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eramirezmejia2

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Apr 7, 2018
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Learn about ALS
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CA
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Moreno Valley
This is long, please bare with me

So i have been searching these forums for around 3 months now. I was reluctant to do so because of all the responses people usually get on here like " you dont have ALS" " stop asking Dr Google." And honestly even while reading some of those posts i thought to myself that doesnt sound like ALS, at least from what ive read. My symptoms however seem like to line up almost perfectly. And finally after progressive symptoms i finally decided to post on here to get others opinions.

It all first started with twitching all over my body back in March. I still have the twitching to this day. Second symptom was my right thumb started acting weird? I like forgot how to use it almost. Double tapping my phone took concentration and didnt feel natural like normal. then i noticed atrophy near my thumb, like a dent. I noticed my thumb had no strength in a certain range it would just drop when applied pressure, unlike my left thumb that could resist all the way down.

Then i had a hard time walking. It's like my right leg forgot how to walk, i had to consciously lift my foot so it wouldnt drag. I am dominant on my right side my right muscles had always been bigger/stronger. But i noticed my right calf shrunk. Like i just examined my leg one day and noticed how small my right calf was compared to my left. This was never the case before. I cant do nearly as many calf raises with my right as much as i can with my left which is crazy because my right was always been much stronger than anything on my left. I kind of got used to walking again but now my whole right leg feels really tight. Bending my leg all the way feels uncomfortably tight.

And most recently i am having trouble with my mouth. I started tripping over words. Not slurring like people mention though. I was honestly just brushing it all off like everyone says, nah there's no way I have this. But now i am chocking on my own spit. Swallowing is difficult. It feels like my throat is thick? or if its swallowing slower. Even my mother noticed that i had been coughing a lot.

I will now be scheduling an appointment with my doctor, i dont think i can keep ignoring this anymore. Any opinions are appreciated.

Information about me

Age 27
Veteran ( i read somewhere vets are at risk?)
 
Forgot to mention something. Not sure if this is hyperreflexia but it sounds like it to me. I have been extra ticklish? Especially my feet. I've just noticed that sometimes i pull back to much when unexpectedly touched. Even when slipping on sandals. The sandal rubbing against the sole of my foot i immediately pull back.

I just want to throw this in here that I am not looking for these symptoms. The majority of these i experience first and then after searching online i find out that it can be a symptom of ALS.
 
Your doctor will be able to work with you to sort out all your symptoms. In ALS, twitching usually is not widespread in the beginning and many people develop twitches. As you know, from reading, twitches mean nothing.

Only a doctor can determine if you have clinical weakness and hyper reflexes.

Let us know what your doctor says.
 
You seem to be describing things that don't actually are associated with clinical weakness: like to "forget" how to use, but the moment you remember it you can lift your foot for example, which wouldn't be the case in true weakness. Like Kim said, you can't really test yourself for weakness with the examples you described. A doctor will test your strength and only then it will be possible to determine if what you're experiencing really is clinical weakness or not. I can give you my example: one day I no longer could lift a backpack off the floor with my left arm. The inability of performing the action is a crucial aspect of LMN dysfunction.

The atrophy: it's really hard for yourself to determine only by looking at your body if something is smaller or not. Typical early ALS atrophy is restricted to a certain muscle for example, so it wouldn't seem like your whole calf is smaller. I have severe acute denervation in both calves (gastrocnemius) and chronic signs of denervation also in both of them and they still look normal. Widespread and evident atrophy is usually a sign of an advanced disease process. And again, your doctor is the only one who can determine if it is or not atrophy.

Bulbar problems: no expert here, but what you're describing could be a common disorder called globus pharyngeus, the feeling of a tight, thick throat that can lead to some weird swallowing feeling. Sialorrhea is excessive saliva production that can lead to excessive coughing and may be associated with globus pharyngeus, the more you think about it the more saliva you produce, the more you feel like you're experiencing dysphasia and dysarthria.

Hyperreflexia has nothing to do with "ticklish". Reflexes originate in neural pathways, the reflex arcs, that are stimulated in certain regions of your body by your doctor. Pulling back your foot when slipping on sandals has absolutely nothing to do with hyperreflexia associated with UMN dysfunction. Hyperreflexia does not necessarily mean pathological reflexes.

There you go, hope I somewhat helped. Don't go down the rabbit hole of ALS before thinking about so, so many other possible things and talking to your doctor. All the best.
 
Thanks Igor for the detailed reply,

I am really hoping for the best here and trying to not even think about it. I hope you don't mind but i read your threads and I'm really sorry to hear you have been officially diagnosed.

Scary part about your first thread was that this all kind of started when i got sick. Not sure what it was since i never went to the doctor, I've never been one to worry and go to the doctor much. I just remember getting really sick and that is when the twitches started. I thought it they would go away as soon as i recovered but that hasn't been the case.

I wont be able to see my doctor for a little over a month so I'm just going to have to wait to see what they say.

I'm really holding on to the fact that i have not experienced any cramps and that I am experiencing symptoms in multiple locations to point away from ALS.

For anyone reading this I will be providing regular updates on my situation. Hopefully things turn out well and help relieve any similar worries others might have.
 
Update: 7/13/2018

So my symptoms had subsided? I stopped tripping over my words as much. I just feel like I talk just a tad slower. The tightness in my leg kind of comes and goes. Walking is starting to feel funny again, having to remember to control my ankle. Still have full body twitches, felt twitches around my lips for the first time?

I don't believe i have any new symptoms just the old ones kind of reemerging or getting worse?

My doctors appointment is next week. I will provide another update after.

Thanks
 
Update 7/16/2018: Doctor Visit

So I had my doctors appointment today. I almost wanted to skip it and keep ignoring my symptoms but I forced myself to go.

I told her my symptoms and she did a neurology test right there and then. She did a few things and mentioned that she did feel a tiny bit weakness in my right leg. She also mentioned that I was much more reflexive on my right leg than on my left leg. I was actually surprised to see how my right leg reacted compared to my left.

She scheduled me for an MRI and then depending on that she will refer me to a neurologist.

She asked me to try and record my twitches to show the neurologist. This will be a little hard since they are just random twitches a few seconds long all over my body. Sometimes they do stay for a while and I am hoping to capture one of those.

So that is where i am at right now. I just hope they find a pinched nerve somewhere...i don't know.

I will update once i get the results from MRI.
 
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