allot more persistent after I lost my job in late October. But why a daily, hourly thing?
    You would think that it would surface when I’m having a little stress fit & not out of the blue. But alas it has a mind of its own.

    Maybe I should try Yoga??

  27. Jason
    January 4th, 2004 at 13:37 | #27

    BTW: I forgot to mention sleep.
    Since I lost my job I have never felt more rested.
    I usualy get 7-8 hours of sleep sometimes more.

    Computer use I keep to a minimum, Just check my Email & job postings.

    And as for not enough moisture in the eye, I tried to use Visine natural tears to no sucsess.

    So stress it is!!

    Happy New Year!

  28. Tig
    January 5th, 2004 at 18:53 | #28

    I am a fellow twitcher and I found you all (how comforting) because I can’t stand the twitching in my upper left eyelid…nothing to do with luck or good fortune in my case I assure you. My eye started twitching sometime back and it took me a while to catch on. My eye twitches when I am getting sick typically with a VIRUS. I am just coming out of the flu which started 9 days ago…with the twitch. This wasn’t an average twitch but a fast-moving, aggressive, easily visible twitch. This twitch has again subsided to an occassional nuisance as I started improving from the virus and will soon be gone. I usually have a good balance of vitamins and I do drink sodas with caffeine (nasty vice I know but helps the migraines) but this caffeine doesn’t consistently coincide with le twitches but the viruses do. Thanks for allowing us fellow twitchers to unite. TA! (Twitcher’s Annon)

  29. Cacey Pecord
    January 6th, 2004 at 06:20 | #29

    Now I know someone out there cares about me and my twitch.
    Validation is everything. I’m a stay at home mom of 5. I’m like the others, I haven’t changed much, just brought my stress level up a notch or 5! I think if I get off the
    Starbucks the “others” will overtake me. HELP………..
    signed, blog

  30. Jake
    January 6th, 2004 at 08:51 | #30

    Hello fellow twitchers. To echo many others it is a relief to know there are more twitchers. I’m an upper left eyelid twitcher. I have no idea why and it just happens sometimes. Sometimes I don’t even notice it’s doing it. Others I’m talking to notice it though, that’s pleasant. Anyways, it’s nice to be able to here some others stories and ideas on how to handle.

  31. Pearl
    January 6th, 2004 at 09:57 | #31

    My upper left eye lid has been twitching off and on for a couple of weeks now, it started irritating me enough that I looked it up on google and that is how I found this site as well. I am very stressed out,(have 7 year old autistic twins, holidays..more chocolate than usual, lack of sleep, etc..) I have also noticed my neck and shoulders are extra “tight” I wonder if it is the tension taking it’s toll or a pinched nerve… now that I read this and have so much in common with others that have it I think it may just be stress… If anyone finds something that helps them, post again and share so we can try it ; )

  32. Tim
    January 6th, 2004 at 13:02 | #32

    hahahah funny post luis.. my left eyelid has been twitching for like 2 weeks, and im SICK OF IT!!!!!!!!!!! good to see other ppl are as annoyed as me.. hey if we’re gunna have some weird ailment at least its one thats harmless right..

  33. Ann
    January 6th, 2004 at 23:54 | #33

    Hi All, nice to hear so much info from everyone, my left eyelid has been twitching for the past 3 weeks now, but i think it is mainly due to stress and the dryness in the air. I have started to use Natural Tears and started taking vitamins and i see a difference in the number of times my eye twiches now. I was also so fed up with it and searched Google and luckily found this site. Sometimes the internet though gives way too much info and its scary but this site is more realistic and its more comforting to know so many of you are facing the same problem and we can share it with each other.

  34. Patty
    January 7th, 2004 at 07:36 | #34

    I have had a sensitive right eyelid since childhood, but it was never an issue until two months ago. Before then, my eye doctors would complain I was fighting them on purpose when they tried to examine me! You would think a doctor would understand “INvoluntary” eyelid twitches and not accuse you of making their job harder!

    About two months ago, my eyelid started spasming a few times when it wasn’t being touched–just starts up on its own!

    In the last three years I have lost my dad to terminal illness, I was in a car accident, my husband lost his high-paying job when we had two kids in college, he left home for two years to work while I took a six-day a week job and was left with the teenagers. I was diagnosed with kidney stones (drove myself to the hospital!) and a month later had a parathyroidectomy because they found a huge tumor in my throat (non-malignant). My son got married. My daughter got engaged. I decided to move to the state where my husband is now living with the two youngest kids. One is in college, one in high school. We bought a house. I am looking for work but can’t find anyone willing to even interview me! I used to work night and day, now I have not much to do. In November, my husband made me give up my dog because he was biting people and barking all the time. I don’t really think my husband was being unreasonable, because the dog was making life miserable. This is what threw me into a tizzy, where I cried for like, two weeks straight night and day. Does anybody think this is what caused the stress that is making my involuntary muscle go crazy?

  35. Caro
    January 8th, 2004 at 04:58 | #35

    Great blog!! I too have “the twitch” on my left eyelid (going on 3 weeks now and can’t stop!). When will this twitching end! Argh! My husband says it’s lack of sex…. 😉

  36. The Twitcher
    January 8th, 2004 at 05:09 | #36

    I’m about to cut out my eyelids with a spoon. They won’t stop and it’s been going on for 3 weeks now in both eyes. The only thing I can think of is that I just got engaged, and I’m finding out the costs associated with the wedding (which is when the twitching started). I just bought a multi-vitamin, but I think I’m going to try the Xanax route.

    Christian

  37. Irene
    January 8th, 2004 at 05:50 | #37

    This is unbelievable…..I too am a left-eye twitcher going on 3 weeks!!!! Stressed more than usual these days, but this twitch is different from others I’ve had in the past. My left eye twitches whenever I squint my eye…

  38. rob
    January 8th, 2004 at 08:31 | #38

    why does my eyelid twitch?

    google search that and this is first on the list!

    mark another twitcher, my upper left has been bugging me for the past 2 weeks

    man i wish it would stop…

    -rob

  39. rob
    January 8th, 2004 at 08:35 | #39

    just noticed many of us started about the same time

  40. Mary
    January 8th, 2004 at 08:59 | #40

    I am 15(about to turn 16 in Feb.),I have a lower left eye twitch…Its more like a pulsating. It started over the Christmas break. So I have been sleeping late and I have had no stress. I eat a banana every morning at breakfast and sometimes for a snack(I am getting enough potassium).My mother is a dietcian, which translate to I eat healthy. I play sports, so I’m getting enough excersise. I don’t have a high intake of caffine……….
    I have cancelled out all the causes. It comes and goes randomly and will last up to an hour sometimes. It has been going on for about 4 days. For godsake I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND ITS TWITCHING!

    HELP ME!!!!!!

  41. Anna
    January 8th, 2004 at 13:11 | #41

    Wow, I’m so glad to join the eyelid twitchers group. My right eye had a few random twitches which stopped suddenly. But about 3 or 4 weeks ago my left upper eyelid started twitching. I’m a counselor and often wonder if my clients are watching my eyelid twitch as we talk. I try to ignore it and pretend like “oh, I meant for that to happen”, but truthfully, I can admit to you fellow twitchers that it is very annoying. I’m starting calcium and magnesium in the morning, along with a daily banana to see if that’s a help. Getting more sleep would have to be my next step. How could something so small, with such a mild twitch be soooo annoying. Glad to have found you all.
    Anna

  42. Helen
    January 8th, 2004 at 23:15 | #42

    Luis, I think the reason so many people have consulted your site is that they are too embarrassed to go to the doc about something so apparently trivial, so it’s good to have some moral support re this very annoying problem!
    My theory is that it’s to do with looking at VDU screens – it’s the only thing all these people have in common (they must do, or they wouldn’t be looking up this site!). I took a break from the screen over Christmas and the flickering stopped – now it has started again with a vengeance.
    Whoever mentioned sex might be on to something now I think of it – I had a little time for that over Christmas too…

  43. Jill
    January 11th, 2004 at 12:13 | #43

    Too funny! What a thing to find so many ET’s out there!

    This thing started in my right eye about a month ago.. interestingly enough about the time that I QUIT my job to eliminate stress and went back to school full-time! (Oh sure, no paycheck, more expenses, and a school full of people I don’t know… NOOOO stress there!) Other than that I am FAR too heavy, don’t exercise, don’t take vitamins, but that’s a 10-year old problem with me, not one that started a month ago!

    Maybe you’re right, Rob (Jan 8)… seems everyone started about the same time. Must be bio-terror!! LOL!

    Thanks, Luis, for this crazy page and letting us all keep posting here!

  44. A
    January 11th, 2004 at 13:08 | #44

    Wow, lots of twitchers out there.

    I’m glad I found out about this, my eyelid has been twitching all day, I was thinking I had eye cancer or something. -_-

    Anyway, I’m a unversity student, so I:

    1. Drink way to many caffinated beverages.
    2. Eat a junkload of horrible food
    3. Am superstressed about an upcoming test and essay
    4. Haven’t been taking my vitiamins.

    Hmmmm…

    Anyhow, if it persists, I’m going to see a doctor. God Bless Canada and my University health plan.

  45. Luis (admin)
    January 11th, 2004 at 13:55 | #45

    In the next day or so I will be copying some of these comments into the Forum. Come on and visit, sign up, and drop by from time to time!

  46. Jeff
    January 12th, 2004 at 06:36 | #46

    Hi Everyone. My name is Jeff and I’m a twitcher tooo!! It’s in the upper right eye and has been going on for two months now – the longest time frame for me. In the past, the twitch would just come on for a few days and leave me. Now it won’t stop!!We all started around the same time so I’m thinking it’s weather related?, Mars being so close to the earth?, something else in the beef that hasn’t got a name yet? I think it’s because we don’t eat enough FISH!
    Enough of the humor Jeff!
    I went to my doctor and he asked the same questions on caffine and hey that’s not it..I don’t drink caffine products. Stress: now there’s a subject we don’t need to say anything else! Maybe we need a 4 day work week? He really said I need to see and Eye doctor!
    I’m glad to see I’m not the only one eye twitching out there.

    Thanks,
    Jeff M

  47. Bodokh
    January 12th, 2004 at 07:03 | #47

    Isn?t it just typical when you search for a cause of your desease – and it turns out that it is unknown, and so is the cure.

    My twitch (myokymia I learned here)started about 4 weeks ago on my right lower eyelid. Being 31, I have had it maybe 5 times earlier in my life – but not longer than a week. If I think back I ate normaly, only taking a protein, creatine combo called Supergain 2000 after workouts. I also took some multi mineral and vitamin complexes but stopped taking it since I suspect it to be the cause indirectly.

    I am now studying medicine on the second year. This involves a lot of reading and computer screen watching. I have not read much earlier in my life, since I found it unusefull. After reading 14 hours a day for 2 weeks without breaks last year, I got a tinnitus (constant HI-Frq sound in my left brain hemisphere). Since the left brain controls the muscles on the right side of the body I was afraid that the tinnitus might “spread” and cause the myokymia.

    After reading all the other posts, I also suspect that we could be talking about an undiscovered virus affecting the stressed/weak nervous system. If this was the case I think it would have been discovered by now.

    Another possibility is neuronal defects. E.g. in the transmission involving the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine (triggers calsium release and muscle contraction).
    I dont think it is a lack of Ca or K or Na in the body, since this would make the uposite effect-muscle weakness. Calsium is a trigger of muscle contraction. What about Cloride, anyone tried that? I dont know if we get enough through tablesalt. Cl is also needed by the cells. But most importantly a good and open blood circulation is needed. even 5 minute work out a day or a minimum 30 minutes pr week would be sufficient (over doing workout only makes it borring, and we stop doing it).

    At this point I am going to try proffesional massages regularly (one hour once a week)to better circulation in head and neck area. I will also try to get better ventlation in my room. Enough oxygen is essential. IF you use gas in kitchen or heating this could leak CO gas that needs to be ventlilated out. CO gas is “prefered” by our blood and taken up before oxygen, even though it is poisinous and will cause damage. Living in a poluted city will not help this situation. But you can always get more green plants indoors to boost the spirits.

    If someone has discovered something that helps please email me.. Also I wonder if anyone has experienced a lack of short term memory accompanying this. Which would be the case if there was a lack of CaM-kinases.

    Suggested causes so fahr:

    Stress – nervous system – acetylcholine transmitter release
    foods – ion concentration(K, Na, Ca, Cl, Mg or phosphore?)
    Vitamines such as B12
    Genetically altered foods or hormone grown chicken.
    (You become what you eat)
    soap products – disturbing cell membranes
    Virus
    minor CO polution
    Tense body – massage head and neck and whole body regularly
    Lack of Oxygen and ventliation. (boost ATP production)

    If I dont find a cure soon, I will also take the tea-spoon aproach and cut out or kill the specific neurons involved with laser or computercontrolled nanorobots.

    Sorry about the long post. I have to get back to studies now… I will pray to God that we all get rid of our problems, without God having to use the teaspoon on us.

