I'm back... Any insight or help is appreciated

[Jakv]

First off, I'm typing from something that has auto correct spelling so sorry in advance for the mistakes.

I was here 2 weeks ago and true to my word, I stayed away until I saw my neuro on Friday. He said I had no weakness, atrophy or visible fascs. I told him I had a buzzing under my right foot (sometimes left) constantly and twitches all over. I said my right arm and leg felt weird. Not weak, but heavy. Everything still works fine but almost slower to respond, esp my pinkie and middle fingers. Within the past week I've had such severe pain in my neck and right hand and sometimes feet. What I've also noticed is me tripping over my words. It's not a slurring or stuttering, but I have to slow down what I'm saying otherwise a t might sound like a D or a th will run into the next word. I've always had a bad habit of sucking my tongue and I cant do it anymore.

Today for instance, weakness in my right arm settled in, but oddly enough I felt it coming. There was pain there and a heaviness in my other arm and legs. Then when I was in the shower, a pain at the base of my skull happened followed by *extreme* disorientation with my limbs feeeling even heavier. The muscle weakness (hard to pick up my arm and coordinate my fingers) has stayed in my right arm/hand and hasn't left. I've also had serious pain in my neck wherein it feels like the muscles are squeezing relentlessly. Yesterday I was practically bed ridden from all over body pain (musle sqeezing in my back/abdomen) and nausea. My ears have also been ringing and the hearing is going in and out in both ears with an occasional echo. Both of my palms have been super red at times and sticky feeling. I haven't been testing myself, but it feels like I've been having an on again/off again mild fever. I checked once when I felt this way and my temp was 99.0 degrees. I could be paranoid but my face feels numb and I have facial twitches.

For bkgd history I am a 24 yr old f who started having muscle twitching in my head that traveled throughout my body except my left arm and leg. This was coupled with severe mucle pain in my neck and back. It went away for a month then came back with a vengeance 3-4 weeks ago. Note worthy is also the fact that I do suffer from anxiety and I was experiencing a heavy bit of it when the twitching started and also when everything flared up again. I've been to sooo many doctors and I feel like I have no where else to turn. My doctor has me scheduled to see a psychiatrist at the end of the month, but my neuro also has me lined up for an MRI and an emg (at my insistance). I feel like everyone thinks that I'm just being me and my anxiety has morphed into physical symptoms. But I know my body, and it just hasn't felt right for these last 3-4 months.

If anyone has any insight on what in the world is happening then I'd be forever grateful. I'm having ALS symptoms, but globally and at a really fast rate. I'm at my wits end and everyone here seems pretty well informed and kind. *Any* help would be useful.

 

[macdonas]

No clue, but get yourself checked. You are the expert when it comes to your body. Could be signs of a panic attack (hence the referral to the psychiatrist, which is a good idea). DO you suffer from alot of anxiety? ALS symptoms would make anyone anxious! It would also be good to have to doc give a listen to your heart, the pain in your abdomen and your back are typical of women's cardiac symptoms. Just a wild card thought. You don't have to deal with this alone. Get help.

 

[macdonas]

Hey, what is auto correct spelling and where do you get it? My PLS husband needs that!
Thanks, MS girl married to the PLS Guy

 

[sadiemae]

My husbands voice wasnt slurred as much as it was just softer and slower. Symptoms that include severe pain do not sound like ALS to me. ALS is NOT a painless disease, but though my husband has a lot of pain, it is not an all over body pain. It doesnt sound like you are having ALS symptoms to me. Good luck with the EMG, and believe the results the doctor gives you.

 

[Jakv]

I forgot to add

1) the pain/ headache at the base of my skull can be so bad that I can't put any pressure on it, not even lie down on my back
2) my joints started cracking to the point that they all do now with the slightest twist or turn
3) I felt like I was having blurry vision, but I'm not sure
4) my ears are popping all the time
5) my right troublesome hand seems swollen in comparison to the left
6) both of my legs are hyper reflexia

 

[Jakv]

Hey, what is auto correct spelling and where do you get it? My PLS husband needs that!
Thanks, MS girl married to the PLS Guy

Wow, such quick responses. But auto-correct spelling is just the function of my itouch. It can be a pain b/c it just corrects what it doesn't understand and so I have to read everything twice and 3 times to make sure my abbrvs or otherthings don't come out wonky.

 

[trfogey]

What ALS symptoms do you think you have? Your neurologist didn't find any when he examined you on Friday. What changed and how did it change?

 

[Jakv]

No clue, but get yourself checked. You are the expert when it comes to your body. Could be signs of a panic attack (hence the referral to the psychiatrist, which is a good idea). DO you suffer from alot of anxiety? ALS symptoms would make anyone anxious! It would also be good to have to doc give a listen to your heart, the pain in your abdomen and your back are typical of women's cardiac symptoms. Just a wild card thought. You don't have to deal with this alone. Get help.

Thanks for responding so quickly. I DO have bad anxiety, though never with physical symtoms. I also saw a cardio in Dec and he said I have mitral valve prolapse but it was nothing to "worry about."

I'm glad to see I'm not alone!

 

[Jakv]

What ALS symptoms do you think you have? Your neurologist didn't find any when he examined you on Friday. What changed and how did it change?

Just the weakness in my right arm/hand. It felt difficult to pick up. Just weak. Very odd

 

[trfogey]

If I were you, I'd get myself to a doctor or hospital immediately. Sudden weakness in a limb, preceded by head pain -- could be a stroke.

 

[Twinsmom]

Jaky,
Don't underestimate how much anxiety can manifest itself physically! The physical conditions are very real. I have a dear friend whose anxiety literally created severe chest pain, horrific head pain abdominal pains. Having said that, I agree with trfogey, don't ignore your symptoms, get yourself to the doctor!
Prayers for healing to you!

 

[Zaphoon]

Keep your MRI appointment - it might detect something that will help with some answers.

Your symptoms don't line up with ALS but I'm with trfogey, sudden weakness in a limb can point to stroke. Could be a lot of other things, too but probably not ALS.

 

[Jakv]

Hey guys, I'm back. Thanks for the genuine concern. I don't know if things are leading up to a stroke. The weakness is gone, but again. Yesterday it started with me feeling like I couldn't hold my urine. I thought nothing of it really, but maybe it means something. As the day progresses i began to feel as if my tongue was going numb (or just acting up...feeling weird). Then last night, I'm reading my book in bed and more strange things. Neck tightening, really bad headache, my jaw hurting and fogginess. Then the granddaddy of all things, my whole upper body started to seize. Muscle jerking and everything. I live with my parents and told my mom about it and she told me I was having a panic attack or just more anxiety. Maybe it is. Yet even now, the next day I feel out of it. I still have a terrible headache. My tongue feels heavy/weird and I feel out of it.

Now that I think about it the muscle jerking/clamping has happened b4, but very brief. Twice I flung something out of my hand, but I thought that was just violent muscle twitching. And twice my jaw/neck have sorta clamped down on itself.

Can't wait for the MRI. Meanwhile I'm trying to soak up the good weather here in NYC andcast my worries aside.

 

[trfogey]

If you are really having the symptoms you describe to the degree that you describe, you really should contact your primary care provider. Your symptoms are far more consistent with things like stroke or epilepsy than they are with ALS. You could, literally, be taking your life in your hands by delaying.