Full disclosure: Before tonight, I'd not even heard of ALS. I described these symptoms elsewhere, and someone said "I had (some of) those, and now I have ALS." I'm sure there's a more simple explanation, but I'd like to get this out there before I even have a chance to worry about it. Especially because I have no health insurance and not quite enough money to go to the doctor (especially if it's what's expected, described below) but I make just a wee bit too much to receive aid.
First: 22/F, so I'm not exactly the optimum demographic.
Scene-setting: I moved at the beginning of September, which completely changed a lot of things. After one week of taking public transit, I began riding my bicycle ~100 miles/week. I also moved to a new office, with new desk/chair set-up. Three weeks ago (so this is the beginning of week number four), I restarted lifting weights, which I'd stopped in June.
Problems: About a week before returning to the gym (so fourish weeks ago), my left elbow and hand went numb. I called my parents -- it was most likely my bicycle (many women have a pinched nerve problem resulting from too much weight on the hands). Okay, so I adjusted my bike on recommendation of the bike shop, and my elbow stopped hurting and most of the numbness went away.
Twoish weeks ago, still on my left hand, my ring finger (and, to a lesser extent, pinky finger) stopped responding properly. I can't straighten it all the way. Mobility is limited. Typing is getting more difficult. Also, grip strength is way way down (pushing, grasping -- all of it is getting much more difficult). The guess is a tendon problem. Massage the wrist -- okay.
Last week, my thumb started twitching. Not violently, just a bit. Always my left thumb. It's not dehydration, it's not a lack of electrolytes -- those were the first two things I thought.
Today, I told my mom the sore tendon hypothesis, and she agreed that was possible. Doctor army mom prescribed ranger candy (600mg ibuprophen every 8 hours). Alright, fine. So I took my first dose at noon.
At the end of the work day, roughly 5:30, my left index finger joined my thumb in twitching. So now I have numb and not-so-functional ring and pinky fingers, and a twitching thumb and index finger. Then my index finger locked out -- shot straight forward, hurt and wouldn't move. Googled it-- kind of like trigger finger! Says take an anti inflammatory. But...aren't I already on an anti inflammatory? And considering I don't take medicine hardly ever, it's not like I have a tolerance to it. So that goes away, thankfully after a few minutes. While I'm hating the entirety of my left arm/hand, out of nowhere my right-hand ring and pinky finger pull the same thing my left index did: cramped straight out, super painful, completely unresponsive. But I'm still on my anti inflammatory, and until this point my right hand has shown NO signs of...anything, really.
Medication: Not much. I started taking Bronkaid (in addition to the ephedrine, which I wanted, I actually do happen to show signs of intermittent asthma when exercising during the winter -- it helps with the cycling), 1 cap/day. And the ibuprophen. And I drink a lot of caffeine, but balance with plenty of water and sleep. I also take a multivitamin, and birth control.
Diet: Fairly healthy, I'd say. Lots of different colored vegetables, plenty of proteins and healthy fats, I've been trying to eat less carbs lately but make sure to get plenty of fiber (and still go on carb refeeds).
I'm sorry for being so longwinded. Thanks for your time.
First: 22/F, so I'm not exactly the optimum demographic.
Scene-setting: I moved at the beginning of September, which completely changed a lot of things. After one week of taking public transit, I began riding my bicycle ~100 miles/week. I also moved to a new office, with new desk/chair set-up. Three weeks ago (so this is the beginning of week number four), I restarted lifting weights, which I'd stopped in June.
Problems: About a week before returning to the gym (so fourish weeks ago), my left elbow and hand went numb. I called my parents -- it was most likely my bicycle (many women have a pinched nerve problem resulting from too much weight on the hands). Okay, so I adjusted my bike on recommendation of the bike shop, and my elbow stopped hurting and most of the numbness went away.
Twoish weeks ago, still on my left hand, my ring finger (and, to a lesser extent, pinky finger) stopped responding properly. I can't straighten it all the way. Mobility is limited. Typing is getting more difficult. Also, grip strength is way way down (pushing, grasping -- all of it is getting much more difficult). The guess is a tendon problem. Massage the wrist -- okay.
Last week, my thumb started twitching. Not violently, just a bit. Always my left thumb. It's not dehydration, it's not a lack of electrolytes -- those were the first two things I thought.
Today, I told my mom the sore tendon hypothesis, and she agreed that was possible. Doctor army mom prescribed ranger candy (600mg ibuprophen every 8 hours). Alright, fine. So I took my first dose at noon.
At the end of the work day, roughly 5:30, my left index finger joined my thumb in twitching. So now I have numb and not-so-functional ring and pinky fingers, and a twitching thumb and index finger. Then my index finger locked out -- shot straight forward, hurt and wouldn't move. Googled it-- kind of like trigger finger! Says take an anti inflammatory. But...aren't I already on an anti inflammatory? And considering I don't take medicine hardly ever, it's not like I have a tolerance to it. So that goes away, thankfully after a few minutes. While I'm hating the entirety of my left arm/hand, out of nowhere my right-hand ring and pinky finger pull the same thing my left index did: cramped straight out, super painful, completely unresponsive. But I'm still on my anti inflammatory, and until this point my right hand has shown NO signs of...anything, really.
Medication: Not much. I started taking Bronkaid (in addition to the ephedrine, which I wanted, I actually do happen to show signs of intermittent asthma when exercising during the winter -- it helps with the cycling), 1 cap/day. And the ibuprophen. And I drink a lot of caffeine, but balance with plenty of water and sleep. I also take a multivitamin, and birth control.
Diet: Fairly healthy, I'd say. Lots of different colored vegetables, plenty of proteins and healthy fats, I've been trying to eat less carbs lately but make sure to get plenty of fiber (and still go on carb refeeds).
I'm sorry for being so longwinded. Thanks for your time.
