Left arm weakness and elbow twitching

[scorpian223]

Hello. I will start this off by saying I admire all of you who have been diagnosed and continue to live life to the fullest. It's amazing what the attitude can do to people to make quality of life better.

Anyways, I am a 27 year old male and I have a fairly active job in the summer then it switches to a computer job after baseball season. Recently I have noticed my left arm, dominant arm, gets tired and fatigued extremely quickly. It seems my bicep muscle is beginning to sag and is clearly smaller than the right arm. In addition to that, I seem to have occasional twitches around my elbow that come and go every few hours. I have some occasional "jumps" in other areas as well. It all seems to radiate from my shoulder blade and send an occasional burning sensation down my arm.

I went to a neuro a few days ago and he gave me a wrist splint for carpal tunnel, which was a bit confusing considering the fingers affected by carpal tunnel weren't giving me issues. I was going to get and EMG test that day, but they couldn't get hold of my insurance and I needed to go back to work. It's scheduled for November.

I understand the monster of anxiety and that you all hate talking about it and I'm not going to lie, I know I suffer from it. My concern is the "perceived" weakness that I have in my dominant arm and the sag of the bicep muscle. I also have a small TMJ disorder and some really tight shoulder muscles.

Should I be concerned? I don't want this to consume my mind like it has lately, but unfortunately it has. I would appreciate any sort of wisdom as I don't expect a diagnosis here, but rather find out if my symptoms may be coming on early.

If you think that this thread is just another anxiety thing, I completely understand and you don't have to answer, but I would appreciate anything you may have to say.

 

[affected]

Scorpian, did you raised your concerns with the neuro that you saw? If so what did he say about it?

Your symptoms do not sound like ALS and it sounds as though your neuro thinks the same as you have been started on a treatment for some else entirely.

Please find some way to calm yourself down until you get to the EMG in November. Maybe go and talk to your regular doctor about how you are feeling and get some help dealing with the anxiety.

No matter what you have wrong with you the anxiety has to be dealt with.

All the best working with your doctors

 

[skipper66]

I absolutely don't think you have any reason whatsoever to think that you have ALS. You don't belong here. You might have something going on along with anxiety but it's not ALS. You can scratch that off your list. So, please log off and find a qualified doctor who can help you. We aren't doctors and it is dangerous for us to give out medical advice other then to say No, you don't have ALS. That is all we can safely tell you. Good luck to you and thank God you don't have his horrible disease.

 

[Mediasmart]

Ulnar nerve issues perhaps? Go see a hand doc. They are also generally very adept a spotting ALS symptoms...they caught mine anyway. But I would expect you haven't got a thing other than a trapped nerve.

 

[scorpian223]

Just a really quick atrophy question

Hey everyone. I posted on here a few days ago about some worries I had and like another other freak haha I started looking for body imperfections. I am aware people aren't always proportional but I posted a pic of my calf muscle in my profile. If anyone could take a look and tell me if this looks like just an indent or wasting Id greatly appreciate it.

I expect a snarky comment or two but I just wanted to see if it looked alarming to anyone. Thanks a bunch.

 

[affected]

Re: Just a really quick atrophy question

worst photoshop bodge-up I've seen before

 

[scorpian223]

Re: Just a really quick atrophy question

I'm not quite sure what you mean

 

[skipper66]

Re: Just a really quick atrophy question

Show your photo to a Dr. and not us. Read all the stickies and then please go away. We can't help you because we aren't doctors. Thank you and have a blessed day!

 

[scorpian223]

New developments or same old anxiety?

I have been fixated on this horrendous illness for a while. It affects my stomach anxiety so much I can't eat and I get restless at night with a dry mouth. I have a doctors appointment but it's far off. My left arm weakness hasn't gotten any better and I'm beginning to notice what may be atrophy in my calf muscle when I flex. Wih my left arm I can still lift it fine but it gets tired and starts burning fast. I know burning is sensory but if I'm exerting more energy to do things isn't it possible that it's an early sign of clinical weakness? My twitching comes and goes and isn't generalized to one area. I made the mistake of looking up some things and now realize I've been having trouble sleeping due to dry mouth.

My biggest worries are my left arm which is my dominant one getting weaker and my right leg which is weak too. It is difficult to stand for more than ten minutes without feeling like I might collapse.



I need help

 

[Nikki J]

Please stop starting new threads stick to one. Your 3 threads have been merged

 

[scorpian223]

Thank you for merging and I hope to get some responses

 

[Dusty7]

"...and I hope to get some responses."

Scorpian, you have gotten several resposnes--doesn't sound ike ALS--but apparently that is not the response you are looking for. Okay, here's another response... your symptoms do not sound like ALS.

The first neuro you saw believes it to be CTS and is treating you for that. If that treatment doesn't help, or if your symptoms progress in a meaningful way, or if your EMG points to something else, I'm sure your neuro will factor in the new evidence and modify his treatment/diagnosis plan. In the meantime, with all the evidence presented, it does not sound like ALS.

Don't ask if it could become ALS in the future. We could all get ebola in the future. Deal with what you know. Relax. Your symptoms do not sound like ALS.

 

[AfraidButNotAlone]

May God bless you and keep you close to His heart.

 

[scorpian223]

Thank you dusty I appreciate the reality check. The fact that things haven't gotten better just concern me.

 

[Atsugi]

Re: New developments or same old anxiety?

I have been fixated on this horrendous illness for a while. >>> Obsessing?
It affects my stomach anxiety so much >>> Not ALS.
- can't eat >>> ALS doesn't affect appetite.
- restless at night >>> Stress. Not a sign of ALS.
- dry mouth >>> Not a symptom of ALS. Stress.
- left arm weakness >>> could be many many things, including ALS. However, ALS is rare.
- may be atrophy in my calf muscle when I flex >>> In ALS atrophy is not a first sign, it occurs after you've been paralyzed a while.
- arm I can still lift it fine but it gets tired and starts burning fast >>> Not at all ALS.
- early sign of clinical weakness >>> No.
- difficult to stand I might collapse. >>> Blood pressure. Stress. Not ALS.
- I need help >>> Yes, you do need a doctor. We agree on that.
- Scorpion wrote: "I understand the monster of anxiety..."
You're seeing your monsters work their magic.

Scorpion, I've taken the time to read all your posts and consider seriously each of your symptoms. There's no doubt you need to see a doctor and get this fixed. It's definitely not ALS, nor any other terminal or paralyzing disease I've ever heard of. But it is seriously disrupting your life.

On this forum, we're experts on ALS and anxiety but nothing else.

About the forum here: You're right to point out that some of our members really get angry at cases like yours. Mainly it's the obsession you show, that you won't take "No ALS" for an answer. But that's not my concern.

My concern is that many of our members are paralyzed, and find it difficult and time-consuming to review each poster's thread in good faith. They are using precious energy and time, often typing with their single useful finger or through a slow and frustrating eye-tracking device. You really are being rude to disabled people, now, if you continue to post.

I suggest that, prior to your appointment, you get another appointment with a professional MD who understands how the mind and body interact. This is a perfect case for a psychiatrist, and I know there's a simple pill that will give you your life back. Go now, and good luck.