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Floydian

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Hi there, I am a 38 year old male from across the ocean with a variety of symptoms and as many other very scared of ALS thanks to Google.

A few weeks (now about 8 weeks) ago I had the folowwing complaints/symptoms:
- Continuous burning, sore, nauseating feeling in both arms, numbness and heaviness of arm cramped, some sense of loss of strength, some things felt very heavy, earbuzzing, dry mouth in the morning, often very cold and hot hands, tingling arms and hands, widespread twitching, poor sleeping as a result of anxiety and stress and almost every night 'sleeping/dead' arms but especially my left arm.

The above complaints/symptoms are now reduced to only tingling hands and twitching and sometimes 'sleeping/dead' arms. Some complaints/systoms have improved or have 'left the building'. I do think my body is recovering itself from wathever there is or was. Occasionally I still have pain/cramps in my arms but I do not think that is muscle weakness.

GPs and fystiotherapist suspected a neck hernia, the MRI scan has shown that this is not the case, but there is a nerve compression in my neck.
All blood tests and a CWK X-rays were okay. Furthermore, I visited the neurologist who tested my reflexes and strength. This was all just fine to her and she found me too healthy for a follow up check. However, to ensure me she will perform a MRI of the brains and am I being referred to a rehabilitation physician. This is because it is suspected that the symptoms arise from a wrong working position . That's right, I'm 6,5 feet tall and work in the IT. Could it be a form of RSI?

As mainly the twitching still remains for about 4 weeks now and since I have searched the internet (Dr. Google) on my symptoms I am very scared that it might be ALS.

Thanks to anyone who will reply to me.
 
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You have no symptoms or signs of ALS. Read the stickies at the top of the page. It NEVER improves.
You are wasting your time worrying about something you do not have.
 
Did any one say how to treat your nerve compression? I
 
For someone who works in IT, you're awfully gullible about stuff you read on the 'Net. Not to mention that your symptoms don't resemble ALS in the slightest degree.

If you have a nerve compression in your neck, that probably explains the symptoms in your arms. Lousy posture and poor computer ergonomics probably explains the other symptoms and aggravates the ones caused by the neck compression. You would have known this if you had looked up and contented yourself with information about what your doctors said you actually have. But you had to go that one step further and second-guess your doctors trying to diagnose yourself from the ’Net. And something scary popped up that has stuck in your hypochondriacal mind.

Congratulations. You got what you deserve -- a really good scare and a reminder that you're not qualified to second-guess qualified medical professionals. Your scare over ALS ends anytime you choose to end it, because you don't have ALS, despite the little voice in your head that is shrieking that you do. Unlike a lot of the people who you were hoping to get sympathy from here who either live with this disease or care for someone who does.

See you around.
 
Floy,

Did you get the answers you were looking for? Probably not. But heed this warning: When you oo gle doc tor go og le you get what you pay for. He tends to lump symp toms together and then anxiety filled people search and find. Then they land on our doorstep and we have to mop up the mess. Several people have given you their opinions. Now its up to you to decide. The choice is yours.
 
Thank you all for your replies.
As a reply I want to say it is absolutely not my intention to hurt or offend people on this forum. I also doubted to post on this forum to prevent hurting/offending people. But as I read and seen some ALS patient documentaries sometimes it starts with twitching. And as my twitching and tintling does not dissapear I am somewhat frightened. If I inadvertently have offended someone I want to apoligize as this was not my intention.
 
First of all thanks for your comments.
Due to some comments let me begin to say it is absolutely not my intention to offend or hurt people on this forum in any way. I also have the greatest sympathy and respect for the people who have to deal with this disease. I also hesitated to post on this forum. But because I've read and seen several documentaries where twitching were the first symptoms and as my twitching and tintling has not dissapeared I am somewhat frightened. Is there a big difference between 'normal' twitching and 'als' twitching?
 
Good question! Yes, big difference. With ALS, the "twi tching" is not a starting symp tom. Its an end stage symp tom. That is why I respond with the on line doc tor being a quack. He lumps symp toms all together and some don't belong. People read it and we have many who go overboard believing they have it when they don't. I just started having mine a couple months ago. They are not wide spread either. My right foot was the first to go and that is where the twi tching is and its not all over the foot its basically in 1 spot. The left arm was the next to go and the "twi tching" I have there is in the bicep area in the back. The right arm was last and the "twi tching is in between the thumb and first finger. And I have to add, that 6 months ago yesterday I became a quadraplegic. The only limb that was working was 2 fingers on my right hand. I do have somewhat movement in my neck.

