Desperate for re-assurance

[jonmdavidson]

All,

I am a 31 year old male. I have been having generalized muscle shaking and fasciculations for over a week now. My muscles shake severely when holding any position that causes strain such as walking down stairs or holding a fork to eat (bicep bounces). If I hop from one leg to the other, my legs shake when landing. I feel clumsy. This is affecting all limbs. My chin quivers easily and my neck shakes when I turn it to look behind me. That being said, I can complete motions such as lifting dumbbells (40 reps of 15 lbs, 3 reps of 40 lbs), and doing assisted one-legged squats. I feel like I have a ton of energy right now but am having trouble doing those simple things. My body shakes when stretching in the morning or turning myself over in bed. I describes this to my GP and he wants to send me to a psychiatrist since I don't have any clinical muscle atrophy or weakness. Could this be something besides stress/anxiety? I am freaking out here.

 

[Kosmoskatten]

When you say "generalized muscle shaking", that immediately points away from what I have been taught about ALS. To put it simple, ALS usually starts in one limb, disables that, and then progresses.

If you can still work out, and only had symptoms for a week, it sounds like a combination between stress and maybe a virus infection of non-serious type.

 

[Dusty7]

Clinical weakness is the primary symptom of ALS. Whatever you have (and it may be as Kosmo says) does not sound like ALS.

 

[jonmdavidson]

Thank you for your replies. I guess I just need to chill out and take a wait-and-see attitude. I have a neuro appointment scheduled for May. I did forget to mention that I had a gastro-intestinal issue in Dec/Jan/Feb of this year that caused me to lose 20 pounds in 40 days. I'm 6.2" and 176 lbs. Now that I've recovered from that and starting to put weight back on is when this started - although my weight gain has halted. There was no cause identified after Ultrasound/2x CT/Blood work/H. Pylori test/Celiac Test/and Absorption test. I still get pain in upper GI area from time to time. I'm afraid that my body has turned on itself and starting to attack itself or something.

 

[Mediasmart]

You might be suffering from hypochondria and a psychiatrist would do you a world of good. You note reps of 15-20lbs while ALS folks have trouble lifting a pencil or zipping a zipper and that's just at the onset. Do your thing if as you want but get with the psychiatrist.

 

[jonmdavidson]

Mediasmart,

I've noticed over this past week that if I hold something like a pen in my hand, my thumb or another finger (depending on which one is supporting it) will start to tremor violently. The other hand is affected but to a lesser degree. Does ALS cause tremor like this or is it straight-up weakness? Does weakness include tremor?

 

[Kosmoskatten]

If you lost weight and have had gastro issues, it is normal to feel weak and shaky.

Read the sticky on weakness if you have more questions about that;

https://www.alsforums.com/forum/do-i-have-als-als/21587-new-people-muscle-fatigue-vs-weakness.html