THis is something that I have been telling the Doctors, my legs vibrate. Or like little bugs are moving around inside. Now as I have spent most of my day reading alot of these threads I notice that you all call it BUZZING. What is it? WHy does it happen? I have gotton more answers today from this place than I have for the past 10 months. I felt pretty helpless for months and I feel so much more empowered with knowledge now. I am going to try and take everyones suggestions and personal stories and apply it to my life.

Do you feel like bugs are crawling on you, like there is a low level electric current running under the skin, or do you have restless legs with a frequent need to keep them moving? You can have any or all of the above. I call them hamsters, when it feels primarily like something crawling on my legs, but sometimes I have a burning sensation, now limited to my left thigh, and I have had restless legs since childhood, but that is common with hereditary neuropathies like mine.

Almost anything can be a symptom of a disorder where you feel things that aren't there and don't feel things that are! As for why it happens, the nerves are damaged and they are not capable of carrying correct messages to the brain. They become hypersensitive to some stimuli and insensitive to others like heat and sharp objects.

One theory my neurologist had that makes sense is that the neuropathy is affecting my proprioceptive nerves to some degree, so my leg thinks it's in motion but it isn't.

Yes I feel all of that. If I dont take some kind of pain medacine I will sit on the couch and shake my legs all day long over and over and over !!!!!

hi fiestlady
I saw your old thread, and have some comments. I had been dealing with the same question for months, and asked one doctor after another, 4 or 5 different neurologists included. I have feeling of fine vibration deep inside, all of trunk, and legs. I have had difficulties explaining it, perhaps. But now, I have gotten
a neurologist that explained:
Sensory nerves that are responsible to register vibration are now destroyed
and are malfunctioning in a way that they now are "picking up wrong signals" so that when you think there are vibration, there is not, it is just the nerves doing the wrong thing.and giving you the wrong impression.
I was so concerned for a long time. And I am still, but at least now I am starting to understand it. Sometimes it also feels like there is an eartquake, and it feels like the ground under me is vibrating and shaking, this concerns me.
Doctor says it is all neuropathy.

FiestLady,

Where in your leg do you get this sensation; does it feel like a cell phone in your pocket? Upper leg, lower leg, feet?

You mentioned others call it "buzzing"; would you characterize it that way or more like twitching?

Doc

Dr. Smith, I do realize you are asking Fiestlady, and I hope she will reply too.
But, for me, yes it feels like a cellphone vibrating in pocket. It is all over for me, particulary in the trunk and chest area and down spine.
It is not getting any better, even with months on Methatrexate.

To Fiestlady:
I did not mean to take over, I wanted to compare, and discuss with someone who are having similar symptoms,
I hope you are finding treatment.
Thank you Dr, Smith

it is maddening & uncomfortable. i've noticed that is disappears for a few days but inevitably rears its ugly head again. it's been 13 years since the PN onset and i haven't found any relief so i just live with it. i used to use valium for it but it did nothing except make me drowsy.

Sounds like restless legs to me. Pramipexole (Mirapex) works like a charm.