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perpetua

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Hi there. I am a 28 year old mother of two, and I am scared out of my mind that I might have ALS.

Around mid-October of last year, I experienced some mild but strange symptoms: dizziness, tingling in my extremities (both sides eventually, but initially it was mainly a pins and needles sensation down my left side), and muscle cramps (mainly in my forearms and calves - alternated sides). These lasted about two weeks before I went to my doctor. He ordered some blood tests, and everything came back normal. He told me that most likely I was hyperventilating. I am a very anxious person, particularly when it comes to my health.

The dizziness returned in mid-January, along with a general out-of-it feeling that would come and go. I worried I was pregnant, which made me extremely anxious, as I already had two young children (my daughter had just recently turned two, and my son was about 8 months). Then, the tingling in my feet and hands came back. I returned to my GP, who conducted another series of blood tests. I asked him if I should be worried about MS, and he said that it was "unlikely". In between that appointment and the time I went in for my follow-up, I experienced the same type of muscle cramping I had back in October - mild Charlie horse type pain in forearms and calves (alternated sides, but mostly left - the pain was kind of like the leg cramps I used to get at night when I was pregnant). At the follow-up, I was informed that all of the tests came back normal (slightly low iron, but nothing significant). Oh, and I'm not pregnant. I told him about the cramps, and he checked my reflexes, eyes, ears, and did the touch your nose test. Everything was normal. I told him again that I was worried about MS, and he said it was unlikely, but he didn't know what was causing my symptoms, so he was going to refer me to a neurologist. This was about three weeks ago, and I haven't heard yet from the neurologist.

After the appointment, I was still severely anxious about MS. The dizziness persisted, and one day I was lying down attempting to take a nap (with my son on my chest - pretty much the only way he'll take naps), and the room was just spinning. I also noticed that I was getting shooting pains in my fingers (both hands, with the pain being worst in my ring and pinky fingers) - these were worse when sleeping and while typing. I experienced something like a temporary loss of sensation down the side of my right arm one day and in my ring and pinky finger, and then another day it was the left side. The cramps got worse. I would get shooting pains all over my body, including, most noticeably, a funny bone-like sensation in my left arm that sometimes lasted for hours at a time. (This still comes and goes, and I also occasionally get it in my left leg.) One day, about a week and a half ago, I was baking cookies, and I noticed that my wrists ached and were stiff/weak especially after pressing the dough (the left was worse; note that I am left-hand dominant). I had a hard time using the spatula to remove the cookies from the sheet, because my wrist was sore and stiff. The ring and pinky fingers on my left hand don't seem strong. I can close my hand, and my thumb to middle finger seem fine, but when I grip something thin, like a garment, those last two fingers seem to slip. I don't know if that makes any sense. I don't know if I would call it weakness or a loss of sensation or what. It just doesn't feel right. Nevertheless, I am sitting here typing this, and all of my fingers seem fine at the moment, so who knows. That same day, (I believe I'd read about ALS the night before, don't know if that is relevant), I started twitching. All over. In the past few days, the twitching has slowed down, but I have been getting crawling sensations in both of my calves (though the left much more frequently). My left arm and leg seem to become fatigued more easily than the right. My left knee seems like it locks, or like it might buckle, more often when I am standing in one place. My left leg and arm seem shaky, but I can't say with confidence that they are always so. For a while I had burning pain in my forearms and perceived weakness in my hands and wrists upon waking, but I don't have that any more. I get pains in both knees, but the left is worse. Sometimes I think my left leg/foot drags, but my husband says he has not noticed any change in my gait. It feels heavy though, quite often. My wrist feels stiff when I write.

I am kind of losing my mind. I got a H1N1 vaccine November 2nd, and I have read that there is a possible connection between the chemicals (mercury, squalene) in that vaccine and ALS. Of course, that would be disregarding my October symptoms, but obviously by thinking I have ALS I am considering those to be irrelevant, as, as I understand it, ALS symptoms do not come and go. I go back to my GP tomorrow for a reason unrelated to my symptoms, but I am going to mention what has been going on just the same.

