SomeUser44
Member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2011
- Messages
- 12
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- CA
- State
- ON
- City
- SS
sorry for long post, I made both a short and long version.
Longer version
Almost a year ago I started noticing anytime I wake up and clinch my right hand into a first my pinky would "snap" always at the same spot and very quickly move about 1". Since then this has started happening to my left hand also (but not as bad as my right hand). This "problem" tends to go away within 3-5 minutes after getting up.
More recently (about 3 months ago) I started noticing this weird twitching in my thumb of my left hand. So holding something like a chicken wrap id feel my thumb micro twiching and having problems holding steady (note: Ive never dropped it but I can feel my hand doing this micro-twitching). Now I find its harder to find a conformable spot for my left hand without these micro twitching. Doing things like reading a manual or placing a page in a binder causes lots of shacking. Holding water glasses is also a tad harder
I also got twitching in my right arm, face and legs. Id say 70% of is left arm/hand, 25% is face (above eyes) and rest is my right hand and my legs.
1# So, can the pinky snapping be related to ALS? It does not really seem to fit considering my right hand is overall in the same condition as it was 8 months ago, while in the past 3 months my left hand has both the pinky snapping and the thumb twtiching (so in other words, it would mean progression is much slower in my right hand even tho it started there).
2# More recently (3 weeks or so) I notice cramping in my left foot. It hurts for about 1-2 minutes when I walk after waking up. Is this cramping normal for early ALS (to only hurt after rest?).
3# I can still do 100 reps of this hands strengthening squeezing things. So assuming I do not count my left hand as weakness, is it normal to have overall body twitching (although most happen in my left arm/hand)?
4# Face twitching (eyebrow area) is relatively rare for ALS right?
Short version of symptoms
Do you think I have ALS? The numbness in fingers and some face twitching is apparently not regular symptoms for ALS, but it may be the stress causing it. I am kind of hopeful I have something like multiple sclerosis (but that does not fit with foot cramping).
Longer version
Almost a year ago I started noticing anytime I wake up and clinch my right hand into a first my pinky would "snap" always at the same spot and very quickly move about 1". Since then this has started happening to my left hand also (but not as bad as my right hand). This "problem" tends to go away within 3-5 minutes after getting up.
More recently (about 3 months ago) I started noticing this weird twitching in my thumb of my left hand. So holding something like a chicken wrap id feel my thumb micro twiching and having problems holding steady (note: Ive never dropped it but I can feel my hand doing this micro-twitching). Now I find its harder to find a conformable spot for my left hand without these micro twitching. Doing things like reading a manual or placing a page in a binder causes lots of shacking. Holding water glasses is also a tad harder
I also got twitching in my right arm, face and legs. Id say 70% of is left arm/hand, 25% is face (above eyes) and rest is my right hand and my legs.
1# So, can the pinky snapping be related to ALS? It does not really seem to fit considering my right hand is overall in the same condition as it was 8 months ago, while in the past 3 months my left hand has both the pinky snapping and the thumb twtiching (so in other words, it would mean progression is much slower in my right hand even tho it started there).
2# More recently (3 weeks or so) I notice cramping in my left foot. It hurts for about 1-2 minutes when I walk after waking up. Is this cramping normal for early ALS (to only hurt after rest?).
3# I can still do 100 reps of this hands strengthening squeezing things. So assuming I do not count my left hand as weakness, is it normal to have overall body twitching (although most happen in my left arm/hand)?
4# Face twitching (eyebrow area) is relatively rare for ALS right?
Short version of symptoms
- ~10-12 months ago: Pinky snapping in right hand
- ~5 months ago: pinky snapping in left hand
- ~2-3 months ago: micro twitching in left hand (thumb in particular)
- ~2-3 months ago: Started thinking maybe I have ALS
- ~2-3 months ago: Overall body twitching, most in left hand/arm or face
- ~1 month ago: Cramping in left foot when waking up
- ~1 month ago: Numbess in some fingers sometimes, particularly when I support my head with my hand/arm.
Do you think I have ALS? The numbness in fingers and some face twitching is apparently not regular symptoms for ALS, but it may be the stress causing it. I am kind of hopeful I have something like multiple sclerosis (but that does not fit with foot cramping).