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Falcon123

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Learn about ALS
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Hello and thanks for reading -

I have been to several physicians and am yet to get any answers so I was hoping that someone could possibly shed some insight. I'll do my best to describe my symptoms:

For approximately 2 years, I've felt mild twitching sensations all over my body. These usually just feel like a small "jump" beneath the skin and don't really generate any movement other than sometimes causing my fingers to move. I actually had an EMG and Nerve Conduction test performed in response to these symptoms, and the neurologist told me that I had some mild narrowing in each of my cubital tunnels. This explained the twitching fingers, but did not really provide me with much in terms of explaining the fasiculations I feel in my feet, legs, and arms. In the process of performing the EMG, she noted that there was evidence of "benign fasiculations" and left it at that. I also had an MRI performed on my head which showed no signs of pathology.

Since then (this past summer), I've continued to feel the twitching. However, I've had a lot of problems with my legs while running as of late. It seems that, after about 1 lap or so around a track, the muscles in my legs (especially my quads) seem to fatigue quite easily. I'm still able to continue running, but with a bit of difficulty. My quads especially seem to be somewhat tight. At points in my run when I wish to pick up the speed, it's almost as though I simply don't have the necessary "explosion" that I'm used to. The best scenario I can use to describe this has been encountered while playing basketball. I just kind of seem out on my feet, and when I look to make a sudden movement or a quick change in direction, I lack the explosion to do so and can sometimes end up slightly stumbling. After running up and down the court for a while, I even struggle to shoot the ball as my shot appears to be "all arms" with no help from my legs when attempting a jumpshot. (By the way, I am 24 years old.)

Additionally, I find it odd that I don't seem to have lost any strength anywhere in my body. I am an avid weight lifter and continue to be able to lift my normal amounts of weight, with no visible signs of any physical wasting. Also, I've since attempted to do "lunge" exercises in order to assess the strength in my weak quads - these don't seem to be a problem and I've had no difficulty completing this part of my workout.

I've been to a neurologist since the onset of these leg symptoms; after performing a basic physical exam, he concluded that nothing major was wrong and that my symptoms might be attributed to a lack of sleep.

If anyone can offer any insight, it would be greatly appreciated. Should I be worried?
 
Well the fact that you are a weight lifter and can lift the same amount of weight definitely points away from ALS. I assume this is true for your lower body as well as your upper body. When you add in the fact that a Neruo gave you a clean bill of health and a previous EMG showed nothing to be concerned about I would suggest that have nothing to worry about.

Obviously I am not a Dr and if you continue to feel as though there is something wrong then go back to your Dr.

Out of curiosity what even made you think it could possibly be ALS based on the many, many things that are infinitely more likely and much less scary?
 
Sorry if my symtpoms in any way seem minor compared to what those with confirmed ALS must deal with. The fact that there are lower motor neuron symptoms (fasiculations) and upper motor neuron symptoms (fatigue) and the complete lack of information given surrounding my symptoms by physicians just had me somewhat worried.
 
If anyone can offer any insight, it would be greatly appreciated. Should I be worried?

Your symptoms don't sound anything like ALS. The fact that your main complaint -- your fasciculations -- have been going on for two years without an accompanying loss of strength suggests that the neurologist who called them benign fasciculations made the correct diagnosis.

There are many potential causes for your latest symptoms -- the problems in your legs -- anything from a mild viral infection to overtraining to a metabolic disorder. Since a neurologist has already evaluated you and has given the opinion that your problems don't have a neurological basis, the best thing for you to do would be to start with your primary care physician and pursue things like infectious diseases, myopathies, and metabolic disorders. You may also want to scale down your exercise regimen for a few weeks to give your muscles some time to recover.

I would also recommend that you do some reading at the a b o u t B F S dot c o m website. Exercise intolerance is often reported by BFS/BCFS patients.

Good luck to you.
 
Fasciulations...but no muscles weakness for 2 years equals Not ALS.

Good luck to you.
 
Sorry if my symtpoms in any way seem minor compared to what those with confirmed ALS must deal with. The fact that there are lower motor neuron symptoms (fasiculations) and upper motor neuron symptoms (fatigue) and the complete lack of information given surrounding my symptoms by physicians just had me somewhat worried.

Not all fasciculations are lower motor neuron problem symptoms. Not all fatigue is an upper motor neuron symptom. In fact, motor neuron diseases cause only a tiny fraction of the fasciculations and fatigue in the population out there.

Billions of people twitch every day. Billions of people get fatigued every day. And it's likely that hundreds of millions, if not more than a billion people do both on a given day. But there are only a couple of hundred thousand people worldwide that are or have been diagnosed with any MND every year.

You should consider cultivating a more positive attitude about your health.
 
You have been given sound advice especially from our resident non md. Now what you do with this knowledge is another story. My advice would be to shut off the computer, listen to your neuro and don't listen to dr go og le. He has a reputation here of being a quack. Now go enjoy life.
 
Hi,
Your story looks exactly like mine - at the age of 22 I developed widespread fasciculations..not 24/7, but pretty often and mostly also after moving the muscle. Also it has been easier for my muscles to tire..Neuro exams fine but I just did not stop worrying. Well, I wasted many months in anxiety and constant thinking about death and ALS.. and now?
It has been nearly 5 years with fasciculations and I am fine. They are worse at times..but also better. The odds are this will not progress to anything sinister. I do not believe that this is the time when reinnervation compensates loss of motor neurons beucase my EMG did not find any signs of this.
So if you do not have any other issues (except for the fatique), try to do not focus on the twitching. I know few people whose obsession with this ruined their marriage and social life. Not mentioning that none of them ended up with ALS.
 
Another thing that points away from ALS is PROXIMAL symptoms. Usually ALS present distally.

Basically, muscle fatigue and twitches are diagnostically not important--especially if you can still lift weights and run.

ALS shows very specific findings on exam--abnormalities before you might even have noticed them (such as in reflexes--which you can't test yourself) Hyper reflexes are the first thing noted by docs in UMN issues--like mine.

In LMN--it's diminished reflexes.

You're not having any significant progression of symptoms in two years--ALS isn't the issue.

Unlike most here, I have no official diagnosis of anything other than UMN issues--but I can tell you that in the year I've been here, I've had major 'loss of function' that's in ONE year--not two.

Take heart--you may simply be doing too much exercising. As we age, we can tolerate less.
 
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