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Arska

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Aug 25, 2015
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Learn about ALS
Country
FI
State
finland
City
hyvinkää
So, I had my EMG of both legs, and the doctor who did it was able to tell me immediately after that it was perfectly normal. However, the thing that's been bothering me, is that the same night after the EMG the twitching just exploded, before it I had a couple of days with little to no twitching. Also, I've had a nearly continuous twitching in mainly one spot in my right thigh for 4 days now, and it worries me because it's constant in one spot (which I read is typical of ALS) and because the area with the most twitching has spread up the leg (which I read is also typical of ALS). Lately I've also had twitching in my right hand/arm quite a lot (but not as much as the legs) and I can't force the final third of my right ring finger straight if I hold it down gently with the other hand (I don't know if this is a new thing, I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been self testing like crazy). My dad says it's nothing to worry about and that he has the same thing, but it's still weakness if I'm not mistaken. I can still squeeze with the finger just fine, I can use it to type and use my laptop's touch pad without problems, and I can get it straight if there's no opposing force. Before the EMG, the doctor told me the EMG would be done based on what the NCS part tells, and after the NCS part (of both legs and right hand) he didn't think the EMG on the right hand is necessary. I've also noticed (trough self testing) that heavies flat things like big books tend to slip from my right hand's grip when I hold them vertically (I've been suffering from sweaty hands), but I can hold them better with the left hand. I already noticed this about 2 months ago when I was working a summer job at a warehouse, and I don't think it has changed toward anything since. I've also used a motorcycle clutch with my left hand for the past year and a half, so that might have something to do with it.
 
Honey you have been cleared by a neurologist and an EMG. We don't have anything else we can tell you - you don't have ALS. You do have high anxiety so return to your doctor and ask for assistance with this at it can cause all of your current symptoms.

Staying off here will be the best thing you can do for yourself now.
 
Yes, yes, it's just that I read that an EMG may miss ALS changes if it's done too early or if it's not extensive enough, and I haven't seen a neurologist, only a GP. Still, I understand that I'm probably worrying over nothing, but I just worried when the twitches took an uncharasteristic turn for benign twitches, and it's hard to ignore all those sources that say fasciculations are often an early indicator of developing MND. Thank you for your response.
 
Hot spots of localized twitching are very common in benign fasciculation syndrome. Don't believe everything you read
on the net
 
Arska, you're 17. If a 17-year-old got ALS, it would be a world record. This is a disease for ages 50-60.

I read all your symptoms. Not ALS. Doesn't sound like ALS at all.

For details, please read the thread pinned to the top of this subforum titled "Sticky: New Members Read This First."

Twitches are so common they are not diagnostic of anything. Don't believe everything you read. Believe your doctor.
 
Honey whatever you read on the net, I would ask you to realise we have put a lot of effort into providing our very detailed stickies. (there is a very new one now that would be really helpful for you to read) They are our official stance (and we know ALS pretty well) - we won't change that because of anything written elsewhere and we can't keep answering to things written elsewhere. The stickies are there to help us spend our important time and energy supporting those with ALS and those caring for them. It's our focus.

Please do go back to your doctor and be honest about your high level of anxiety.

All the best, your doctor can get you past this health issue and on to living a long and hopefully happy life. That's a lot to be thankful for.
 
Thank you for your responses
The GP I saw about 2 months ago thought I should get a new appointment with a GP when I spoke with her the other day, because it's been so long since I saw her, and the twitching still continues. So far I haven't gotten an appointment, and I have to try again next week, but I will bring up the anxiety when I get there. Anyway, one more thing I noticed when looking in the mirror is that the muscle of my right thigh (the area where I've had constant twitching lately) is visibly flatter than the left one, but the diameters of the two thighs are exactly the same in multiple spots. The leg doesn't feel any weaker, though; I can hop up the stairs on one leg and get up from a low squatting position on one leg too. My question is this: if there would be visible (true) atrophy in such a large muscle, would it not be preceded or accompanied by noticeable weakness if it was als, and wouldn't it have shown on the EMG just 2 weeks ago?
 
Arska, please stop. You've been cleared medically and, as you've seen, no one here is going to argue with that. Stop looking for things that will allow you to dispute your neurologist's findings. Please do deal with your anxiety, and believe me, continueing to read and obsess about ALS will NOT help you do that.

One final response, and then you need to delete this site from your favorites list: You are correct: weakness comes long before noticeable atrophy, and if you had ALS it would have show up on your EMG. Trust us. Telling the people here that you can hop up the stairs on one leg and then asking if you have ALS is poor form. Celebrate your life and please leave this site before you talk yourself into ALS again.
 
You should spend your time on a anxiety forum not this forum. You have a life ahead of you so please seek help for the real disorder you suffer from. Please try to respect those of us on here who are dealing with the real symptoms if this disease and would give anything to not be coming here for support. Seriously, you are 17. I am sure there are much better things out there for you than hanging out here and if not, you need immediate counseling.
 
"Telling the people here that you can hop up the stairs on one leg and then asking if you have ALS is poor form."

Well said, Nuts.
 
No, no ALS there.
I couldn't even hop on one leg up the stairs pre disease!
These days, I would be happy if I could even use stairs.
Yet another limitation.
God bless, Janelle x
 
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