  48. Yulian
    January 13th, 2004 at 07:54 | #48

    I was sure that i will find something, but i really can’t believe this what i see here ;-))).
    Hello from Bulgaria to all twichers here 😉
    Same with me – last 4 months i twiching, its true i have a lot of stress, because a friend informed me that i will have problems with some people…and next day i start to twiching ..OHHHHHH already 4 weeks ;-(((. I know when this will stop – when i solve all problems and take a reast for while.
    Dear twichers – don’t worry!
    May be this song will help to somebody:

    I see trees of green, red roses too
    I see them bloom for me and you
    And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

    I see skies of blue and clouds of white
    The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
    And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

    The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
    Are also on the faces of people going by
    I see friends shakin’ hands, sayin’ “How do you do?”
    They’re really saying “I love you”

    I hear babies cryin’, I watch them grow
    They’ll learn much more than I’ll ever know
    And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
    Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world

    Oh yeah

    Louis Armstrong

  49. Boe & Ann
    January 13th, 2004 at 22:47 | #49

    What a load off my back.

    I started with the eye twiching symptoms over a week ago. Thinking nothing about it, I ignored it. Well, to say the least it has persisted for over 3 weeks now, on an off an on basis.

    I have medically controlled seisure disorders, and I thought that this may be a spin off of the symptoms that may come along with seisures. UNTIL !! Early this morning when I arrived home from work, my wife said I can’t beleive it MY EYE IS NOW TWITCHING. That is when I thought this maybe something other than just a strange thing happening to me. That there is something else beind this.

    Anyone with information please feel free to email us, with a possible cure, or something to take away this TWITCH.

    Good Luck all,

    Boe & Ann

  50. Jeff Lapierre
    January 14th, 2004 at 09:05 | #50

    Right eye twitching upper eye-lid mostly sometimes both.
    Going on for 3-4 weeks now. It’s very odd that this is happening to so many people starting at about the same time.
    I might be over-stressed, drink tea often, take multi-vitamins, and get around 8 hrs. of sleep every-night. What does this all mean, what else do we have in common?

  51. Paul Fibelkorn
    January 15th, 2004 at 03:21 | #51

    My left upper eyelid started twitching yesterday and has twitched for a few seconds every 3 to 15 minutes. It came out of nowhere and now won’t stop! I just started the Slim-Fast diet (New Year’s resolution) and wonder if that doesn’t have something to do it. You know a vitamin imbalance or something like that. It seems a lot of you suggest magnesium, potassium, and more rest. I think I’ll start all 3 tonight!

  52. V.
    January 15th, 2004 at 13:54 | #52

    About 3 weeks ago my lower left eye started twitching. Now both my lower left and right eyelids are twitching.
    I’m wondering why so many of us are experiencing this. It seems it might be related to Mad Cow Disease.
    Huh?

  53. Justin Snow
    January 15th, 2004 at 23:13 | #53

    My upper left lid started twitching about 4 days ago, and I’ve never had something like this last for so long. I thought it might be from my contact lenses, but wearing glasses the past few days has not helped.

    Theory:
    My best theory is that it is a result of the combination of the freezing cold weather outdoors (dries the eyes), dry heat indoors (dries the eyes), evil flourescent overhead lighting and 9 hours a day on the computer at work (strains the eyes).

    Remedy:
    Stay away from work. Easy enough to do on Saturday and Sunday (I think my twitching will stop on the weekend).
    I’m also going to try taking a multi-vitamin everyday, and meditate 15 minutes each morning.

    Thanks for the website!

  54. christina haynes
    January 16th, 2004 at 00:33 | #54

    My eyelid just started twitching today. It’s going like crazy at the moment and the left upper lid is the one affected. I have been feeling pretty unwell lately – a virus or two over Christmas and New Year and I don’t feel recovered. Also I have Meniere’s Disease. Have had short periods of eye twitching before many years ago and nothing until today, so I guess I am a recovering eye twitcher who has relapsed! Couldn’t believe how many people are similarly afflicted. Hope this is not a precursor to yet another bout of illness. I don’t drink alcohol or coffee but stress is pretty abundant.

  55. n
    January 16th, 2004 at 04:42 | #55

    My right eyelid started twitching about a month ago. I have little stress, get about 6-8 hours of sleep a night, drink some caffeine, and spend about 8 hours a day at a computer screen. My caffeine intake lately has actually been less than it used to be and I never had a problem similar to this previously. My computer usage has been at about 8 hours a day since i started my job 3 months ago and was always high before that as well.

  56. Anonymous
    January 17th, 2004 at 06:23 | #56

    ARGH! I was quite happy to find this site, and know that I am not the only one going INSANE!!! Yes, I am under stress, but not more than usuall….But I have had this for years…About 6 years, but it goes away for a little while and then comes back…Sometimes years at a time…And then I get ready for it to come back! It is my upper left eyelid, in the corner, and it wiggles ALL the time…A couple seconds, and then it stops for a minute, and THEN IT’S back. Reading these, makes me think that I am not the only eye twitcher out there! YESSS!

  57. bodokh
    January 17th, 2004 at 08:57 | #57

    Hi. I would like to find out if we all have somehting in common.
    I have never been breathing through my nose, I use my mouth for inhalation instead. Doing this from a child it resulted in a not so good bite. It means I dont relax the muscles involved as much as others. The nerves to the eyemuscles in question join up to a bigger one (in the trigeminal nerve ganglion) a coupl of cm infront of the ear. I am currently working on a theory that muscle tension in this neck region up and arround the ears + maybe the face msucles over the hard bones of the skull (infraorbital foramen)can be masssaged and loosened up to relax. This together with breathing through the nose, instead of mouth, which will provide more oxygen to the olfactory nerves and nasal mucosa.
    I started breething through my nose today (I am 31), and will try to do it for at least a couple of hours (until I give up) to se if it helps.

    You may already have, or want to try this recepy:
    1. Breath through nose (and from time to time (when no one sees you) tension the muscles in the nasal ducts to provide better airsupply) – exhale through mouth.

    2. Relax

    3. Massage the ears and areas arround them – Gentely, at first, then with more pressure if desireable.

    4. Relax and loosen the oculimotor muscles that moves the eyes by alternating focus from your finger tip (held up in front) to distant points above and below to both sides. Making the eye focus at different angels and distances. (You may do this every hour if working at a workstation all day.) You may also try to turn your head 30-40 degrees away from the monitor while working, to put tension on the other eyemuscles, thus drawing more neurotransmitters (acetylcholine)to these muscles (starving the twicher).
    (Prob. wanna do this alone also, so dont look like a nerd)

    5. When showering clean the nasal canal (this is not easy if you are not used to it, but will greatly increase your health and status of your nasal mucosa) It is something I learned of a mongolian that never got sick.
    You may do this by inhaling some water into the nose and blowing it out in you hand like a hankerchief.

    6. Keep a good hand hygiene – preventing bacteria entering eyelids when rubbing them. Wash hands before massaging or touching skin in these areas. Dont put dirty fingers in the ear canal either (you could get tinnitus or meniers syndrome.) You may buy a special NaCl water bathtub for your eye, bathing them in NaCl special water bought at the pharmacy. I buy this in Norway, since they dont have this in Poland. You can also let a eye doctor examine your eyes for alergic reactions, he/she will prescribe eyedrops for your need, do not buy to strong.

    7. Wait for more research to be done, and results to come in. Remmember you are the resaerchers and test subjects also. Write the results and data here.

    8. Eat green vegetables, salad, and fruits of different colors. Try to avoid genetically or hormone grown food (if you eat fast grown food, how do you know you wont grow fast yourself?)

    I this doesnt work you might aswell buy a lottery ticket with the number of twiches to decide which numbers, witin a time frame. Because maybe all the people who recovered has forgot about this web page, and never posts the cure here..

  58. kristi
    January 19th, 2004 at 12:36 | #58

    I can’t believe how many eye twitchers there are out there right now. Mine started on my left upper lid about 2 weeks ago and it is still twitching at a rate of about 2-5 twitches every 5 minutes. It is driving me crazy. At first I thought it was something really serious until I found this message board.
    I have a high stress level at home with two kids under the age of 4. At work, I sit in front of a computer for 12-17 hours a day 3 days a week with no break under stressful newspaper deadlines. I think these may all be contributing to the twitch. Who knows? I just want it to go away.

  59. Erika
    January 20th, 2004 at 07:03 | #59

    Right, lower lid twitcher here. Never happened to me before, 3 weeks running, now. I want to kill something due to the annoyance. I am a teacher and when my students ask me what is trying to get out of my eye, something is definitely wrong. Like most of you, some stress, some computer use (not all day), some caffeine (cup of coffee in am. maybe a coke in pm) blah blah blah…. its really getting to me!! If it didnt happen all day long, I wouldn’t have a problem with it, but it does and its driving me absolutely insane – I think.
    My opthomologist made an appointment for me tomorrow. She said it doesn’t sound like a “normal” twitch, as if any are. But reading all of your responses, it sounds normal to you guys.

  60. Jacob Singer
    January 21st, 2004 at 05:53 | #60

    I just really started to notice my twitching a week or so ago, but I think it’s been going on for about a month. It’s both upper eyelids, at random times throughout the day. I’ll admit to drinking too much (especially during the holidays) and I drink caffeinated drinks daily. I get plenty of sleep, though, and I think my diet is ok.

    The thing that strikes me as odd are the number of folks here who have just had this occurring in recent weeks. Perhaps it is some sort of minor virus going around. Either that, or the Space Aliens are using our eyelids to communicate with one another… 😉

  61. Nancy
    January 21st, 2004 at 11:06 | #61

    You know what…we’re not crazy. We are just stressed out, and for whatever reason, in our bodies, a tick is coming out in the form of an eye twitch…myokymia…it will cease when we have fixed whatever is stressing is out…unless of course, it is some sort of brain tumor, in which case, well, what do you say to someone with a brain tumor? Have a drink and enjoy time with loved ones more! I am comfortable knowing now that I’m not alone, as we all should be!

  62. Lindy
    January 23rd, 2004 at 02:56 | #62

    34 weeks and counting. This twitch has become all consuming. Went to the Doc ( Opthamologist) this am and he said to try tonic water. Something about the Quinine in it ( helped Malaria patients with the tremors) Running out today to get some!
    HEEEELLLLPPPPPP

  63. Nick
    January 23rd, 2004 at 06:06 | #63

    my twitching has been going strong for almost three months now. Im ready to cut my eye outta my head just to get it to stop….. someone said it was because of the 5 day work week, well I only work 4 dayz a week so it cant be that. now when my ET’s kick in i find myself putting my hand over my eye to stop it……. Maybe we should all wear eye patches

  64. Amy
    January 24th, 2004 at 10:25 | #64

    My left upper eyelid starting twitching mid-December, right AFTER my finals. The holidays were very nice, not stressful (as they usually are). It has now been 1 month, and the eyelid still twitches, mostly when I blink, but not always. I started a vegetarian diet for the new year, but this was after the twitching started. I read that caffeine can cause the twitch, and gave up coffee for the new year too. Still twitching.

    I did a search and found some mention that corneal abrasion may cause the upper eyelid to twitch. There are many things that may cause corneal abrasion. One could very well be dry air from being indoors in the winter.

    Also – and this is scary – an amoeba can cause an eye infection that will cause the eyelid to twitch.

    Each year, many people are infected with Acanthamoeba. Eye infections result from contact lens cases becoming contaminated after improper cleaning and handling. Risk of Acanthamoeba
    infection is higher for people who make their own contact lens cleaning solution. Acanthamoeba enter the eye via contact lenses or through a corneal cut or sore. Infection or a corneal ulcer results.

    But this infection is most common in people who wear contact lenses, which I don’t. Here is some more information on it:
    http://www.eyemdlink.com/Condition.asp?ConditionID=42

    I notice I mostly have the twtich in the evenings, after sitting in front of the computer all day. I have had this occasionally in my life when I’ve been stressed out, but never for so long, and never when I have so little stress.

    Stress can be a weird thing, though. You can be physically stressed without knowing it. I’m sure the winter weather causes physical stress we don’t have during the warmer months.

    Or maybe it is lack of sex…

  65. Daveoftheeye
    January 24th, 2004 at 23:52 | #65

    Thanks for the site. It definately was useful. You would make an excellent marketing director (catering the site to what people wanted it to be).

    My upper left eye has been twitching for years. Very subtle, no one ever notices but me – but it sure is annoying, generally only once or twice a day.

  66. Hendrick
    January 26th, 2004 at 17:32 | #66

    Hi guys, glad to know there are so many eye-twitchers out there. My (left) eye twitching history started only two years ago when I was 16, and I was extremely puzzled why there was twitching. My friends suggested fatigue but I was not always tired. Plus, after reading this site, I realised I don’t take caffeine and am not very susceptible to stress. In fact, the twitching occurs at low-stress periods.

