OCD Action

Cuthbert ffoliott
Moderator

Hi everyone -

I am wondering: OCD can be accompanied by problems with muscle control. I myself have 'writer's cramp' for 16 years now, which means that I do have big trouble writing with my (left) hand; it is as if the muscles 'freeze' at the moment I start writing, or that the pen wants to shoot off of the paper in the upper direction.

Other, similar, problems are known: I read about a professional pianist who suddenly could not play anymore, when he laid his hands on the keyboard the finger muscles suddenly contracted and stiffened.

Weird: I and that pianist can perform all other activities very well.

Any similar problems out there? BTW: clinicians call these afflictions 'focal dystonias'; and they are related to facial tics, Tourette's Disorder, and perhaps to ADHD.

Cheers, Cuthbert.

Wed Jan 13 2010 10:43:31 #
Unregistered

Hi Cuthbert
I do a lot of walking and am physically fit and active but occasionally I have a problem trying to move my leg forward which sort of 'freezes'. Thinking about it, it is always the right leg and I had assumed it was something to do with increasing age, perhaps a warning of a future hip joint problem. Thank you for raising this, it had never occurred to me that it is part of the OCD, I was starting to think that I had something going wrong physically. Now it all makes sense.
Joyce

Wed Jan 13 2010 11:17:48 #
Unregistered

Hi

Yes I get real trouble with my left hand, especially with my thumb - I thought it was down to six years of doing research. But I also get cramp in my legs and feet frequently. It is interesting if this is linked to OCD. The pains in my legs and joints started in my early twenties after the (full - 100%) onset of my OCD at the age of 22. One doctor called me a hypochondriac, the other said I had growing pains. I thought I had 'growed enough' by then. I gave up and stopped complaining. But it is really bad when I go on holiday and ruined my last one in Lake Como.

Best
Anne xx

Wed Jan 13 2010 11:23:08 #
Truddles
Member

Hi

So I'm not going mad then

I have extreme difficulty a lot of the time controlling a pen when I write, I want it to go in one direction but it shoots off in the opposite direction. I thought it was my epilepsy, but it can't be as my epilepsy affects my left side not the right. (I'm actually left handed but changed to right hand as a child because of what I now know to have been the epilepsy. I can't rely on my left hand at all when I'm having partial seizures.

I too get bad cramps and if I say anything I'm just ignored as per usual.

Sorry I've got the miseries.

Trudy

Wed Jan 13 2010 11:38:33 #
Unregistered

Hi Trudy

In fact, I have never been able to write neatly. My writing is worse than that of a doctor. I cannot write in straight lines either. It is a bit like my (Jack Nicholson) swervy walking - it starts out straight and starts to move downwards and towards the left of the page. This has not helped in exams or in note-taking.

Sorry you have the miseries hun,

I was like that sat, sun, mon, and tues. It might improve now it is thawing.

Love
Anne

Wed Jan 13 2010 11:44:21 #
Truddles
Member

Fat chance we've just had over an inch of snow - so much for weather forecast it said grey cloud all day, it forgot to mention it would dump a load of snow. Still should be used to empty promises by now.

Love
Trudy

Wed Jan 13 2010 11:55:32 #