Does this sound like ALS? Could the vaccine have triggered something in me? Thanks in advance to anyone who actually read this seemingly insurmountable wall of text, and thanks and cookies to anyone who responds.
-Kim
 
I'm sorry. I just realized I posted in the wrong thread, so here is my post in the proper thread.

Hi there. I am a 28 year old mother of two, and I am scared out of my mind that I might have ALS.

Around mid-October of last year, I experienced some mild but strange symptoms: dizziness, tingling in my extremities (both sides eventually, but initially it was mainly a pins and needles sensation down my left side), and muscle cramps (mainly in my forearms and calves - alternated sides). These lasted about two weeks before I went to my doctor. He ordered some blood tests, and everything came back normal. He told me that most likely I was hyperventilating. I am a very anxious person, particularly when it comes to my health.

The dizziness returned in mid-January, along with a general out-of-it feeling that would come and go. I worried I was pregnant, which made me extremely anxious, as I already had two young children (my daughter had just recently turned two, and my son was about 8 months). Then, the tingling in my feet and hands came back. I returned to my GP, who conducted another series of blood tests. I asked him if I should be worried about MS, and he said that it was "unlikely". In between that appointment and the time I went in for my follow-up, I experienced the same type of muscle cramping I had back in October - mild Charlie horse type pain in forearms and calves (alternated sides, but mostly left - the pain was kind of like the leg cramps I used to get at night when I was pregnant). At the follow-up, I was informed that all of the tests came back normal (slightly low iron, but nothing significant). Oh, and I'm not pregnant. I told him about the cramps, and he checked my reflexes, eyes, ears, and did the touch your nose test. Everything was normal. I told him again that I was worried about MS, and he said it was unlikely, but he didn't know what was causing my symptoms, so he was going to refer me to a neurologist. This was about three weeks ago, and I haven't heard yet from the neurologist.

After the appointment, I was still severely anxious about MS. The dizziness persisted, and one day I was lying down attempting to take a nap (with my son on my chest - pretty much the only way he'll take naps), and the room was just spinning. I also noticed that I was getting shooting pains in my fingers (both hands, with the pain being worst in my ring and pinky fingers) - these were worse when sleeping and while typing. I experienced something like a temporary loss of sensation down the side of my right arm one day and in my ring and pinky finger, and then another day it was the left side. The cramps got worse. I would get shooting pains all over my body, including, most noticeably, a funny bone-like sensation in my left arm that sometimes lasted for hours at a time. (This still comes and goes, and I also occasionally get it in my left leg.) One day, about a week and a half ago, I was baking cookies, and I noticed that my wrists ached and were stiff/weak especially after pressing the dough (the left was worse; note that I am left-hand dominant). I had a hard time using the spatula to remove the cookies from the sheet, because my wrist was sore and stiff. The ring and pinky fingers on my left hand don't seem strong. I can close my hand, and my thumb to middle finger seem fine, but when I grip something thin, like a garment, those last two fingers seem to slip. I don't know if that makes any sense. I don't know if I would call it weakness or a loss of sensation or what. It just doesn't feel right. Nevertheless, I am sitting here typing this, and all of my fingers seem fine at the moment, so who knows. That same day, (I believe I'd read about ALS the night before, don't know if that is relevant), I started twitching. All over. In the past few days, the twitching has slowed down, but I have been getting crawling sensations in both of my calves (though the left much more frequently). My left arm and leg seem to become fatigued more easily than the right. My left knee seems like it locks, or like it might buckle, more often when I am standing in one place. My left leg and arm seem shaky, but I can't say with confidence that they are always so. For a while I had burning pain in my forearms and perceived weakness in my hands and wrists upon waking, but I don't have that any more. I get pains in both knees, but the left is worse. Sometimes I think my left leg/foot drags, but my husband says he has not noticed any change in my gait. It feels heavy though, quite often. My wrist feels stiff when I write.