    Anyways, there was a period where I thought, naively, that the twitching was when someone was thinking of you! 😀 I had a girlfriend back then… After we broke up the twitching gradually subsided though. But the twitching has come back to haunt me this year after I moved to Vancouver! Great gods! It’s been bugging me for a couple of days now, and I’m in no relationship now so I figure there must be something else going on.. In Asia, superstition suggests that eye-twitching is a sign of a change in fortunes.. Although I’m not so sure which eye is which…

    For myself, there’s also this strange part where the twitch would move around. As in.. My left eye would start twitching.. and then the twitch would shift to a muscle between the eyes.. and then to the right.. and then back left. Almost feels.. O_O. Just feels weird.

    Oh yeah. All you eye twitchers are wearing spectacles, no? It could be a weakness in the muscles of the eyes.. Oh well. We should really form a support group for eye-twitchers.. We are the chosen ones for this ailment! 😛 Ahh. Eye-twitchers unite!!

  67. nick
    January 28th, 2004 at 07:38 | #67

    no specs on me im 20/20. recently I had a day of no twitching. man it was gloroius. but the next day i sneezed and the twitches came back.

    Could my eye start twitching because I try to hold in my sneezing????? ummmmmm thats a thought. try not to hold in your sneezing fellow eye twitchers……….

  68. Julia
    January 28th, 2004 at 22:56 | #68

    Well, I was beginning to think i had the makings of something terrible in the disease department.

    For well over 4 months my bottom left eye lid is just ALIVE, constantly. It is becoming increasingly disturbing trying to have a conversation with anyone cuz all i can think about is ‘can they see it!?’

    This morning while stuck in 2 and half hours of traffic in heavy snow just to drive 12 miles my right eye started too, i could barely see! it was hell and really violent, even my glasses started to move – i was quite scared, but after a few minutes it stopped.
    A) I sometimes drink diet coke, im more of a green tea girl than any caffine at all.
    b) i take a regular daily multivitaminand mineral supplement
    C) i can’t survive without 10 hours sleep per night
    D) ok for on the stress side its off the scale but otheriwse im ok.

    Help…. am i a freak of nature??????
    Yours desperately
    in NW UK

  69. Lyn Peralta
    January 29th, 2004 at 10:23 | #69

    I believe my eye lid twitching is associated with extended use of the computer.My job requires use of the computer on a daily basis.I am a regitered dietitian and has no problem with my potassium intake.I drink about 3/4c of coffee a day and I am not experiencing tremendous stress.It’s very annoying.I find relief when I close my eyes for a few moments but as soon as I look back on the monitor the twitching continues…

  70. Tom
    January 30th, 2004 at 21:16 | #70

    Im sure it has something to do with excess/low calcium and or magnesium levels . Maybe from supplements. Until levels are normal it keeps twitching. Left eyelid twitching means different thing to right eyelid twitching. you twitchers should look into this.

  71. Otis
    January 31st, 2004 at 18:01 | #71

    I’ve been having it for couple days now! I’m the upper left eye. It was twitching crazy the first day but it settle down a bit but annoying as hell… I do get very little sleep for no reason (I just perfer not to sleep) and drink lots of caffine… maybe i’ll cut back on that… I remember a month ago when i had a hard time trying to sneeze and then my left eye would water up… you think this might be connected somehow? HELP!!! it’s so annoying i just want to cry sometimes

  72. reba
    February 1st, 2004 at 15:07 | #72

    Unbelieveable number of people with the same annoying eye twitch that I suffer from. Like all the others I found this site through a Google search. I’ve dealt with the twitch for several years (since my teens and I’m 35 now) but usually only in short stints. Well, I’ve had it for over a year now and it’s getting pretty old. It hits typically 4-6 times an hour and is often quite noticeable.

    Accompanying the twitch is lots of stress, lots of caffeine, lack of sleep (bad insomnia), but my diet isn’t too bad. I rarely take any kind of supplements, but after reading this blog I think I’ll get back on my chewable vitamins.

    Stress was heightened when I lost my job last year and the twitch took it up a notch when I decided to start 4 businesses at once to replace working for someone else. I enjoy working for myself and am doing fairly well, but I do work almost every day and have done so for 10 months straight now. I get massages every 2-3 weeks to deal with stress and lessen pain from car wreck from 3 years ago. I am wondering if anyone else here has had physical trauma and/or braces. I also have braces and notice that they put extra stress on my facial muscles, particularly when I have to wear the rubber bands that my ortho makes me wear to adjust my bite.

    Good luck to others!

  73. dilip bandyopadhyay
    February 3rd, 2004 at 15:33 | #73

    I would like to say something about left eyelid twitch. I am a male and I have had accute left lower eyelid twitch under conditions of extreme stress. The stress situations have always been connected with an expectation of a career-catastrophy or something of that kind. This probably means that the involuntary / subconcious part of our mind gets the info of possible impending doom from the voluntary / concious part of our mind and goes into the throes of an anxiety attack – the outward sign of which is the twitch. I am NOT ready to accept the belief that the body / mind gets the information of impending doom through some supernatural means and starts giving signals to our concious mind.

  74. Corianda
    February 3rd, 2004 at 18:14 | #74

    Dilip, I agree with your take on the lower-left twitch but …

    Relief at last! After three intensely irritating weeks, that lower-left twitch is gone.

    Everyone is different but here’s what seemed to work for me:
    – a large bowl of green salad with vinaigrette, every day for three days
    – multi-vitamin pill for two of those days
    – early to bed two of those days and a 3hr afternoon nap on the third
    – conscious attempt to change attitude (to be more like ‘oh well, what the hell’), though not necessarily successful.

    Only a blip or two after that, then … blissful nothing! Even after returning to normal routine.

    Good luck in finding your solution!

  75. Gilly
    February 8th, 2004 at 20:37 | #75

    After spending most of yesterday with my upper right eyelid tapping out Morse code, and my lower left eyelid trying to contact the Mother-ship, I was about to go nuts when I found this site! But just knowing I was not alone did not, unfortunately, stop the percussion…

    BUT I DID GET IT TO STOP SUDDENLY IN THE EVENING.
    But how???

    Now, maybe someone will accuse me of being a bad influence, but there is really a vicious cycle going herer, isn’t there? Although a lot theories are put forward, the one thing that seems to be agreed on is that the twitching is stress-related. Too much caffeine make your heart race (stress)…stress uses up certain vits and mins in your body…sleeping badly can result from stress…

    So purely accidentally last night, I seem to have found a treatment…a common sedative…Yes, after my first glass of wine (a quite-nice Australian shiraz), I realised the twitching had stopped. Just like that >snap

  76. February 8th, 2004 at 22:51 | #76

    my left upper eyelid began violently vibrating yesterday afternoon and has continued ever since.
    i drink, smoke, am highly stressed and although i find coffee repulsive, i do drink massive quantities of tea each day. the potassium deficiency idea sounds plausible: usually id never consider bananas as they are the food of the devil, however since reading this thread ive had forced down about 8.
    anyway, thanks to this infernal twitching,im beginning to feel moderately to severely abnormal.
    how refreshing to learn that there are others afflicted with this condition.
    its bound to be premature dementia or parkinsons etc, so i for one intend to go on the lash for the rest of my inevitably short existance.
    chin chin

  77. Gilly
    February 8th, 2004 at 23:38 | #77

    The banana concept is just too revolting to contemplate — how can people eat something that smells like that? ugh!
    But is there any other source of potassium I can pursue?

    EXPERIMENT SUGGESTION

    Can everyone who reads this who has had an ongoing twitch please try the effect of alcohol? On a day when it’s been bad, have a glass or two of wine (or a G&T or whatever) and notice whether there is any reduction.

    In my case, the effect was immediate, within five minutes the twitch stopped.

    I’m now also going to avoid coffee for a week — didn’t have any this morning, and so far no twitch, first time in days.

  78. sarah
    February 9th, 2004 at 00:28 | #78

    ive just had 2 swift glasses of red.
    i can hardly believe it, but the flickering has subsided a lot. it hasnt gone totally but then neither has the rest of the bottle yet!
    cheers gilly, it would appear that there is indeed some truth in your theory.
    it seems alcoholism is the way forward, hooray!

  79. Corianda
    February 10th, 2004 at 19:19 | #79

    Forget Potassium. Go for the green stuff – which is full of Magnesium. Magnesium is the one for muscle spasms, cramps and tremors; the more ‘biological’ the better. Green salad anyone?

    As for the red stuff … come to think of it, it did seem to help, if only temporarily. Certainly a worthy line of research to pursue. One would be happy to support it except that this one’s twitch is still gone (hooray). Must be time for a glass of red to celebrate! Cheers, all.

  80. Jan
    February 11th, 2004 at 07:56 | #80

    Well, I think I discovered the cure for my eyelid twitch, and I am so excited after suffering with it for four long months that I found this site again and wanted to post…Last September I began having a few night leg cramps and foot cramps, which were terrible! I am a Christian, so I prayed, and felt God told me I needed to drink more water. I increased my water intake somewhat, and it did help, but then I forgot about drinking more. About a month later, my right eyelid started twitching. I thought it would go away, but instead it got progressively worse, until the twitches were about four minutes apart and HARD, interfering with my eyesight. Kept praying, but didn’t hear anything. Finally, in desperation, I went on the web and almost immediately saw a site (watercure2.com) where a person claimed to be cured of an eyelid twitch through drinking water! (Muscle cramps in my legs and muscle cramps in my eyelid–I should have correlated the two.) Anyway, this wonderful site recommends taking half your body weight and drinking that amount of water in ounces, plus 1/4 teaspoon of highly mineralized sea salt per quart of water drunk. My weight dictates that I drink about 2 quarts a day. I ordered sea salt, but haven’t used it yet…I started three days ago to drink my two quarts of water a day, though, and lo and behold, my eyelid twitch is almost completely gone! I feel like I’m living again! You all know how utterly annoying the twitch can be!
    This may not work for everyone, but it sure worked for me, so I thought I’d pass it on to all my fellow twitchers. Hope it helps!

  81. Jan
    February 11th, 2004 at 08:01 | #81

    I forgot to mention–caffeine is a diuretic, which means that it does not hydrate your body, it DEhydrates it! So if you drink a lot of coffee, tea, or cola, and are thinking that you are watering your body, you are NOT.

  82. bernadette
    February 12th, 2004 at 00:47 | #82

    Left upper eye lid twitcher here. (3d,now) Reading through the posts, noticing that most people are afflicted with LEFT eye lid involvement. (Or is it me seeking a bond?) What’s going with our right-side brains, people? Or is it our spine?

    I think the cure is going to be revered like the “hiccup” cure-all…whatever you were doing at the time of the disappearance is what helped. Great suggestions here, though. Gonna try more water, quinine, and more sleep, (yeah right)…. tonight a gl of wine!

    Sneezing has always triggered a twitch for me…all began in Earth Science class, 24 yrs ago. I always sneezed in that class. Dust maybe? I’m not kidding. I truly remember that’s when my intermittent left eyelid twitching began. Good luck to you all!

  83. lesa
    February 13th, 2004 at 06:32 | #83

    Left upper eye lid for about 2 weeks, becoming increasingly more frequent (once every 10 minutes) and more pronounced. Mega-stressed, work on computer 8 hours each day, dry- winter climate, upper back stress, smoker, drink 3-5 cups of coffee/day, right now eating more chocolate because everyone is bringing it in the office for Valentine’s day. Have eye exam scheduled for next week. Just used eye drops to see if that helps. Also, am going to an acupuncturist tonight and he said he can put needles around the eye. I will try anything to get this to quit

  84. Hendrick
    February 16th, 2004 at 07:31 | #84

    Hey you guys,

    I posted awhile ago, and my twitching has subsided since then.. I’m not so sure how come the eyelid twitching periods come and go so strangely, but I do suggest having a healthy lifestyle; ie. drinking more water and having more sleep.

    Also, don’t sleep too much :) My twitching period came when I was clocking 10+ hours of sleep a day, and at my current 6 a day my twitching is gone 😛 About drinking alcohol.. I didn’t take any because I’m allergic to some alcoholic substances but the twitching subsided anyways.

    Hope your twitching-eye improves today :)

  85. Dave
    February 17th, 2004 at 01:04 | #85

    Hello fellow twitchers!

    What a relief to find out that there are so many of you out there! My upper left eyelid twitches a few times an hour and has been doing so for 2-3 weeks now. I admit that I could use an extra hour of sleep, plus I am taking care of my mother who was recently diagnosed with a form of dementia. Stress is certainly a part of my life but caffeine and alcohol are not. Hmm…I’ll try to get more sleep and perhaps try some eye drops. I am 38 and have been working in front of a computer all day for about a year now. I started to get nervous after reading an article in the local paper last week about a woman who has MS. She said that it all started with an eyelid twitch. My heart started racing after I read that sentence in the article! I hope that my twitch is not a sympton of a more serious problem. Has anyone else heard of this? Should I go to the doctor and have it checked out?

    Thank you!

