Question: Stiff person Syndrome. Please can you tell me what are the early symptoms I have severe cramps in my feet which are twisting into an arc,muscle spasms slowly getting worse and my muscles particularly in my legs are cramping like someone has pushed a knitting needle into them. Started off at night but now happening through the day my back and neck and voice box are also effected and my chest area has now seized to the point of restricting my breathing to very shallow at times I find that I am stretching out involuntarily right through my body and this is becoming more frequent

Reference:
Stiff-Person Syndrome: Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease.  SPS is characterized by fluctuating muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms.  Abnormal postures, often hunched over and stiffened, are characteristic of the disorder.  People with SPS can be too disabled to walk or move, or they are afraid to leave the house because street noises, such as the sound of a horn, can trigger spasms and falls.  SPS affects twice as many women as men.   It is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, thyroiditis, vitiligo, and pernicious anemia.  Scientists don’t yet understand what causes SPS, but research indicates that it is the result of an autoimmune response gone awry in the brain and spinal cord.  The disorder is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic illness, or anxiety and phobia.  A definitive diagnosis can be made with a blood test that measures the level of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies in the blood.  People with SPS have elevated levels of GAD, an antibody that works against an enzyme involved in the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter in the brain. People with SPS respond to high doses of diazepam and several anti-convulsants, gabapentin and tiagabine.  A recent study funded by the NINDS demonstrated the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment in reducing stiffness and lowering sensitivity to noise, touch, and stress in people with SPS.  Treatment with IVIg, anti-anxiety drugs, muscle relaxants, anti-convulsants, and pain relievers will improve the symptoms of SPS, but will not cure the disorder.  Most individuals with SPS have frequent falls and because they lack the normal defensive reflexes; injuries can be severe.  With appropriate treatment, the symptoms are usually well controlled.

Answer: Symptoms of Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS) include fluctuating rigidity of the muscles in the body and limbs, and sensitivity to noise, touch and emotional distress that can cause muscle spasms; abnormal postures  that are hunched over and stiff; and being afraid to leave the house because of the street noises that could cause spasms and falls. Twice as many women as men have SPS. It is often associated with diabetes,  thyroiditis, vitiligo, and pernicious anemia. The symptoms can be mistaken for  Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic illness, or anxiety and phobia. Your doctor could order blood tests that measure the level of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies in the blood to see if you have SPS.