I am kind of losing my mind. I got a H1N1 vaccine November 2nd, and I have read that there is a possible connection between the chemicals (mercury, squalene) in that vaccine and ALS. Of course, that would be disregarding my October symptoms, but obviously by thinking I have ALS I am considering those to be irrelevant, as, as I understand it, ALS symptoms do not come and go. I go back to my GP tomorrow for a reason unrelated to my symptoms, but I am going to mention what has been going on just the same.

Does this sound like ALS? Could the vaccine have triggered something in me? Thanks in advance to anyone who actually read this seemingly insurmountable wall of text, and thanks and cookies to anyone who responds.
 
Some other things I forgot to mention:

Today, in addition to the crawling feeling, I have had a cold sensation running down the left side of my left calf, and occasionally in the thigh (not usually both at once though).
Also, I went to the gym last night and was able to exercise for 30 minutes on the elliptical machine with minimal difficulty and lift (bicep curls, tricep extensions) 10-15 pound weights. Earlier in the evening my arm had felt shaky and weak when attempting to throw a ball. I just don't understand.
 
I keep forgetting things. I also had tingling/numbness in the left side of my face when I was having the paresthesias, like when you leave the dentist and the novocaine is wearing off. I have an open bite, so I have also been trying to research TMD to see if it can affect the entire body.. Wishful thinking, I suspect.
 
Have you even bothered to actually research ALS? You don't have a single symptom that points to ALS. Not one. In fact all of your symptoms point away from ALS. Stop listening to Dr. Google.
 
Hi there,
I agree with Jeff,

I hope your visit with the neuro sheds some light on what is going on but it doesnt sound at all like ALS to me (I am not a doctor).

Peter
 
Ditto, relax, get some rest, and enjoy your babies.
 
I have done some research. The muscle fatigue (some muscles seeming weaker than others), nerve-type pain, and twitching seemed to me to point to ALS. I was also concerned that the dizziness and tingling were perhaps unrelated.

I didn't mean any offense. Thank you for your responses.
 
No, it sounds nothing like ALS. Too many sensory symptoms involved.

I'm not being mean, but I'd get the heck away from this forum and let the docs figure it out.
 
I don't think anyone was offended, I just think they were trying to send a clear message that none of the symptoms sounded like ALS. Not a doctor by any stretch, but from what I understand sensory problems and neuropathic pain actually usually point away from ALS.

Best wishes,

Robert
 
While you definitely have SOMETHING going on, your symptoms don't sound like ALS from the research and information we've been given by our doctors. Remember that muscle fatigue and fasciculations are symptoms for MANY different medical issues.

I hope you get answers soon!
Peace,
 
Hi again,
I know the general consensus is that my symptoms do not sound like ALS, but...

- I have what I suspect may be muscle wasting in the right side of my left palm (below the pinky, where the weakness first started). There is, as far as I can tell, a dent there, and the tendon/nerve/vein? sticks out a bit, more than anywhere else on either of my hands.
- The weakness has persisted, along with general achiness/stiffness (less of the nerve-type pain previously described, although that still occurs & the burning in my left wrist/forearm/along my left hand). I would say it has worsened. I have a harder time carrying my son with my left arm, a harder time closing doors and pressing the lids down on sippy cups.

- I have noticed speech issues. I occasionally have trouble finding the right word, and I have caught myself not finishing words (for example, the other day I meant to say something like "blind" and it came out "bline"). I don't normally have problems like this, so they have been cause for great concern.

I still have yet to even get a DATE for my neuro appointment, and my GP keeps saying things like, "Babies are quite heavy." or "Sometimes pain is just the body functioning" etc. whenever I mention my weakness, etc.

I don't know what I'm looking for here. I just know that I'm scared.
 
Try to relax, I really doubt you have ALS, nothing you describe sounds like ALS. If you obsess about this your mind will play tricks on you.
 
If you want to focus on something between now and the doc visit besides ALS g00gle CIDP. That sounds more like what you have. I am not saying it is or is not, but what you are experiencing still does not remotely sound like ALS. Good luck!
 
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