Now unfortunately, ALS is different with every person. Mine is also hereditary, which may or may not make a difference. But please take the advice mentioned above and read the stickies too. And if you are having wide spread "twi tching", you may want to go og le B F S. Good luck to you.
 
And I gathered the word was supposed to be tingling in your last post? That is sensory, which steers you away from ALS. You also mentioned burning, hot and cold, buzzing, et cetera. These are all sensory which I believe someone posted. Plus your neuro said that you were healthy and no clinical weakness. But you still have doubts. You must trust your doc tors. That is number 1. If you don't trust e diag nosis, then please go to another doc tor. And you also said you were scared by the results. Increasing your anxiety levels, increases the symp toms. Often times when medication is given for anxiey, the symp toms decreas. The mind is all powerful.

And again, good luck.
 
My Neuro picked up "twitching" ( fasciculations) on my EMG long before I was even aware of it. Weakness that took the form of foot drop is what took me to the Doc.
Twitching can be associated with anxiety.
Good luck to you
 
Due to some comments let me begin to say it is absolutely not my intention to offend or hurt people on this forum in any way.

What makes you think that anyone was either hurt or offended? I can assure you that I wasn't. And, knowing the other current respondents as well as as I do, they aren't hurt or offended either.

I also have the greatest sympathy and respect for the people who have to deal with this disease.

Did this respect and sympathy start before or after your twitching started?

I also hesitated to post on this forum. But because I've read and seen several documentaries where twitching were the first symptoms and as my twitching and tintling has not dissapeared I am somewhat frightened.

Your neuro told you that you were fine. Why isn't that good enough for you? When it comes to knowledge about ALS, she's the expert and you are the toddler afraid of the bogeyman under your bed.

Is there a big difference between 'normal' twitching and 'als' twitching?

Yes, there is. Not to mention that there are other things (that the neuro tested you for and didn't find) that come along with ALS twitches. Which you would know if you were reading this site for accurate information and not just searching for people who have the same symptoms that you do. You'll find people like you at a b o u t B F S dot c o m
 
What makes you think that anyone was either hurt or offended? I can assure you that I wasn't. And, knowing the other current respondents as well as as I do, they aren't hurt or offended either.
Just a feeling but I am glad to hear I did not offend anyone.

Did this respect and sympathy start before or after your twitching started?
Definitily before as I respect anything that lives on this planet. I also seen and read ALS patient stories/documentaries on tv/internet and magazines before all of this which touched and moved me a lot.

Your neuro told you that you were fine. Why isn't that good enough for you? When it comes to knowledge about ALS, she's the expert and you are the toddler afraid of the bogeyman under your bed.
I will try to explain: my neuro did all kinds of reflex and strength tests to me which were all okay. To a reaction to the symptoms she told me that some symptoms could be caused by a compression but that they generally should not be persistent which at that time it was for some weeks in my case. Also some symptoms were not related to a compression at all. I asked her if the symptoms could possibly indicate a neurological disorder but she waved it away immediately as in her opinion it is very rare. She did not give it further attention. As mainly the twitching, tintling and the tired feeling in the arms are still there I went looking what else could cause these symptoms. I agree with you that I then made the mistake to get an answer from Dr. Google.
 
Floydian,

We have a bit of folk wisdom in my little corner of the world that says "Don't borrow tomorrow's trouble today." That's what you are doing with your post in this forum and your obsessive reading about ALS -- borrowing trouble that might never come to pass and bringing it into your present. Obviously, it is your right to do a foolish thing like that -- believing in something that isn't real -- but we're under no obligation to agree with you or even to take you seriously.

If your neuro had believed that anything neurological was wrong with you, she would be scheduling more tests for you and giving you more followup care. That isn't happening.

ALS is in your mind, not your body. And you're the one who put it there. The software that runs your mind is hung in an endless loop -- "I'll stop believing that I have ALS when the twitching stops." Given that anxiety is a common cause of twitches, especially in people who have benign fasciculation syndrome, your break out condition may never come to pass.

You put ALS into your mind. You're the only one who can take it out. Not us. Not your doctors. You. And the quicker you do it, the better off you will be.

Just to satisfy my curiosity, what symptoms did your neuro say could not be accounted for by your neck compression?
 
@trfogey
Just to satisfy my curiosity, what symptoms did your neuro say could not be accounted for by your neck compression?

At that time it was mainly twitching and the dry mouth/throat which is not directly related to a compression. Furthermore, some symptoms should not be present continuously but should vary after exercise or rest. Because RSI symptoms could be involved it was difficult to determine for her. Last days the fatigue (tireness) and heaviness in the arms increased again, also with quite some pain. I made a new appointment next Wednesday with the neuro to discuss some of my questions.
 
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