  86. DaveR
    February 17th, 2004 at 03:23 | #86

    At last I’m a member of a discreet and select club.
    Yes I have all the causes
    alcohol, stress, late nights, nicotine, lack of vitamins

    to be honest it’s amazing that all that’s wrong with me is a slight twitch in my right eyelid!

  87. Alan
    February 17th, 2004 at 03:34 | #87

    Hi – Folks – fellow twitcher here – Upper left eyelid like almost everyone else but I have come to notice that if you don’t make a big deal of it to yourself it becomes less obvious to you. Could be half psychosematic (or whatever the term is!!) Mine has come and gone for a couple of years now. I believe that stress is a large part of it but not sure – the very thought of it causes stress too!!
    Dave was worried about the MS issue from the paper – not much documentation on this however there is the distinct possibility that this person had an eye twich independant of the MS – look how many people seem to have one.
    If she had had a tooth ache she might have said it all started with it instead of the twitch!! Don’t get too worried about it just yet.
    What would be good for this site would be to hear from people who have got over it and not just thoses who seem to have it for some time?
    Surely there are some hope stories?
    For the record mine started after I joined a gym and started to work out regularly – anyone?

  88. Karen
    February 18th, 2004 at 05:30 | #88

    I need advice on how to drive successfully with an eye twitch! My right eye has been twitching for almost a week now, and I have to cover it with my hand while I drive–very scary! LOL

  89. Karen
    February 18th, 2004 at 05:33 | #89

    ALAN:
    That’s very odd, I just started working out at a gym as well, and I have noticed both bloodshot eyes AND eye twitching. Very strange……..

  90. Vic
    February 19th, 2004 at 07:24 | #90

    “There’s a town I know, where the hipsters go called Bedrock, TWITCH, TWITCH”

    My upper left eyelid twitches infrequently but enought to really annoy me. I’ve scoured the internet and have read so much information on the possible causes… lack of sleep, caffeine, stress, vitamin deficiency, etc. All of which I am sure contribute to the annoyance. It’s as if the lower portion of my eyelid is trying to close, but it locks up for 1-2 seconds then relaxes. It’s not very noticeable to anyone but is extremely annoying to me. I am going to follow the advice posted throughout: take a daily vitamin, drink 1-2 cups of coffee/cola per day instead of the usual 8-10, and try to sleep more than 4 hours every night. I’d reduce my computer useage, but I’m a systems engineer and can’t very well do that and continue my employment. Now about reducing stress…. what’s stressing me out right now is this TWITCH!!! Anyway, thanks for the forum; good luck to all my fellow hipsters…. TWITCH, TWITCH!!!

  91. Hendrick
    February 19th, 2004 at 16:04 | #91

    Alan and Karen, I think that why gym ’causes’ eye twitching is because your eye twitches when your body is very tired. In other words, it could be signalling you for more rest.. My friends always tell me that the twitching eye is a sign the body is telling you to rest..

    After conditioning of course your muscles get less tired, but your body would need the rest anyways.. So get a good night’s sleep after each gym session :)

  92. Jan
    February 19th, 2004 at 23:36 | #92

    CURE–CURE–CURE–CURE–CURE–CURE–CURE–CURE–Hope that gets some people’s attention…few people seem to have read my posting above. For me, drinking more water was the key…took it away 95%. Also am now taking 1/4 tsp. of a highly mineralized sea salt (see the website watercure2.com), and now the twitch is 99.9% gone. All you caffeine drinkers (coffee, tea, or colas), listen up–caffeine is a diuretic–in other words, it DEhydrates your body. It just makes sense to me. Muscles need water; if they are deprived, they tend to shrivel up, contract…I don’t suppose it’s the cure for everyone, but my twitches were frequent and HARD (also interfering with my driving), and it worked for me. It’s also an inexpensive thing to try…worst side effect, you’re gonna pee a lot! Sure is worth that to me, though. I suffered with the twitch from September, and now it’s GONE! Hope some people read this and find blessed relief, like I did.

  93. Kathy
    February 20th, 2004 at 03:48 | #93

    My upper eyelids have twitched intermittently throughout the day for a month now. I was at the doctor’s office for another issue and asked about this problem. He just smiled and said that it just happens and some people get so used to it, they don’t even notice when it’s happening anymore – but it drives other people crazy. (Glad I didn’t have to pay him for THAT information.) I’m clueless to why it started but it’s now triggered if I sneeze, yawn, or stretch……weird, huh?

    Here’s to future success stories posted…..and soon!

  94. Dave
    February 20th, 2004 at 05:03 | #94

    How much water does Jan drink each day? Aside from milk with my cereal in the morning, all I drink is water! Water with my other meals and water in between. I don’t drink soda, coffee, tea or alcohol. I’ve been using eyedrops for three days now but the twitch is still there. That is very strange about the gym connection! Good luck, everyone!

  95. Dave
    February 20th, 2004 at 05:09 | #95

    Thanks, Alan, for your insight on my MS concern! Good point!

  96. David
    February 20th, 2004 at 14:39 | #96

    i’ve been having this twitch and What I have read most of the people getting this are adults. I’m 14 years old and looking for an answer to why I’m getting this at an early age and does it affectmy health. This really bugs at school,home,and any where I go, I feel that other people will notice this twitch and I try to look another way so they won’t notice thaks for reading e-mail me for answers!!!

  97. Jan
    February 20th, 2004 at 23:05 | #97

    Dave, in answer to your question about how much water to drink: Divide your weight in half and drink that amount in ounces. 32oz. = 4 cups = 1 quart. I think eyelid twitches may not have one pat answer for everyone. Yours may not be a water problem, but I’ll bet a lot of them out there are, just like mine was. Sorry to leave all my fellow twitchers behind, but I’m lovin’ being twitch-free!

  98. john
    February 21st, 2004 at 01:54 | #98

    Well, I have read all the above remarks on eye twiching. The bottom of my left eye has been twiching for about 2 months. I went to the doctor and found out that this (eye twiching) is called “BLEPHAROSPASM”. Blepharospasm can be treated the following ways: medication, injections, or through surgery. It is benign, so don’t worry. There seems to be many causes, but if it gets worse you should go see a doctor.

  99. Isabel
    February 24th, 2004 at 04:50 | #99

    My right eyelid has started twitching again, a couple of days ago. It seems to be pretty constant throughout the day. I have had this before and it has gone away.

    However, after reading some of the comments I think many people may have hit on what causes it.

    At the moment I am extremely tired, overworked and stressed out with family worries. My eyes were feeling very dry even before the twitching started again.

    Although I have not spend enough hours on the computer each day to cause eyestrain, I am an artist and am doing some very small and intricate painting at the moment.

    Just thought I’d put my two-pence worth in.

  100. Trish
    February 28th, 2004 at 11:49 | #100

    My upper left eyelid began to twitch about 3 weeks ago after I had pink eye. Hopefully thats what its from is some kind of virus and it will be gone soon.

  101. February 28th, 2004 at 12:55 | #101

    My eye has been doing this off and on since I graduated high school in 98′. It gets worse the older I get, so I would think the older I get the more stress I have. my initial thought was that this was caused by rubbing your eyes with dirty hands

  102. Dina Sanders
    March 2nd, 2004 at 23:16 | #102

    My left lower eye lid has been twitching for 5 days now. It is absolutely driving me nuts! I’ve never had this before.
    I’m not really stressed out. I don’t do caffeine and I’ve been getting plenty of sleep at night. The only thing I can think of is maybe too much eye strain. I do use the computer alot and I write alot of bible studies and type them up. I work full time on the computer at work also. So am I reading too much or something??? Gee-whiz I don’t know. It’s driving me nuts though. I wished it would stop. It is kinda scary. Since it has been going on for 5 days, I was afraid maybe something neuro was going on. But it sounds like after reading this site that maybe it will pass. I hope so. What a nuisance!

    Good Luck eye twitchers – Somebody help me please
    Dina

  103. Tracy
    March 2nd, 2004 at 23:56 | #103

    I want to second the notion that drinking water helps tremendously. I’ve found on the days I push alot of water it disappears if I don’t it’s back.Sodas, coffees, do not count. Good luck!!

  104. Stacey
    March 4th, 2004 at 02:58 | #104

    Whew! I can stop stressing about this left eyelid twitch. It is good to know that this thing is common! It takes the fear off of my mind. I am a smoker, drink alocohol occasionally, caffeine is a daily, work on a computer 45 hours a week, and worry too much about things, which causes my stress. I have had this twitch for about five days now and it is driving me crazy! With the help of all of you I believe that I am going to drink more water, less caffeine…take more vitamins and work on the stress! :-)

  105. March 4th, 2004 at 04:18 | #105

    I’m so glad I found this site.I woke up at 3am this morning and my left eye lid was twitcjing like crazy. I was awake for over an hour worring about it. I just had a few broken capilliaries repaired by Vascu Lyse a couple days ago under my left eye, so I instantly thought maybe they hit a nerve and that I might have nerve damage, which was a very scary thought. I decided to do some reasearch on eye twitching since it was really twitching constantly worring me and driving me crazy. Myokymia is one thing that I came across. After searching for a while I found this site. What a reliefe to hear I’m not the only one with this! I hope this goes away soon, its very annoying. After seeing it can last up to weeks, months or years is really discouraging. I pray it goes away very soon. I exercise regularly, take vitimins, drink coffee occasionaly. I also am awakend many times in the night from my 6 month old daughter crying, so lack of consistant sleep? Lately I feel dehyderated, so I am going to drink more water and see if it helps. Good luck everyone with this annoying eye twitch!!

  106. tracy
    March 5th, 2004 at 07:02 | #106

    For Jennifer. I’ve read somewhere this is very common for people that have had eye surgery so it will probably go away soon.

  107. March 6th, 2004 at 00:18 | #107

    I am relieved to hear that I am not alone in my quest to find a solution to this constant and highly annoying eye twitching problem. The lower part of my right eye has been twitching frequently for the last 2 months. Many have suggested its due to stress. So, I just came back from a 3 day getaway. The result? The eye is still twitching. Tomorrow Im going for a one hour massage. Maybe that’ll work??? If not, I have an appointment with an eye doctor on wednesday. Hopefully, I just need a stronger prescription and the twitching will go away….Its twitching as Im typing so, Ill stop writing and thinking about it before both eyes start going beserk!! Sigh!!

  108. Linda
    March 7th, 2004 at 11:43 | #108

    Atleast I know I’m in good company! My upper left lid started to twitch about 2 weeks ago and has continued almost hourly ever since.
    I have been exercising more the last few weeks, but haven’t changed my diet except that I have been eating more bananas the past few weeks than I normally do. I take calcium and diet supplements regularly. I am under alot of stress with school, and my job being out-sourced in the near future.
    If this twitching doesn’t stop soon, I will have to find time to fit in yoga classes.

    Good Luck All,

  109. Aran
    March 8th, 2004 at 00:42 | #109

    I have been having an upper eye lid twitch on and off for a couple of months. I train with weights 3 days a week, and work on a PC for about 7 hours per day, in addition to drinking 4-5 cups of coffee. Following a search of google, I started experimenting with different treatments. Here is what I concluded:
    1. First try vitamins. Vitamins work as a placebo – so if you are cured temporarily taking it – rest assured you do not have a serious condition.
    2. I think my problem and that for some people on this list is a pinched nerve in the neck – try a massage and more importantly change your pillow – if you are stressed, or work out heavily- your sleeping posture is rigid as is your neck – try the tension headache pills – if they work – it means coffee is not your problem but your friend – all these drugs have caffeine.
    3. Lastly, I tried some cheap eye moisturizing drops – they quell eye irritation – a couple of drops and my eye lids stopped twitching. I think especially inthe winter months with forced air your eyes dry out and this results in more twitching.
    Try it out,

    Aran Nathan, MD

  110. Michele
    March 10th, 2004 at 23:40 | #110

    Ok, I’m glad to see there’s alot of people besides me twitching away. About 3 weeks ago my left upper eyelid started like crazy. This isn’t the first time this has happened. But just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, the right upper lid started yesterday. It’s driving me batty. I’m making a doctor’s appt today but don’t know what they’ll beable to do for me from the looks of things. I do work on a computer 8 hours a day but have been for years. Thanks for all the tips, I will try to see if any of these work.

  111. Jerry K
    March 11th, 2004 at 05:40 | #111

    Another victum here, only 5 days for me but for 15 seconds every 10 minutes for me. Not to get into the lagestics of it all. I am a left upper eyelid twitcher and have always squinted that eye more so than my right especially in bright places. muscles seem to spasm when i squint my eye ( in such ways as sneeze, yawn, or stretch) could be from squinting of one specific eye as i do by favoring my left eye. I constantly keep tension on that eye without even knowing it until now. but i do have the stress probably worse than anyone, will try water though

    keep us posted
    jerry

  112. Jerry K
    March 11th, 2004 at 05:43 | #112

    P.S. Any one prior military or had the anthrax vaccination. Always been a concern of mine.

