So worried over symtoms-positive its als

[Emilychazza98]

Not sure if this is related but it all started with panic attacks after i came home from my summer holiday. This carried on for a few weeks. Im not going to hide it but i do suffer from health anxiety and have been through alot of diseases the past few months.

Putting this aside.
I am only 16, and scared that i may have als. I noticed that my arm started to feel weird, almost like it doesnt want to work. Then in the last couple of months the same has happened with my leg on the same side. It feels kind of shaky and weak.. I had an appointment with a neurologist and have been to the doctors and hospital many times. However this was regarding another fear i had so they reassured me i didnt have what i thought. Each time i have seen the doctors my strength has been checked, the neurologist checked my reflexes and said that she was going to send me for an MRI which would reassure me.

 

[Candle2014]

At 16 you shouldn't be googling symptoms for diseases you think you might have. You've seen doctors who've reassured you about one disease so have moved onto one that is so very unlikely it must be near to impossible. You'd be better asking your GP to refer you to counselling to manage your anxiety.

Best wishes.

 

[Emilychazza98]

I have been refered to have counselling, and have had an assessment but nothing else has been arranged and they are making me wait on the waiting list which there is nothing i can do about!. I know i shouldnt be googling, but i truly think there is something wrong such as this disease.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Emily, as you wrote,

("I had an appointment with a neurologist and have been to the doctors and hospital many times. However this was regarding another fear i had so they reassured me i didnt have what i thought.")

Key words, "another fear" - "they reassured me" and "what I thought."

Emily, you're doing it again. This will be another fear, they will once again reassure you it isn't and it's not what you thought.

Follow through with the counseling... eager to learn. (Think about that.)

 

[ECpara]

You have a greater chance of being struck by lightning twice than having ALS. It is quite obvious to everyone on this forum that your underlying problem is strictly anxiety. Your symptoms are not remotely ALS. People who have been diagnosed (like my husband) don't "feel weird" at onset. Something just starts to not work (not "feel like it doesn't want to work").. In my husband's case it was his tongue, he began to slur his words. Nothing feels "shaky and weak" at onset. My husband's had this 3 years now, he has never felt shaky. Weakness came after his muscles started to atrophy, again after a long period of time. I'm giving you some examples. Use them as reassurance that you don't have this disease. 16 year olds need to enjoy life, not worry about something nearly impossible. Stay away from Dr. Google....he gives really bad advice.

 

[MaxEidswick]

>You have a greater chance of being struck by lightning twice than having ALS. It is quite obvious to everyone on this forum that your underlying problem is strictly anxiety

thrice! see a gp and show this thread + read the stickies!

Hi -- ALS/MND is a scary disease to consider/fear. We empathize. This note is not to deter you from your investigations, but just so thoughts on how we can help each other ...


Here are some first considerations that may help:

#1 - Read the STICKIES at the top of this forum. Many questions are answered there. 99% of new questions are addressed.


#2 We are not doctors or diagnosticians, but people who are dying from or caring for people with ALS. Some of us have to type with one hand, one finger, via dictation, or even with our eyes, so reading/replying to the anxiety-ridden can be very tiring.


#3 if you think you have a motor neuron issue, see your Primary Care Provider and get a referral to a motor neuron qualified neuro, note: most are NOT ALS/MND (Motor Neuron Disease) experienced!


#4 an EMG, properly done, is the gold standard test for ALS. But also, an abnormal EMG can indicate HUNDREDS of other, non-fatal, diseases. So listen to your doctor.


#5 ALS does NOT present with pain, cramps, or fatigue. In ALS, you feel perfectly normal but your muscles simply won't work. Typically, the first sign of ALS is a foot or a hand that inexplicably just won't lift up. It doesn't hurt or feel weak, it just is limp. That is paralysis.


#6 ALS is about failing, not feeling, so forget the "feeling" symptoms


#7 If your main issue is twitching go to the bfs forum. If you have weird neuro symptoms try neurotalk. There are also forums for health anxiety.


#8 Your doctor is wise to look at other diseases. ALS is rare. In order for it to be ALS, it has to be nothing else.


#9 Many of us cough/gag/choke and/or can no longer speak. It is difficult to have anxious people constantly chasing this disease, when we can't escape it. There seems to be this cult of ALS wannabees/groupies. You don't want to fall into that bucket do you?


