carlogio
Member
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2008
- Messages
- 20
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- UK
- State
- London
- City
- London
Hi everyone, I have been going through a very hard time since the middle of December and was wondering if anyone could help -- could my symptoms be ALS? I'ma 22 year old male and previously in good health.
I'll put all my symptoms down but star the ones that I think may point to ALS. I'm terrified.
*Weight loss (I've lost a stone since the middle of December, I'm thin anyway and I've noticed MUSCLE WASTING on my hands in between fingers and under my wrist and also my feet look very boney, the muscles on my legs are now a lot tighter and smaller than before and they TWITCH a bit.
*The little fingers on both hands have reduced movement and if I hold them a certain way they will TWITCH. It feels like I've lost dexterity in both little fingers. This is symmetrical on both hands and it's harder to do small fine movements using my little fingers.
*For a while in december it felt like I was FLOATING around because the muscles in my legs were so tight. I DO NOT have cramps though.
*I've developed a fine TREMOR in my hands and jaw (if I close my teeth together they lightly chatter), and if I put weight on my arms or legs they SHAKE too but not excessively. If I exercise I SHAKE too.
*I can move my arms and legs very fast and I seem to be in overdrive, my reflexes are quite brisk.
-Hands tingling and loss of sensation (not constant and feeling returned after a month)
-Tinnitus (this is constant and is a high pitched ring)
-Light sensitivity, after images, seeing halos and suddenly lots of floaters (Yes I've had my eyes checked twice and they can't find anything)
-Bones cracking when walking, loud noises
-The speed of tapping my feet feels slower etc
-Motion perception disturbances (IE feels strange watching flowing water on a TV, almost unsettling, I was on a train the other day, when we stopped, it felt like we were still moving fast and it scared me)
-A strange symmetrical rash on tops of feet and toes, my doctor first thought it looked a bit like a vasculitis and it has not gone away.
I've seen a neurologist and I was given an MRI of the head and spine and it came back all clear. Also I don't have any antibodies that would point to an autoimmune problem. They also tested for ANCA antibodies but it returned negative so doubtful I have vasculitis. I have no thryoid antibodies either even though I have an HIGH T4 count but not a high TSH count (Thyroid stimulating hormone) which doesn't make sense so the doctor wants me to repeat the test. I also had a bone profile test and a DNA test and this all came back normal.
Basically the muscle wasting and tightness, the twitches, transient weakness in hands. The fact my immune system doesn't seem inflamed from the blood work is making me worried that I am developing ALS, even though the chances are slim because of my age and the speed of my symptoms.
Shall I go back and request an EMG or something else? If it carries on like this I'll be nothing but bones in a month!
I'll put all my symptoms down but star the ones that I think may point to ALS. I'm terrified.
*Weight loss (I've lost a stone since the middle of December, I'm thin anyway and I've noticed MUSCLE WASTING on my hands in between fingers and under my wrist and also my feet look very boney, the muscles on my legs are now a lot tighter and smaller than before and they TWITCH a bit.
*The little fingers on both hands have reduced movement and if I hold them a certain way they will TWITCH. It feels like I've lost dexterity in both little fingers. This is symmetrical on both hands and it's harder to do small fine movements using my little fingers.
*For a while in december it felt like I was FLOATING around because the muscles in my legs were so tight. I DO NOT have cramps though.
*I've developed a fine TREMOR in my hands and jaw (if I close my teeth together they lightly chatter), and if I put weight on my arms or legs they SHAKE too but not excessively. If I exercise I SHAKE too.
*I can move my arms and legs very fast and I seem to be in overdrive, my reflexes are quite brisk.
-Hands tingling and loss of sensation (not constant and feeling returned after a month)
-Tinnitus (this is constant and is a high pitched ring)
-Light sensitivity, after images, seeing halos and suddenly lots of floaters (Yes I've had my eyes checked twice and they can't find anything)
-Bones cracking when walking, loud noises
-The speed of tapping my feet feels slower etc
-Motion perception disturbances (IE feels strange watching flowing water on a TV, almost unsettling, I was on a train the other day, when we stopped, it felt like we were still moving fast and it scared me)
-A strange symmetrical rash on tops of feet and toes, my doctor first thought it looked a bit like a vasculitis and it has not gone away.
I've seen a neurologist and I was given an MRI of the head and spine and it came back all clear. Also I don't have any antibodies that would point to an autoimmune problem. They also tested for ANCA antibodies but it returned negative so doubtful I have vasculitis. I have no thryoid antibodies either even though I have an HIGH T4 count but not a high TSH count (Thyroid stimulating hormone) which doesn't make sense so the doctor wants me to repeat the test. I also had a bone profile test and a DNA test and this all came back normal.
Basically the muscle wasting and tightness, the twitches, transient weakness in hands. The fact my immune system doesn't seem inflamed from the blood work is making me worried that I am developing ALS, even though the chances are slim because of my age and the speed of my symptoms.
Shall I go back and request an EMG or something else? If it carries on like this I'll be nothing but bones in a month!