  113. Phung
    March 11th, 2004 at 11:52 | #113

    twiching………..twiching……It is so anoying, i have couple exams coming up, try to concentrate on reading, but i can’t…it is so anoying….hic..hic..hic…what can i do now, i can’t go sleep or nap…because it waste of my time to study…help

  114. Jan
    March 13th, 2004 at 13:00 | #114

    AGAIN, try drinking a lot of water (see postings from me, above). I’m pretty much the only one who has been totally cured, but people still aren’t taking this seriously. Go to the website watercure2.com and read about amazing watercures for yourself. I haven’t had a twitch in weeks!

  115. Jon Ayers
    March 16th, 2004 at 05:31 | #115

    I’ve never been one to join clubs or groups readily but, I must confess being a closet eye-twitcher. My right eye, lower lid has been twiching off and on for a couple of weeks now. I drink lots of coffee and spend 40 plus hours a day looking at a computer. I do eat plenty of bananas though. I probably don’t drink enough water and when I do the coffee causes it to drain away pretty fast anyway, if you know what I mean… Oh, a couple of other things; I had laser eye surgery in 99. My eyes do get very dry pretty often. Also, my lower back has had some pain recently so I wonder if I might have a pinched nerve. After reading all of these comments and pondering my own situation, I believe the problem is related to dry-eyes so I am going to try looking away from the computer more often, drinking more water and less coffee(coffee will be hard to cut back on). I’ll let you know if anything helps. I do feel kind of different from most of you thougyh since my twitch is on the lower right lid and most of yours seem to be on the upper left. Thanks!

  116. JIMBO
    March 16th, 2004 at 10:52 | #116

    I’M GLAD TO SEE I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS MOST ANNOYING CONDITION. HOWEVER MINE MAY BE WORSE THAN MOST, I BELIEVE. ALTHOUGH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS CLAIM THEY CAN’T SEE IT, I’VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF HIDING THE CONDITION. THIS TWITCHING OF MY UPPER EYELID WAS FIRST NOTICED IN MY MID TWENTIES. IT MAY HAVE LASTED FOR A FEW SECONDS EACH DAY FOR A COUPLE DAYS AND THEN IT WOULD GO AWAY FOR YEARS AT A TIME. AT ABOUT AGE 33 I FELT A SLIGHT TWITCH IN THE SIDE OF MY NOSE CARRYING UP BETWEEN MY EYES. IT THEN STARTED TO AFFECT MY UPPER EYELIDS. I SAW A DOCTOR WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS MYOKMIA. HE RECOMMENDED A LOWER STRESS LEVEL, NO COFFEE & CUTTING BACK ON ALCOHOL. THIS CONDITION SPREAD TO BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER EYELIDS AND BOTH SIDES OF MY NOSE. I THEN TRIED ACCUPUNCTURE AND IT SEEMED TO MOVE THE TREMOR FROM ONE SITE TO ANOTHER A FEW WEEKS LATER. I STILL HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS. IT HAS GROWN CONSIDERABLY WORSE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. I HAVE HAD 5-6 BOTOX INJECTIONS IN MY LOWER EYELIDS, UPPER EYE LIDS (NEAR THE EYE BROW), IN MY NOSE, FOREHEAD ,ETC. THIS HAS PRODUCED SOME RELIEF. I FINALLY WENT TO THE MAYO FOR A WORK UP IN DEC OF 03. AFTER NUMEROUS TESTS OVER A (7) DAY OUT PATIENT VISIT THEY CAME TO THE UNSETTLING CONCLUSION THAT I HAD TO ATTEMPT OT LIVE WITH THIS MOST ANNOYING CONDITION. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO CURE AS FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED. I AM NOW ON A LOW CARB DIET & I TAKE SLOW-MAG AND A MULTI-VITAMIN EVERY DAY, BUT I THINK IT HAS LITTLE OR NO EFFECT ON THE CONDITION. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE THE TWITCHING IN THE NOSE AND FOREHEAD AREA? DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A NERVE SPECIALIST THAT MAY HAVE A SURGICAL PROCEDURE TO QUIET OR NUMB THE FACIAL NERVES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONDITION. IF SO, PLEASE ADVISE.

    DESPERATE FOR A CURE,
    JIMBO

  117. Tyler
    March 16th, 2004 at 23:53 | #117

    I have noticed my left upper eyelid twitches when I am exercising a lot and not allowing my body much time to recover. When I started training for my first triathlon last year, my eye started twitching. Now that I’ve started my spring training regimen this year, the eye is twitching again. I think it is a combo of loss of minerals and mild dehydration. I’m going to try to drink more water and start taking a daily vitamin. Good luck everybody.

  118. Kim
    March 20th, 2004 at 09:36 | #118

    Hello! My right eye has been twitching in the corner since the beginning of January. I occasionally get a twitch on my left side as well. But, it is the right eye that likes to stay. I have done research (like everyone else), but I only find it discouraging because either horrible conditions are the possible cause, or the cause is unkown. I did read the postings on increasing water intake as well as potassium and magnesium, and I am definitely going to try that! I also have occasiional deep inner ear pain in both ears, but I don’t know if these two strange symptoms are related. Anyone else with ear pain? Good luck to everyone!

  119. Hendrick
    March 20th, 2004 at 16:35 | #119

    Hey guys back again 😛 Well I’m back and my eyelid twitching is back too. Kind of sad; but I haven’t been taking of myself very well these days with that lack of sleep and stuff.

    Jimbo: If your doctor can’t treat your problem, it’d be very hard for any of us to give you a definitive solution. As always, try drinking more water and eating vitamins, plus get 7-8 hours sleep a day. Good luck :)

  120. Tim
    March 23rd, 2004 at 02:31 | #120

    My name is Tim. I’m a twitcher.

    Details:
    – Left eye, Lower lid
    – Twitches througout the day at different times
    – Duration: 8 weeks now

    Eye doctor recommended tonic water. Did that, no impact.

    Have reduced caffiene. No significant impact.

    Could be stress, but have had more stressful times in my life.

    Don’t have time to exercise… but haven’t in years.

  121. Bridget
    March 24th, 2004 at 04:53 | #121

    Hi! Long time twitcher here. I have been twitching since I was 16 or 17 and am now almost 41. I have had a severe twitch on the left side (mostly lower lid, but spreads from ear to entire left side sometimes). It is pretty much constant and I would love even a few minutes break sometimes. I am going to try more water and really pay attention to what happens. I am also going to consult with a nerve specialist and see if they might be able to shed some light on this. I know that sometimes people actually see it becouse at times my eye is almost shut on a bad spasm. Mostly it just bugs me becouse I can actually hear and feel the tremors in my ear constantly. I have learned to deal with it but it is so hard to smile when it feels like it makes it worse. I love to smile and I wish I could smile at my son and husband more.
    Good luck to those who have not had this very long — I think mine is as bad as it gets and hopefully yours won’t last as long!

    P.S. I used to joke in high school that I was winking at the boys! Humor goes a long way!

  122. Russ
    March 24th, 2004 at 07:31 | #122

    Hey Jerry I’m AD mil. and I just recieved the Anthrax vaccination but my eye was twitching before that. I drink a lot of water I’ve been eating real healthy. I think maybe it is due to stress but I don’t feel real stressed? It’s been a couple months now so it’s starting to concern me.

  123. carol
    March 25th, 2004 at 09:51 | #123

    has anyone with the twitching eye also have
    acid reflux? it seems that since I started having the right eye twitch, I also have a lump in my throat,
    the lump goes away when I eat Antiacid but not the twitching,, also it seems that I am having alergy type symtoms, scratchy throat, dry eyes.

    any comments? I’m 54 years old, is this age? hay fever? anyone else with all these symptoms?

  124. Shelley
    March 25th, 2004 at 17:48 | #124

    Hello all you eye twitchers out there!
    I have been doing everything right but to no avail my left upper lid continues to twitch. This occurs intermittently and has been twitching for about a month. Although I find comfort in knowing that so many others have the same problem why does no body know what the cause and cure is???? I find it annoying and worrysome. I could be stressed but quite frankly this site makes me even more anxious. Yes, here goes the twictching. Please if anyone knows anything other than what they’re doing right let us all know so we can terminate this site and get a life. Keep on blinking.

  125. BETTY BARRELL
    March 25th, 2004 at 19:50 | #125

    IN RESONSE TO SHELLEY. WE MEMBERS OF THE “ETC” DO HAVE A LIFE AND ARE FINDING COMFRONT FROM OTHERS WITH SIMILIAR PROBLEMS. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT STRESS IS YOUR PROBLEM. KEEP ON BLINKING AND CHEER UP!

  126. Melanie T.
    March 27th, 2004 at 07:10 | #126

    Dear Carol, yes, it is age… and because of children (adult and juvenile), a pet owner(upkeep), a home owner(more upkeep),work (too often), relations (not often enough), lack of sleep (husband and dog snores), gardening (never enough time, too many weeds), Boy scouts camping trips, little league baseball games, and school fundraisers, etc. Ain’t life grand?
    I can handle a twitch or two, can you?

  127. Bodokh
    March 29th, 2004 at 05:56 | #127

    Well, it finaly stopped!! After about 3 months or so.. (I dunno time exact, I tried to ignore it) I am just happy its gone.. Remembering back, maybe this had something to do with it:
    I quit taking multi vitamins, protein complexes from supergain. I tried to eat more green salad. Istarted drinking Tran which is a fish oil with omega 3 FA. I tried getting some massage in neck region. Cut back on pc usage.
    But my tinnitus is still there unfortunatly.. But I am glad the twitching is gone for now..
    Wish you the best of luck!

  128. dave
    March 29th, 2004 at 18:12 | #128

    which twitcher are you? ima a switch twitcher…j/k
    my lower eye twitches. def from stress and working in new york city.all that concrete and pollution is driving me nuts. im uppping my b vits and will exercies. physical movement seems to stop it for a bit anyways

  129. SHANNON
    March 30th, 2004 at 00:29 | #129

    TWITCH TWITCH….AS I AM TYPING THIS…TWITCH TWITCH…ALL I CAN SAY..TWITCH TWITCH TWITCH…IS THAT THIS TWITCH TWITCH TWITCH IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ANNOYING. IT HAS BEEN TWITCHING FOR 3 WEEKS NOW. I DON’T DO CAFFINEE, I’M NOT STRESSED, I GET PLENTY OF SLEEP AND WORK OUT 4 DAYS A WEEK….AT LEAST IT IS MY RIGHT EYELID (GOOD LUCK THOUGH) :)

  130. Eric
    March 30th, 2004 at 00:45 | #130

    I woke up this morning and my right eyelid has been going nuts!! I have had occasional problems with this when I get really tired, but not constantly through the day. At first I thought it was just pulsing with my heartbeat.

    I can’t figure it out! I take a vitamin and the only strange thing is that I ate a whole lot of Chex Mix (the cheese flavored— YUM!!) last night about 30 min before heading to bed. Maybe sometype of ion inbalance or something from all the salt. Who knows!

  131. Maggie
    March 30th, 2004 at 23:35 | #131

    Hi everyone,
    I am here to join all of you with this VERY annoying ongoing problem. I am a mother of 3 boys and baby girl.
    I admit that I am somewhat vain and this eye twitching makes me feel UGLY! I can handle aging, but the eye twitch definitely makes me feel self-conscious when it happens while I am talking to others. It is in my upper left eye and started about mid Feb. right when all of my credit card bills started piling up after the Christmas spending spree (definitely over did it). I take it that that has brought my stress level to peak! I have finally paid everything off and am hoping that my stress will come back down to normal levels, BUT WILL THE EYE TWITCH STOP!
    I think I get enough sleep (although I am a light sleeper).
    I work out and take plenty of vitamins and eat healthy everyday. I do, however, enjoy my coffee in the mornings and Diet Coke in the afternoon. I have been drinking caffeine since 1988 and never had this problem so I am summing this twitch up to STRESS (more than usual)and I hope it goes away SOON! Thanx for having this site. I feel a little better knowing I am not the only one. I will let you know if the lowering stress helps. For now, I guess I will just have to live with it!

  132. Anne
    March 31st, 2004 at 00:27 | #132

    To all you twitchers – try Potassium supplements and Vitamin B supplements. My left eye (upper lid) was twitching for about 4 1/2 weeks and stopped almost immediately when I started taking the supplements. What Relief!!

  133. Alan
    March 31st, 2004 at 02:31 | #133

    Wheey heey – I have to agree with Anne on this one – I was on a supplement combo for a week or two and the twitching did stop. Ran out and never thought about buying some nore and the twitching started again – worse than ever. Went out and bought a pack of Multibionta (UK based twicher here!) Complete vitamin and mineral supplement and hey presto the twitching almost stopped immediately. Twitching originally started after I had begun to workout – SO I believe that as I sweated I began to loose the stuff I needed and my eyes complained. Try it for yourself but it really seamed to work with me. Hope you are sucessfull – for what it is worth I have also upped my water intake.
    Regards
    Alan

  134. Kelly
    March 31st, 2004 at 10:16 | #134

    Glad to know I’m not the only one. My left, upper eyelid has been twitching off and on for 2 months. It’s driving me CRAZY! I’ve been afraid it was associated with TIA (or mini-strokes) as I was recently told (by 3 doctors) that I have had episodes of TIA’s for at least 7 months. Glad to know that it’s probably vitamins, minerals, stress…whatever. Just as long as it’s not from a stroke!