#10 Anxiety can be a real problem that can endanger your physical health. It is what leads many folks here to this forum -- it is a self-fueling fire. Try to avoid using google and/or this forum if you can -- if you cannot stay away and off this forum it should tell you something important!


Lastly, if you are still interested, go to alsa dot org or mda dot org ...


We sincerely hope you do not need to be here! But find out first. If you do need to be here let me say "Welcome, sorry you are here!"


-----
Max - Monday, August 18, 2014 12:03:01 PM
-----
onset 9/2010, diagnosed with ALS by Stanley Appel 8/29/2013
It Is What It Is ...

.

 

[Emilychazza98]

i completely understand that i am not helping myself by wrrying and researching diseases and i am extremely thankful for all of your replies. what concerns me the most is that i had the problem with my arm way before i even knew what this disease was. i mentioned MND to my doctor about a month back before my neurologist appointment and she said she cannot tell me that i do or do not have something like this but she said it is highly likey that it is just anxiety. however i do not believe that anxiety can do this to my arm. i am confused to wether pain is a symptom of ALS or not as i get bad muscle ache in my lef calf muscle and have had a burning achy feeling in my shoulder and down my left arm. i do also have twitches more noticable in my calf,however i do get these in other places so i know this is probably due to stress.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Emily, you wrote, (" I do not believe that anxiety can do this to my arm.")

Yes, it can!

**Please read the first Thread by Dusty7. Read every line... don't skim read it.

Once again, follow through with the counseling... eager to learn. Often when one, most, are referred to counseling they go with resistance and reluctance ready to challenge the counselor. Be different... go to learn. (Think about that.)

 

[Emilychazza98]

i have read them many times. im so sorry if im being a pain but i just want to get to the bottom of this.
i know the chances of a 16 year old developing als in very rare but in my mind i think "it still happens"
i really do not want to offend anyone who has this disease but i came here as a last resort to see what your opinions were on my symptoms because surely it starts somewhere and progresses.

again i am sorry if i am being a pain

 

[ECpara]

Take our advice. You've asked for it so please listen. You do NOT have ALS. There is NO PAIN at onset of ALS. Chances are not just "very rare", they are nearly non-existent. You need counseling for your out-of-control anxiety. Until you get help you will go on insisting you have an impossible disease, and you will do your body harm. Have you ever heard of psychosomatic disorder? If you want to google, google that.

 

[Nikki J]

The extremely rare juvenile cases are genetic did one of your parents die from this?
You are making yourself ill and it is sad. Have you visited anxietyzone? If you can not step away from the computer try there
Good luck

 

[Emilychazza98]

Okay not going to lie but im still hanging around on this forum because i feel there is no where else. I have bad pain in my left calf that comes and goes also in my left arm sometimes. I know you said that pain isnt a sign of als but surely cramp like pain is and that is what it feels like along with the fast twitches in my toes and calf

 

[affected]

Emily honey there are far more appropriate places for you to go. There are health anxiety forums that would suit your needs far better. At 16 it may be difficult for you to grasp that expecting terminally ill people to listen and keep responding to your symptoms that are not indicative of ALS is totally not appropriate.

I wish you well in solving your issues.

 

[ECpara]

Why in the world are you insistent on latching on to a disease that is nearly impossible for you to have? There are so many other things it could be. First and foremost you need your anxiety treated. You can continue to lurk around here but it's to the point that we're not going to give you any more answers, you obviously don't listen. For the last time, bad pain is something else, not ALS. Cramps can be a zillion things, even I get bad charley horses every night and I don't have ALS, my husband does. I'm done.

 

[Emilychazza98]

Tillie, i do understand that it takes alot of time and effort to reply to all of us, which i am very thankful for. I do go on health anxiety sites alot but just couldnt seem to find a correct reason for my symptoms. I know the chances are extremely low but still have the thought "it can happen" which it has for some young people especially my age. Im just comfused to why different sites say dofferent things such as pain in als. Some say it is a sign other say it isnt till a very late stage. Which concerns me frim the ache and pain and cramp like feeling in my leg, thigh and arm (same side).
If the neurologist would have susepected anything like this would she have seen it straight away? As she tested reflexes and other things.