scared and confused

[duckytpae]

Hello, I just want to say first of all that my heart goes out to everyone that has als.

The symptoms I've been having are starting to make me scared. It started with muscle fasciculations in the arch of my left foot about 1 week ago, and it has been constant since then. Other fasciculations will pop up here and there mainly in my legs, calves, and buttocks and occasionally in my arms. However the frequency of these fasciculations are no where near the number of the fasciculations the arch of my left foot has. The one mistake I made was googling my symptoms and als popped up. Now, I know most people with als present with weakness first, but I can't help but see a few posts on how people presented with muscle fasciculations first, and that the fasciculations were constant in one part of the body. Now it is hard to get out of my mind. I went to a GP and he had me do a blood panel, which was normal. He said to wait two weeks to see if the twitches go away on their own and if not he would refer me to a neurologist.


Sorry, but I just had to write my fears somewhere.

 

[Tokahfang]

No one week of anything, no matter how terrible (or not, in this case), should make anyone seriously fear a lifelong neurological illness.

 

[trfogey]

Now, I know most people with als present with weakness first, but I can't help but see a few posts on how people presented with muscle fasciculations first, and that the fasciculations were constant in one part of the body.

Do you see where this statement contradicts your entire symptom story? If you've read enough about ALS to "know" that these things are true, why are you worried about ALS? Your symptoms don't match up.

Sorry, but I just had to write my fears somewhere.

No, you didn't. You chose to do it of your own free will. You could just as easily have chosen not to post here and listen to what your doctor tells you about your condition. Probably would have been better for your ego to have done that.

 

[sadiemae]

Most if not all of the people who posted that fasticulations came first, ended up not having ALS.

 

[alex scared]

hi . . It sounds like you are getting a bit ahead of yourself . . To start thinking that you may have als on the basis of twitching /fasciculation and nothing else is mad . do you assume you have a brain tumor every time you have a headache ? . . I would guess that of course you dont . . The list of causes of fascculation is big and range from calcium deficiencies bfs . .please dont go down the road of looking on the web . . There is so much misinformation about fasciculation . . You will scare yourself and its a slippery slope to health anxiety .. All the people who have commented before me are highly knowledgable so please listen to what they say. . Fasciculation are irritating (had them myself everywhere for 9 years!)but its weakness . . Genuine clinical honest to god weakness that progresses relentlessly from one part of the body to the next that is the hallmark of a motor neuron disease . .not twitching . . hopefully your twitching will clear up . . I wish you good luck and god bless . . . Alex

 

[kmendsley]

Muscle fasciulations have a variety of causes....not just ALS. Lots of medical advice is to wait..and as we don't have many other choices ...it is best to do so and try to forget about it till you are at the next appointment...otherwise it just worsens. If your mind thinks you are sick, you will be sick. Don't get ahead of yourself. Get your vitamin levels checked(including potassium which can cause fasciulations if it is too high or low), CBC counts as well. You haven't even seen a neurologist yet so please don't worry about it if and when that time comes...even then...you will need to go through a bunch of other tests before then....so moral of the story....get off google...listen to the dr. and enjoy every beautiful day you have.

 

[Blizna]

Most likely you have just benign fasciculations syndrome, which often begins in calves or feet. Make an app with neuro, let him do the clinical exam, EMG if needed and put your mind to ease. I have had this for 4 years...some days better, some worse.