  135. Louanne
    April 1st, 2004 at 04:22 | #135

    I never would’ve made the connection that my twitching upper right lid had anything to do with my diet. i thought stress or allergies. However, I did start a low carb diet 4 weeks ago. My lid twitches at least once a day, sometimes up to 4 times a day. When my allergies are acting up (pretty much every day)I notice that my lid twitches when I sneeze. Is there a connection? I’m gonna go take a vitamin now. THANK YOU!

  136. Mike
    April 1st, 2004 at 08:44 | #136

    I am also a medical student. For me I have had lots of eye twitching sometimes lasting up to a week or longer. I could never figure it out. I went to my Doc who assessed my diet. Once accessed I was told that I was lacking calcium in my body. So I ate some yogert and drink a glass of milk for a few days it cleared it up. Now when ever my eye ever starts twitching I look at my diet to realize that I havent had any dairy for a while and I just drink some milk and eat some cheese and yogert. I has cleared it up. It has worked for me the past 12 years.

  137. Rori
    April 2nd, 2004 at 01:50 | #137

    So, I have come to the conclusion that I am going to either go nuts or just get used to “The Twitch”. (Almost sounds like an STD doesn’t it?) I’m happy to know that I am not alone in this world in dealing with my little problem – lower right lid spasms going on 3 weeks to be exact, but I just about fell out of my chair to read that some folks have been cursed since 1996!!! I refuse to partake in such a long membership! I, also am not a typical candidate — plenty of sleep, not a lot of caffiene, I love bananas, stress level is probably average(whatever that may be), so why me? I guess I just have to look at the bright side, I could have a twitch in my lip – that would be really attractive!!! Cheers to all the twitchers out there, we just have to be special people!

  138. Dragko
    April 2nd, 2004 at 03:38 | #138

    My lower Left Eyelid has been twitching for about 2 weeks. I am a person who sleeps fairly regularly but probably not enough hours. But in reading this I have decided that it is probably my caffiene intake. I drink around four 5-shot Americano’s per day. I guesws that explains it. The only problem I am a heavy addict and basically shut down without my caffiene. Maybe it’s time for rehab…. My eyelid is destroying my life!

  139. Mary
    April 2nd, 2004 at 07:30 | #139

    Oh my gosh. I have been laughing for the last 30 minutes. I am so happy to find this site. I have been twitching for about 4 weeks, upper right lid. I was certain that I had a brain tumor. I have also been troubled with burning, red, irritated eyes for a while. I am hypothyroid, have been for about 2 1/2 years. A pharmacy tech looked at my red eyes today and asked me if I had thyroid problems. I told her my situation, came home got on the pc and checked eye problems with hypothyroidism. I got a match, along with the eye lid twitching. My twitching started about a week after my doc lowered my synthroid (med for hypothyroidism). I have an appt. on Monday to discuss this matter with my doc. Will let you all know what he says. Good Luck.

  140. Maryanne
    April 2nd, 2004 at 11:28 | #140

    My eye twitching is more like a pulse under the eye where you have a dark circle. It seemed to have started a week after being on a no carb diet. Any suggestions?
    Maryanne

  141. Maryanne
    April 2nd, 2004 at 11:28 | #141

    My eye twitching is more like a pulse under the eye where you have a dark circle. It seemed to have started a week after being on a no carb diet. Any suggestions?
    Maryanne

  142. Mark
    April 2nd, 2004 at 12:15 | #142

    I’ve had the intermitant twitching eye lid problem for about 6-7 weeks.
    I’ve been training for a marathon so I’ve been extra tired, streesed at work etc but I do believe it’s a sort of diet problem, as a runner I have a high carbo diet lots of bread, fruit, cereals etc. On monday I was very hungry at mid morning but never had available my usual food so I went to a local shop and brought a bunch of bananas,(which I never eat but was the only fruit that looked edible) although it wasn’t until wednesday that I realised the the eye lid had stopped twitching. So I traced back through everything I’d done different that week and low a behold the bananas stood out. I must stress at this point I’d never thought of bananas as a cure or been told by anyone to try bananas.
    So potassiun defiency looks like the cause and was the cure for me

    Mark
    NZ

  143. Pam
    April 2nd, 2004 at 14:05 | #143

    lol! What a great site…my twich just started today..had some blood work done yesterday and won’t get the results till monday….Stress?? Anyway, from what i’ve read it’s the right eye (upper), so i’m hopeful that it means good luck. :) do you think i’ll not need wrinkle cream on this eye if it continues??…..and if i ever want a face lift..maybe i’ll only have to pay half price cuz the twitchin is doin the exercise for half my face??

  144. Kim
    April 3rd, 2004 at 03:06 | #144

    Hello everyone! I posted a couple of weeks ago when I was twitching regularly (the twitch began in January and lasted through last week). After I found this site, I began upping my intake of magnesium (500mg), calcium (630 mg), and potassium (99 mg). I also continued taking a multivitamin and drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day. Amazingly enough the twitching has subsided! It took a couple of days, but it’s gone now. I really didn’t think it could have to do with diet, but I guess I was wrong. I also have been to see a movement disorder specialist and he agreed that upping my magnesium intake was a good idea because it calms spasms. If anything more comes from my doctor visit (he ran a bunch of tests), I will let you know in case it can help you also. Good luck to everyone!

  145. Anonymous
    April 3rd, 2004 at 09:19 | #145

    oh geez….is anyone here under the age of 25 w\ this problem?? I’m 23 and it seems to have just started for me. The twitching is on my left eye lid and it comes and goes. Ive noticed it happens alot when I’m working. Im on my feet all day doing customer services. Ive noticed when i get stressed out or come across a problem the twitching begins then goes away after a few minutes. Im overall pretty healthy..also getting lots of calcium…I just hope its nothing serious..and I pray this doesnt continue through out the rest of my life=(

  146. Bella
    April 5th, 2004 at 15:05 | #146

    Bad news, guys….

    My left and right eyes have been twitching on and off for several years (I’ll admit to STRESS as my major factor). Changing jobs helped for a while, but as responsibilities and managing timelines increase — my ticks returned….

    Now, my lower lip also “jumps” a bit (has been for about a week).

    Anyone experienced that?

  147. Sheri
    April 5th, 2004 at 22:31 | #147

    I have had an upper right eye twitch for at least 3 months now off and on; but it is EVERY day – some days more than others. Then when my work hours decreased for about 3 weeks, the twitching decreased too, but did not go away. Now I began working more hours again, and the twitching is worse again. But my eyes also feel very sensitive and sort of “burny”. Anyone else notice this too?

    I thought stress had to be the cause, as I was always told before that the eye twitching was caused by fatigue. But I believed that when I would only have a twitch for a minute or two every 5 to 10 years! Now I’m going on 3 months, and it is very un-nerving! I will try taking extra pottasium and calcium, but I thought I already took enough of both of these. I’ll try anything at this point.

    Thanks for all of the advice. And, yes, it is good to know this is a common problem.

  148. Kelly
    April 6th, 2004 at 01:08 | #148

    Eyelid or any muscle twitching can be due to many different things, deficiency or excess of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium — even zinc or high copper levels can result in twitching.

    I found this board today, because the last few days the muscles in my legs have been twitching. What have I done differently, especially last night? I took 2 calcium supps (with magnesium, and trace minerals), but am thinking this new supplement has too much calcium compared to the magnesium, for me. Some people require a 2 to 1 ratio, others 1 to 1, and some (because high stress depletes magnesium) need more magnesium than calcium. I’ve had a sinus infection for the last 3 days, so it’s possible my mag levels are depleted, and calcium will not work properly without sufficient magnesium

    Regarding water and salt intake: That is also helpful, but again, if you’ve been under LONG term stress, your adrenal glands may have a hard time balancing your fluid levels no matter how much water you drink.

    So I guess my two cents is this: work hard to lower your stress, and consider different mineral combinations, sometimes more magnesium than calcium. (I also read on another site of a woman who’s twitching was eliminated after she started taking 50 mgs of manganese — not magnesium — a day. I tried that a few months back and it did the trick, and come to think of it, I’ve been cutting way back on the manganese lately.)

    Good luck —

    Kelly

  149. April 6th, 2004 at 01:26 | #149

    See the website: http://www.acu-cell.com/dis-mus.html for more detailed information on mineral (and water) balance and muscle spasms, twitching.

    Very interesting.

    K.

  150. Kelly
    April 7th, 2004 at 12:50 | #150

    I found this site when searching for a possible explanation for the chronic twitching in both eyes that has plagued me the last 3 weeks. I became hysterical laughing at some of the stories, and it is good to know I am not alone. Why is it that the simple things – Doctors don’t seem to have a clue?
    I work on a computer all day and take computer classes at night. Am a caffeine freak, under stress and also happen to be on the low carb diet. I think it is strange that SO MANY people have this.

    Will try having a heathier routine and see if that helps.

  151. Kat
    April 8th, 2004 at 04:02 | #151

    Yesterday my left eye started the jumping/twitching. Last night I couldn’t sleep because my left but cheek kept jumping! It was jumping nonstop like crazy :-). If I am walking and it jumps someone will definitley notice it. I thought this was the oddest thing. Today my eye is still jumping and it is soooo annoying. Does anyone else have other body parts jumping. I have to say the other night I only got 4 hours of sleep, but I wasn’t tired. I was stressed last night because of pc spyware stuff and spent half the night trying to gain control over my own pc.

  152. Patrizia
    April 10th, 2004 at 02:58 | #152

    I too have stumbled across this site while looking for an explanation about my evil twitching eye.
    In the past it was very rare, and it was because I was tired. In Oct03, I started a new job and was the Maid of Honor for my sister. Needless to say after that, the left eyelid twitch came on with a ROAR. It has been twitching pretty much every day, all day since October – it’s now April. I’m ready to gauge my own eye out!!
    There has been no change to my diet, little caffiene, some bananas, plenty of rest and the stress of the new job has worn off. What stresses me out now? The damn eye twitch! Why won’t it go away?
    Warm compresses on the eyes – close eyes apply pressure with your palms until you see ‘colors’ – take breaks from the PC let the eyes rest or focus on far object. I do all of this! Still it plagues me. Can I take eye drops with valium crushed in them to relax an eyelid?? How is this mystery not easily solved? It happens when I use the PC, when I look outside on a bright day, when I see someone wearing a bright or striped shirt. It is noticeable, though people try to ignore it and it’s ANNOYING!! If help is out there, for god sakes share it with us, the members of Eye Twitchers Anonymous.
    BTW my eye twitched the entire time I wrote this.

  153. Anne
    April 11th, 2004 at 07:50 | #153

    Hello fellow twitchers

    My eye started twitching about 2 months ago and twitched almost constantly ever since. I can sympathicize with all of you who would like to gouge your eye out. I HAVE FOUND THE SOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!! A Neurologic Chiropractor. There are only 500 in the entire world and 2 in Michigan. Luckily I live close to Bristol Chiropractic in Flint, Dr. Michael Hussmillo has saved me and my eye. Regular M.D.s told me it was stress and it would go away. Well it didn’t. As all of you know the twitch is enough to drive you crazy. I started last Monday and have went everyday and it’s now Saturday I rarely if ever twitch. Maybe one little minute twitch which compared to what I was having is a miracle. I just thought I would let you all know. And by the way they say they see it all the time and to ckeck potassium first, but if that is not your problem the you need a chiropractor. I swear by it and I was at the point that I was willing to try anything. Hope this helps someone else. Let me know.

  154. Christina
    April 12th, 2004 at 21:01 | #154

    A couple of months ago I noticed my right upper eye-lid started twitching. It stopped for a while but has now returned. It has happened numerous times before but was limited to once per “episode”. I shrugged it off as just being tired. Lately, it happens throughout the day, usually for a few seconds but every few minutes, and it is ANNOYING!!! I too work in front of a computer all day long, drink more caffeine than I probably should, and have a freakish amount of stress (although some of it i’m sure is self-imposed). I’m so glad that others have experienced this problem cuz I was starting to feel like I was going CRAZY. I will try some of the suggestions posted and see what happens since this is on my last nerve. 😉

  155. Michelle
    April 13th, 2004 at 03:43 | #155

    This site is sooo crazy. Just think…we can barely stand our eyes from all the twitching and we have to squint our eyes (or at least mine) in order to read the font! Well, I too am plagued from my eye’s un-controllable twitch. Its my left eye and what’s really weird is that it twitches right after I sneeze! Never fails! Also, it happens when I close my eyes or by doing other very simple things. I really am getting tired since like yesterday it must have twitched like 40 or 50 times? Doesn’t that seem like a lot..or is it like that for everyone? This problem has been going on for like a week now and I don’t think I am really stressed. Also I have began feeling like a slight uncomfortable pain under my eye, around my cheek area (don’t know if it’s related,though) So can anyone help me? Is this something I should really be worried about?

