Terrified! Please help me

[scaredmike]

Thank you in advance for anyone that replies to me. I am so terrified that I have ALS I can barely function right now. Here's my story.

2 years ago I was diagnosed with BFS and have body wide twitching since. Everyone would always tell me twitching without weakness is no concern... well now I have weakness!

I took a break from working out at the gym for about 2 1/2 weeks as an old shoulder injury I had was acting up. I seperated my right shoulder almost 3 years ago but it gives me problems and is painful at times. when I went back this past thursday I grabbed 2 55lb dumbells to start my chest workout. I normally start with 10 - 12 reps... I could not lift the dumbbell on my right side once! I have located the problem to be my right tricep as it looks less defined then my left and thats where the weakness isolated too. so within 2 1/2 weeks my tricep has lost considerable muscle tone and weakness.

I saw Nuero's assistant on Friday and she said she noticed the weakness and loss of muscle tone in my tricep and that my refelxes on my right elbow were slow. I have a EMG scheduled for next thursday.

From what the Dr has told me from the clinical exam is it appears the weakness is isolated in only my right tricep. My bicep is strong as is my grip and shoulder area. ( although my shoulder really hurts)

Here are questions that maybe some of you can help me as I try and wrap my head around this and not freakout:

Does ALS start with one isolated muscle like a tricep or do you think that I would also be showing some weakness in the surrounding muscle groups too such as bicep area? I keep trying to tell myself that because it is such an isolated muscle it has to be something else but then again maybe since its only been 2 - 3 weeks since onset of weakness those muscle groups are next to go.

My right tricep is really sore because I have been trying to do Dips to test the muscle strength If its ALS would the muscle be sore?

I called my Chiropractor and he said it could possible by a bulging disc in your back or neck causing it. I'm hoping that is the case but then again I dont have any back or neck pain. Can you have a bulging disc wit no neck or back pain?

I'm sorry if Im rambling on here, I know I have to wait for the EMG and that will give me an idea of whats going on but I'm just so scared. Again I guess my main question in this would be, do you think that having the weakness only in my right tricep is a good thing and that ALS doesn't normally start like that or it really doesn't matter?


Thank you so much for any who respond and GOD Bless to ALL of YOU!

 

[vickim]

Mike

You should try to stick to one thread. For some here is it hard to type and bouncing between different threads it is hard to keep track. You have said basically the same thing twice.

I don't know what dips are but you need to stop with the self testing. You cannot diagnose yourself. You may be causing more injury to that shoulder. Wait and go to the dr. All you can do at this point is hope for the best. Freaking out and falling apart is not doing you any good. And it won't change the out come one way or the other. It is a waste of time that can be better spent.

DIagnosis is a process of elimination, and that takes time. Sometimes alot of time. months and even years. So you need to settle down and relax. Yes it is scary and everyone wants to know whats wrong with them yesterday. But it doesn't happen that way. My guess would be that you have injured the shoulder, or have a neck/back problem. It is all going to be okay, whatever the outcome.

 

[vickim]

Sorry my post went to maoderation and will show up later.

 

[AKmom]

You already posted. A couple people answered. What more do you want? Go find something to do to take your mind off it until your EMG. In my opinion, this sounds more like an injury than a case of ALS.

 

[scaredmike]

You already posted. A couple people answered. What more do you want? Go find something to do to take your mind off it until your EMG. In my opinion, this sounds more like an injury than a case of ALS.

I'm sorry me posting again offended you or anybody else. The reason why I posted again was I had my Neuro appointment and learned some new information. I understand that maybe my posts might seem annoying or silly to you or anyone else considering what your going through however I'm very new to this, scared and was hoping for some input as you all are far more knowledgeable than myself.

 

[Austrian Sinto]

Hey Mike,
dont be tooo much scared! I think that every process of finding a diagnoses in these (our) questions is not a short thing. In my case it took about 3/4 year befor the PD said: MND/ALS (?) With a questionmark! I remember when I was a young man and the first loved young woman told me, she did not like me anymore. My world broke down a b s o l u t e l y. Then i went to a older fried of mine, he was a teacher in religions in my school. He could not take away my pain but he said something I never forgot: You are full of pain and fear. You want to run away? Fear is much faster - waiting for you at the next corner. You want to fight against it? Ohuu. It is much stonger than you. Maybe you stand still for a moment and face all these feelings - perhaps they lose their strength, when you know them better. Thist said my old friend, I sometimes remember. Nowadays I heard the word: Dont count the days - make the days count. I love this idea.
Hey, Mike
dont be tooo much scared! Come on, you cant chance these things anyhow, whatever happens. I dont like tipps a lot - but: meet your friends an tell them what you wanted to tell them since years, go out and enjoy things you like, when you think you have to die sooner as you thought.
Good luck, Mike, I hope you are healtier than you think.
Bye
Thomas Weiss (greetings just 4 u from Vienna! )