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Samtony981

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Learn about ALS
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California
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San Diego
Hello, for about 3 months I have been having very odd symptoms. Twitching all over, face spasms when squinting or smiling, lost a lot of stamina , 3+ brisk reflexes and now this past week I’ve had arm weakness. I have seen a neurologist and he said everything is probably normal but he’ll schedule an emg about 2 months from now.

I had no idea what an emg was until I searched it up and saw it was one way to detect ALS. Up until the arm weakness which the neurologist hasn’t seen yet I wasn’t worried however with this arm weakness I have become worried. Anytime I grip something hard to push or pull my arm begins to shake and when i bend my right arm my bicep does this weird thing where it flutters/ vibrates. Although I understand this is not clinical weakness could this weakness eventually lead to clinical weakness? Have you guys had someone on here where his arm shakes when pulling/ pushing/ flexing? Any advice/ information would be greatly appreciated. ( I have also read the failing not feeling thread) thank you all in advance
 
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I think if you read that 'failing not feeling' important post again you will see that you are perceiving, or feeling weakness, which is not how ALS starts. Maybe read it a couple of times, as we try to be really specific there.

The EMG is used to look for many kinds of diseases and nerve problems, ALS is one of the rarest ones it may detect.

If your neurologist says all is probably normal, then you can relax and let them work on this, but jumping straight to a rare terminal disease doesn't make any sense. You are not describing ALS in any way, so that's great news.

All the best.
 
Thank you for your reply it has definitely made me feel a lot better. I’m just curious on a couple things/ have a couple questions. I completely understand what youre saying about perceived weakness but with me my hands/ arm/bicep physically shake when I pull on something or putting something down or grip on something hard so wouldn’t that be some type of real weakness and not be perceived? Also I know most people with als begin with clinical weakness which i definitely don’t have but isn’t it possible in my situation that my neurons are dying which is what is causing my hand or biceps to shake when doing certain things? Sorry if what I’m saying is odd I’d just like to understand this a bit more. Thank you again for your reply.
 
ALS doesn't cause recurrent shaking as much as inability to push/pull/flex, in your examples. It is not that you feel effort as much as it doesn't happen.

Systemic disease is as possible as neurologic diseases, so I would start with your internist.
 
mate there is no reason to think that your symptoms would somehow be different.

no ALS apparent in anything you write.

as Laurie says, shaking on exertion is NOT an ALS symptom, so that's great news. I'm pretty sure we make that clear in the post you have been asked to read :)
 
Hi everyone, thank you all for your initial replys it has made me feel a lot better over the past 2-3 weeks.

I wanted to update you guys in a couple more symptoms I have been having. I have noticed that now my muscles have been making this popping sound for instance when I make up in the morning to stretch my hands or during the day, I hear this popping sound around my shoulder and arms kind of like when you crack your knuckles. I haven't really heard about this being an ALS symptom but just wanted to ask you guys if you had anyone else like this.

Also before when I spoke about shaking, it has become more of a essential tremor. If I use a spoon to eat food, as the spoon approaches me, my hands begin to vibrate. I know I mentioned this in my initial post but because this is a essential tremor I was wondering if people with als experience this initially because I even saw online that essential tremors are a symptom of als, but also seen people here say essential tremor is not an als symptom.

Thank you all again for your replys I really appreciate it.
 
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Nothing at all like ALS. Please, as Shiftkicker says, read the pinned post so as to assure yourself you no longer need to be here, either to post more questions or add more symptoms.

Take good care
 
Thank you to all those who responded it means a lot. I have read that post many times but it had never mentioned tremors or muscle popping (whenever I move my right shoulder I hear a popping sound) but when I searched on this forum I have seen a few people had those symptoms which is why I was confused. I am trying very hard to get over this issue because inside I have this strong feeling I don't have ALS but when these issues persist like this its hard to move on. Any advice or explanations as to why I am having these symptoms would be greatly appreciated.
 
Sam,

For any and all general health questions, which these are b/c they are not related to ALS, please refer to your PCP. This is not a general health forum.

For the record, I've not seen any PALS complain of muscles "popping". It's only been those with health anxiety and an ALS fixation to complain of such things.

Good luck to you in the future. Please try and be grateful for not having ALS instead of being bound and determined to have it. My husband would trade places with you in a heart beat.
 
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