  156. Marie
    April 14th, 2004 at 03:17 | #156

    Hi all! My left upper eyelid has been twitching for weeks on and off. Has anyone else noticed a correlation with sneezing??????!!!!!!!!!!!!

  157. fran
    April 14th, 2004 at 09:35 | #157

    I found this board via a yahoo search trying to find out about eyelid twitching. Was I surprised to find that so many people have been suffering with this “ailment.” My left upper lid has been twitching for two days now. I too thought that I must have some horrible disease. Glad to hear that it is either stress, diet or a vitamin definciency. These are all easier to deal with. Do yoga, drink decaf, eat bananas and call someone in the morning. Thanks for the help.

  158. Lori
    April 14th, 2004 at 12:58 | #158

    I thought I was all alone…my left eye (unfortunately!) is driving me crazy. I hope it’s a potassium or B-12 deficiency…because I’ve never figured out a way to eliminate stress!

  159. Anonymous
    April 14th, 2004 at 21:40 | #159

    Hey everybody,
    I am still twitching but it has reduced A LOT! I haven’t changed much except drinking a little more water every day and now I eat an occassional banana here and there (maybe 3 per week). I definitely drink caffeine beverages before taking on water which has probably been one of my mistakes and I hardly ever eat bananas. Go figure! I start adding a little of both and the eye twitching has calmed down considerably. Thank God! I’ve been twitching for a solid two months and thought I was doomed for life and now I am finally getting relief. Just having the eye twitch alone causes enough stress! Chow for now.
    ~Maggie

  160. Anonymous
    April 17th, 2004 at 16:57 | #160

    I don’t know if there’s any “one” cause of the eye twitching annoyance but I find when mine twitches I rub the eye lid for about a minute and it goes away. Whether it’s fatigue, strain, etc… I don’t know but it always seems to work and has ceased before it gets unbearable.

  161. sc
    April 18th, 2004 at 08:35 | #161

    My twitching started about 3 months ago. In fact I had thought my eyeball was twitching and it was only last week when I looked in the mirror during an intense session of the twitches that I found that my eyelid was the culprit. You have to look quite closely and even then you can only see my eyelashes move. It is annoying and the only thing that I can think of is my recent change in sleeping patterns. I’ve basically been sleeping an hour later than normal but waking up at the same time as before. I haven’t changed my diet, I don’t drink coffee or Coke, nor am I under any stress. Has anybody asked in their family to see if it’s an inherited thing? No one else in my family has experienced this. It would be good to find out – or maybe someone can do an online survey so that more info can be gathered about the lifestyles of people who suffer from this. I’m an internet developer so I might even build one myself when i find the time. It looks like this is a VERY common occurence and I’m surprised this isn’t a more talked about subject online and offline (simply from the number of sufferers posting on this one web page).

  162. Kristin
    April 19th, 2004 at 13:59 | #162

    The twitching would happen once and a while, and I thought it was no big deal. But today I had my worst case of it. My lower left started to twitch for about 30 seconds, and now it’s been twitching steadily for the past 30 minutes. It’s not a little twitch either. When I look in the mirror my entire lower lid is twitching. It’s making my vision kind of screwy. I have belpharitis as well, so my eyes are already messed up. I do not want to be dealing with this as well. I did have caffeine today, and I haven’t had caffeine in months. So maybe it’s that. Here’s hoping it goes away.

  163. DebAlp
    April 19th, 2004 at 21:40 | #163

    Hello to all of you–I have a long active case. It’s my right upper eyelid and has been going on for well over a year. I’m 53 and had various eye twitching incidents over the years–both eyes, but they never lasted long. This one is most bothersome. This morning I could feel it doing it even before I opened my eyes. My right eye does most of the work, since my left eye is weaker and tends to travel a bit. I had eye survey when I was 6 on both eyes, but the left has always remained a bit weak.

    A few weeks ago, I was working on my computer for 8 straight hours. By the end of the day, my eye was twitching so badly, I had to close it altogether. The twitch was actually closing the eye. It was horrible. I’m thankful I was alone, because it probably looked scary.

    I’m going to try the potassium, calcium and B and see if that helps. After that–I guess it’s a trip to the shrink. Have to go, the twitching it getting to me right now. Good luck to all!!!

  164. milla
    April 21st, 2004 at 00:01 | #164

    I have had a CONSTANT twitch in my lower right eyelid for MONTHS on end; twitching even in my sleep. In my case, it is definitely stress-related. I am a very stressed-out attorney, sitting in front of a computer for hours on end. When I finally went on vacation in December for two weeks, it suddenly went away after months of nonstop twitching. FIVE DAYS after I got back from vacation, the twitching resumed.

    I cannot always be away on vacation, so I have done a lot of research on this. And just because stress brings the twitch on, doesn’t mean that it isn’t exacerbated by other things like vitamin deficiency, caffeine, or lack of sleep.

    I have tried cutting out coffee/cola out completely for months. Nothing. I have put myself on mandatory sleep schedules for months. Nothing. Finally, I put everything I eat into Fitday.com and analyzed it. I am severely deficient in potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, and slightly deficient in calcium. I tried calcium supplements and a multivitamin. Nothing.

    About three weeks ago I started taking magnesium supplements, a B6 vitamin supplement, and potassium supplements. And now, the twitch has STOPPED.

    I believe that because of my deficiencies, the stress on top of that caused my eyelid to twitch.

    Because I started so many supplements at once, I am not sure which one was most important for me or whether it was all of them that I needed. All I can say is, it worked for me, and I would recommend a step by step elimination of possible causes to find the cure.

    I am so HAPPY! No more weird looks from people and no more paranoia and self-consciousness! No more having to wear glasses to hide it! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

  165. sally
    April 24th, 2004 at 13:18 | #165

    seriously funny website really!!! we are THE TWICHERS!!! I have had eyelid twiches on and off for years….normally only lasting a minute or two but at the moment my upper left eyelid is shakin like a scared puppy…annoying the hell out of me!! but after reading nearly all these comments from fellow twichers I dont feel so alone and peeved!! Iam a naturopath and eat vitamins and minerals daily, dont drink coffee, am not stressed, but have been wining a bit the last month…alcohol does deplet us of Vitamin B, magnesium and potassium to name a few so perhaps there is merit in these treatments…B6 is the vitamin for nerve problems so see you all later…Im off to purchase some!! will let you know how I go.
    Good luck- hope we dont have to get any lumbar punctures too soon!!

  166. sally
    April 24th, 2004 at 13:18 | #166

    seriously funny website really!!! we are THE TWICHERS!!! I have had eyelid twiches on and off for years….normally only lasting a minute or two but at the moment my upper left eyelid is shakin like a scared puppy…annoying the hell out of me!! but after reading nearly all these comments from fellow twichers I dont feel so alone and peeved!! Iam a naturopath and eat vitamins and minerals daily, dont drink coffee, am not stressed, but have been wining a bit the last month…alcohol does deplet us of Vitamin B, magnesium and potassium to name a few so perhaps there is merit in these treatments…B6 is the vitamin for nerve problems so see you all later…Im off to purchase some!! will let you know how I go.
    Good luck- hope we dont have to get any lumbar punctures too soon!!

  167. Thomas
    April 25th, 2004 at 16:25 | #167

    My right lower eyelid, has been bothering forever and at the worst moments, I am thinking of wearing sunglasses during the whole day if it keeps on like this! Only a person that has had the same problem, knows what it feels like, anyone else, tells you” you cannot even notice it, don’t even pay attention to it and it is gonna go away!” Yeah, right! Please find a cure and post it ASAP, until then, let the whole world see my eye twitch and myself feel miserable.

  168. April 27th, 2004 at 09:52 | #168

    HEY EVERYONE!!!! I have a solution that may just help NEARLY ALL OF YOU!! (Sorry about the all caps. I am so excited to share this!) I have been having eye-twitches in both eyelids ALL day for days at a time… for over a year now. I FINALLY found a trick to stopping it that worked almost instantly!

    Are many of you using a computer for very long? Well, with MY web design/e-commerce career, I am on a computer for 12 hours a day … and my eye twiches are TERRIBLE. I made the connection when I went on a four day vacation and was away from my computer. That was the only variable that I could come up with.

    I did some research and found a post saying that computer users OFTEN suffer from eye twitches because of their monitor refresh rate setting. The default setting is 60 Hz, but this setting makes your peepers work WAY too hard. You need to set it to 75hz instead since this is MUCH easier on the eyes. Here’s how to do it:

    > To change your refresh rate:
    > Right Click on your desktop. Click Properties.
    > Select the Settings tab.
    > Click the Advanced button.
    > Select the Monitor tab.
    > Select 75 Hz from the dropdown and click Apply.
    >
    > If you are reading this, do it now! Even if you have done
    > this in the past,
    > check it. Windows will reset to 60Hz for quite a few reasons.

    Hope this helps you as much as it helped me! Tell your optometrist! I don’t think that this is common knowledge at all!

    Best of luck to you!

    Josh

  169. April 28th, 2004 at 05:49 | #169

    Josh, if this works, I will love you forever. This eye twitch has been DRIVING ME BATTY.

  170. garvin
    April 29th, 2004 at 22:35 | #170

    Good sight! Have a very uncomfortable twitching in the lower right eyelid for the last day and a half. Usually, I don’t drink coffee, but over the last week I did so on a couple of occasions. I will try stopping the coffee and start drinking more water.

  171. Honey
    April 30th, 2004 at 20:25 | #171

    Yes, Marie and Michelle, the same happens to me too! i get twitching eyelids every day without fail and if my eye hasn’t twitched then once i’ve sneezed, it’ll set off! oh it drives me mad. I am constantly in front of the pc as i have no choice coz of my role. i have refreshed my monitor just now (thanks Josh). i’ll do anything to get rid of this dreaded problem! i’ve had it now for nearly 2 years on and off. i get it in both eyes. i’ll stick to my magnesium and will add in B6 Vitamin and bananas. i’m trying to change my diet too. i’m glad i’m not the only one who has this. everyone i know has never had constant twitching eyes.
    thanks for all the tips guys :)

  172. Paula
    May 2nd, 2004 at 05:48 | #172

    Stress??? Everyone is under stress these days, but I’ve been under ALOT MORE STRESS now that my right eye lid decided to begin this infernal twitching!! From reading these posts it sounds like I need to begin practicing meditation and eating bananas to get rid of this “good luck” that is supposedly coming my way. I’m not opposed to good luck but do I have to be chinese to qualify? Twitch, twitch…

  173. Paula Vetter
    May 2nd, 2004 at 06:03 | #173

    BTW Josh,

    My monitor refresh rate has always been set at 75hz and still was when I checked it per your suggestion. I changed it to 85hz and will keep you posted as to whether or not my eye responds by behaving! Thanks for sharing your story. I will be going on vacation in a couple of weeks…wish me luck!
    Paula

  174. hAnNiBaL
    May 3rd, 2004 at 17:04 | #174

    Hey Guys,

    Gotta say, this site is quite entertaining AND informative..

    Josh, i’m trying ur remedy, I set this 21 inch screen to 75 hertz, and hopefully it’ll do something.

    I gotta say tho’ that I believe it to be more of a stress related issue, but not stress as in psycho headcase take-a-pill stress…. just the fact that we all seem to be a bunch of hard workers who place alot of stress our BODIES, and yes, it has its consequences, hence our little support group here :0)…

    SO, i reckon we all try to tone it down a little, less coffee, more sleep, keep it to under 12 hours you workaholics! lol*

    If we don’t take care of our bodies, I’m afraid we will be sitting with a chronic case of ‘THE TWITCH’ and we’ll be supporting each other here for another 10 years…

    Cheers from South Africa
    (yeah we have electricity down here even :oP)

  175. sally
    May 4th, 2004 at 22:34 | #175

    Thank god for this site! I have always been an on-and-off twitcher and it’s always when I’m tired, but my lower left lid starting twitching five days ago and this is the worst I’ve ever had – it’s so bad I’m actually waking up with it in the morning. It lasts several hours and then seems to go away in the afternoon and not return until the following morning. It’s so annoying I feel like my eye is huge and about to burst out of my head. Have read the posts and going to take a lot of the advice here by taking magnesium and more water – I do drink a lot of water and take a daily multivitamin, I also don’t have much caffeine and I do exercise, but I also spend hours on the computer at work and don’t seem to sleep well (interrupted sleep full of dreams is typical for me). The annoying thing with my twitch though is it’s been most severe over the long weekend and I wasn’t on the computer! I even went for a shiatsu massage on Sunday thinking that would cure it, and it didn’t.

    Very frustrated, desperate for a cure, hope everyone else stops twitching and finds relief!

  176. Honey
    May 4th, 2004 at 23:48 | #176

    It’s also a good idea guys to eat food which contains Magnesium. I’ve been looking on the net and twitching can be a sign of magnesium deficiency. Try adding more whole grain, nuts, fish, leafy green vegetables and mineral water (Volvic) into your diet. I’ve been concentrating on having such foods for the past week, trying to have an early night and don’t stare at the pc for long periods and believe it or not, my eye twitching has decreased (touch wood).

    All the best…

  177. Rana
    May 8th, 2004 at 23:48 | #177

    Hmm..Thank you for the infromation about the eye twitching, but something worries me. the indian supersitions say that if a woman’s right eye twitches it means bad luck and if her left eye twitches it means good luck. It is the oppistie for the male.

    Last week my eye was twitching all day on a wednesday which i just over looked but in the back of my mind i had a feeling that it was going to lead to bad luck and that is what happened, i had a argument with someone and had accusations thrown at me.

    Now again my right eye is twitching and i am very paranoid about what other bad thing is about to occur,

    I just wanted to kno whether there’s any truth to this am i just paranoid and putting something to the twitchin whih ianit really true

  178. tim
    May 11th, 2004 at 06:30 | #178

    I have had eyelid twitching for a few months. It is just the left eye. I started taking a multivitamin but didnt see any results rights away. I realized the one thing that i had completely cut out of my diet was calcium. I started taking citrical and my twitches have subsided greatly. Not sure what to really think, maybe just coincidental.

  179. Maggie
    May 11th, 2004 at 11:02 | #179

    Rana,
    I can’t really say that I believe that your streek of bad luck is related to the twitching. Bad luck comes and goes for all of us as does good luck. Unfortunately left eye or right eye, lower lid or upper lid twitching is bad luck for all of us. Nothing good there!!! When your “twitching” actually stops then I would say “Good Luck” is there! Good Luck!

  180. phaila
    May 13th, 2004 at 13:38 | #180

    MY eye is twitching now, yesterday, the day before that and off and on for the last 3 months. only my twitch has gone from bottom right eye to the top left eye then the top right eye then the left eye again for a very short time both eyes had a twitch at the same time UGGHH!…it is SOOOOOOOOO annoying ! But more annoying is not knowing why it is happening! I guess it is just scary to have no control over our own muscles like this. My eye also gets a little watery, but that may be because I fiddle with it more when it is twitching. Like rubbing it trying to ease the muscle or holding it trying to still it. I wish it would just go away!!!!!!!!

  181. gaz
    May 14th, 2004 at 00:57 | #181

    been 5 or 6 days now driving me mad need help. upper rite eye lid doing the tango!!

    what a way to live your life???

  182. Honey
    May 14th, 2004 at 23:15 | #182

    i’ve been experimenting – i didn’t touch coke, coffee, tea for about a week and had no twitch. today i’ve had a cappucino and its back in my left eye! don’t know for a fact if it is due to caffeine thou as I’ve been staring at this computer all day too!

  183. May 15th, 2004 at 02:55 | #183

    Well, I’m a 20 year old male and I’ve just started the summer semester at University. My birthday is coming up and I got real stressed about what to buy. Then I finally decided what to get, and realized I had to wait a whole month to use it. I’ve finally feel calm with the situation, but ever since I started stressing about what to get, my bottom right eyelid is doing the ‘vibration dance’. VERY annoying! It will do this on and off all day, for the past couple of days. Earlier it did this on occasion (about 3 times a day) for a while when I was thinking about what to get.

    I think I’ll start eating more bananas and fruit and such. I’ll try cutting out chocolate from my diet too. Hopefully this will help me. I’m not active, haven’t really changed my diet much, and I occasionally get muscle spasms or whatever, but nothing like the regularity of this.

    Thanks for the site! Good to know I am not alone in this.

  184. pandy
    May 16th, 2004 at 03:31 | #184

    I too am a lower left eye twitcher person. It has been two months now. I was drinking water for about two years, then about 3 months ago got kind of away from it about 50% of the day. I will go back and try it and see if it affects the twitch.
    Is anyone else out there diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease? I was and was wondering if there is a correlation?

  185. Gary
    May 18th, 2004 at 02:56 | #185

    I too have had the Left Eyelide Twitching for about 2-3 weeks now. It is around this time that I started taking daily Multi-Vitamin tablets (Centrium brand) and Calcium Supplement tablets. And I haven’t made any other change to my diet or sleeping patterns and the stress level has been the same for a while now.

    I think Kelly’s earlier posting about imbalance of vitamins, minerals & Calcium as being the cause of the twitch is probably true in my case. I stopped taking the supplements a couple of days ago and the twitch has subsided a little bit. Hopefully everything will balance out over next few days. If it doesn’t I will also try taking magnesium, B6 vitamin and potassium supplements.

    Interestingly, I get similar twitch (but much lesser scale) whenever I drink Black Tea. I don’t get it when I drink Coffee or Green Tea though!! Maybe Black tea has some mineral and when that increases in my body it triggers it in my case.

    Gary

  186. Gary
    May 18th, 2004 at 06:36 | #186

    Continuation of my previous post:

    I found another article about relationship between Eyelid Twitch and Calcium. Here is the link to that article:
    http://www.thecureforheartdisease.com/owen/TruthCal.htm

    Since in my case the twitch started after I started taking Calcium supplements (& Multi-Vitamins), I am now pretty sure that this is the cause. I will probably never take Calcium supplements again – even thought I was told by my Doctor that I had Calcium deficiency. I will try to get that by natural resources (Spinach, Dairy, etc.).

    Gary.

  187. tiffany
    May 18th, 2004 at 22:28 | #187

    My rightlid has been twitching since December…it is driving me CRAZY! I was told at the time it was because of hormones (I was pregnant when it started…but have since given birth and yet the twitch twitches on) I am doing the calcium/mag route…I must admitt when I FIRST started doing the vitamins it stoppedfor two weeks but came back. I also do a mulit B which is supposed to help w/ calcium absorption.

  188. Tenoozi
    May 19th, 2004 at 21:25 | #188

    Its something to do with calcium/magnesium balance from supplements? how many of you take a supplement?

  189. eye crazy
    May 20th, 2004 at 01:20 | #189

    I am so amazed to find this site, actually a little releived to know that I am not alone. I’m 30, My eye twitching visited me around the age of 24, but was brief. At that time I was under much stress, just getting over a cold, and the problem lasted a couple of weeks brief not to much twitching. However now at 30 I’m experiencing right eyelid twitching, almost a side to side pull, very annoying,(as you know!) I have more stressful life situations, but I’m not feeling much stress (could be stressed and dont know it), but one thing that I’ve noticed is the repeat mention of calcium, I do not drink milk, never have, and dont take supplements. I’m going to start now, and see what happens. Will be back……

  190. Lindsey
    May 20th, 2004 at 23:24 | #190

    My eye started twitching yesterday morning. Right lower lid. But it is constant. Probably 100times a minute. I’m pretty worried b/c of the rapid twitching. Constant morning to night and fast. Site was interesting!

  191. Cristina
    May 21st, 2004 at 10:10 | #191

    Oh thank goodness for the Internet and your site!

    I too have an eye twitch (stats: 4 days, occurs every other minute to ten minutes for about 3 seconds each, lower right side). My first concern was that it was caused by something in my eye (I had Lasik surgery five months ago–great results, loving being able to see again). Then I realized how silly that seemed, so I instead started freaking out about all the terminal and painful diseases for which my eye twitching is a symptom. My fear is a slippery slope.

    Here’s the thing: I am a long distance trail runner, eat well, take multivitamins daily, eat at least one banana a week, use lubricating eye drops several times a day, have been getting 6-10 hours of sleep a night for the past week AND I am finished with a teacher credentialing program as of last week. With the exception of my husband having been laid off a few weeks ago, and both of us trying to find jobs (my first teaching job), I am stress free.

    I’d like to think that I am above letting stress get the best of me (or my right eye). I feel helpless to stop this annoying development, which is probably just stressing me more. I seriously hope this will pass quickly, for me and for everyone else. Thanks for letting me complain. :)

  192. Carol
    May 21st, 2004 at 23:19 | #192

    Hello fellow twitchers! This site is amazing. There are so many of us I am convinced we could dominate the world. twitch, twitch. I have been a twitcher since high school. It started when my biology teacher was yelling at the class for all of us failing his test. That was 30 years ago.

    When I am really nervous or stressed it will come back. Different things help. But this time nothing was helping, my left eye has been twitching for 3 days, I slept, took vitamins, more water. Then I found this site. Reading through, my left eyelid started twitching even more! My monitor was already at 75 hertz.

    I remembered I had just bought a bottle of Bausch & Lomb Eye Wash. So went in the bathroom, held that little cup with the eye wash over my eye a couple of times. And the twitching STOPPED. I waited for 10 minutes before writing this, just to be sure it had stopped. It has still stopped twitching. What a relief. I don’t know if it this will work for anyone else, this is the first time I have tried it myself. Hopefully it will last all day. Has anyone else tried the eye wash?

  193. Jan
    May 22nd, 2004 at 10:53 | #193

    Just a reminder of my earlier postings: for ME, the twitching is definitely related to water intake. I try to drink close to two quarts a day (8 cups). Whenever I decrease the amount, the twitch comes back. If I drink the two quarts, it’s gone. Probably won’t work for everyone, but for me, it’s the cure, and I’m SO glad I found it. (The amount of water you should drink is based on your weight–see the site watercure2.com).

  194. steve
    May 24th, 2004 at 03:29 | #194

    hello fellow twichers…yep, it just started happening to me…upper left eye…annoying to say the least…I’ve never experienced anything like this before…what can be done? Are there any empirical studies done on this?

    Steve

  195. Dan
    May 25th, 2004 at 14:49 | #195

    I thought I was just having trouble getting used to new bifocal lenses. This site is like a little piece of heaven. I was feeling so annoyed and so alone in my twitching ‘closet.’ Now, I can come out and commune with the rest of the twitchers in the world.

    Truth is, it’s really barely noticeable to others, I would suspect.

    If you relate to the following let me know. Several times a day for hours at a time. Then resolution. No twitching. Then it comes back. Right lower lid… and the twitches are very, very fast.. almost like a tiny earthquake right beneath the surface of the eyelid.

    Thanks for being here all you twitchers! Dan

  196. Steve
    May 26th, 2004 at 00:28 | #196

    My eyelid twitching began two days ago and it’s still twitching. The twitching began while I was at a birthday party for some people I didn’t know too well. But I’ve been to birthday parties before and eyelid twitching didn’t occur so thats not the cause of it.

    I also ate fajitas there but since I’ve had those before, they weren’t the cause.

    I also drank about 5 or 6 beers * or 9 at the most) there but I’ve done that before so …

    But I did touch a goat and a horse there so they may have caused it (or had something to do with it).

    or maybe it was a combination of the beer, fajitas, contact with livestock and being at a strangers birthday party that causes it because I have never been in that combination of events before.

    did this happen to any of you guys as well? i think we could figure this out together if we try.

  197. Jamie
    May 26th, 2004 at 10:45 | #197

    I don’t know if I have ever read from more smart asses in my entire life? This is serious people! I am going crazy and want answers. I went to my Doctor because of this constant twitch under my left eye; he prescribed 10MG of Valium every eight hours. All it has accomplished to do is make me tired. My eyelid still twitches…I’m sorry if I seem angree, but I am. I don’t need a support group; I need for my fricking eyelid to STOP Twitching!

  198. Ms Frustrated
    May 27th, 2004 at 00:21 | #198

    I went to the docs about it too Jamie and they can’t really do anything – i also went to a homeopathic and he gave me some medicine but still didn’t make any difference. I’m trying everything I possibly can – drink plenty water (tap and mineral), cut out fizzy drinks and caffeine, take magnesium, Vitamin B2, food which contains magnesium, try to get enough rest and sleep, don’t stare at the screen for long periods, try not to stress but STILL i haven’t got rid of it! Sometimes I feel like its gone but then all it needs is me to sneeze and it starts again! aaaaarrrrrrrggggggggg – so frustrating! Oh it makes me so agitated!!! There must be a cure somewhere but WHAT?!?!?!?!

  199. frank
    May 27th, 2004 at 01:22 | #199

    Perhaps you should try the cerebrospinal fluid exam. Maybe that would be best for you.

    btw, my eye twitched after touching a cat AND a dog so maybe the livestock theory has some validity.

    Come on people. lighten up. This blog wasn’t meant to be any sort of medical advice (didn’t you read the initial intro?) and unless you haven’t realized it either through reading the above posts OR by listening to your doctor OR other web sites on the subject there is no absolute known cause and there is no absolute known treatment. We just have to live with it and it will either go away or you’ll get used to it. cutting stress and getting sleep is always a good idea.

    I simple put my finger on the twitch and it clams it (and me) down a bit. Perhaps the clowning around by the people here is their relaxation technique.

    Wow, my eye feels better already.

  200. Lee
    May 27th, 2004 at 02:57 | #200

    someone suggestedthe twitching could be an allergic reaction to an eye cream or eye makeup in some cases.i tried to keep a clean eye for a couple of days but the twitching continued.maybe i had to refrain from any use of cosmetics around the eye area for conclusive results.

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