Questions of progression & symptoms

[bksmvh]

I am trying hard not to bother all of you guys. I know the effort it takes to reply to us all. I was just hoping to ask about if ALS can progress this quickly...
A couple of months ago I posted that I had a bunch of symptoms which I know now some of which were due to anxiety. I am left with the issue that started it all and that being - a left leg that feels like it's going to give out and off. Something feels off in the knee of the left leg. I also have a pain at times in my lower left side of my back.

My ankle is starting just now to feel weak. I have pain in my shins, thigh and calf muscles of left leg.
I also have started last week to have pain in my left arm, shoulder and muscles of the left arm. Pain in my fingers of left hand and tenderness at the fingertips of my ring finger.

I try not to look too much for atrophy but can't help but notice that my left knee looks like it has a dent on one side, hard to tell though and my left ankle has less soft tissue or whatever it is that surrounds the ankle bone. Is that muscle?

I have had a brain a c spine MRI already and both came back ok.

 

[MaxEidswick]

>A couple of months ago I posted that I had a bunch of symptoms which I know now some of which were due to anxiety. I am left with the issue that started it all and that being - a left leg that feels like it's going to give out and off. Something feels off in the knee of the left leg. I also have a pain at times in my lower left side of my back.

what do your docs say?

 

[bksmvh]

The neuro that I am seeing (saw him last right before thanksgiving when I only had the leg issue) said that most likely this is all anxiety. I am seeing a psychiatrist who put me on lexapro about 4.5 weeks ago. He wanted to wait until closer to 6 weeks before he sends me for an EMG. He said that if he felt I needed an EMG he would have sent me for that from the start and if he sends me for one now it's to study the nerves. I just don't know what else it could be if the MRI's came back o.k. and if I am feeling worse than I was and now have the arm issues.

 

[MaxEidswick]

>The neuro that I am seeing (saw him last right before thanksgiving when I only had the leg issue) said that most likely this is all anxiety.

thhen you probably wwant to just try to relax, stay away from sites like the (read the stickies), and doc google

 

[ECpara]

ALS onset doesn't start all over, it starts subtly in one area; like a hand that has trouble picking up objects, or a tongue that can't pronounce sounds. Your so-called "symptoms" are all over the place. ALS does NOT start this way. Pain and tenderness are also not symptoms of ALS. Have you read the stickies? You need to get treatment for your anxiety and stay away from google. Relax and good luck.

 

[bksmvh]

Thank you - I forgot to mention that I am 35. I am mostly concerned as the symptoms are primarily on the left side and I know that if it was something auto immune related it would be equally on both sides so I don't know what else it could be. Thank you so much for the reply, I appreciate you taking the time. My heart goes out to everyone suffering from this disease.

 

[Nikki J]

It is certainly untrue that if it were autoimmune it would be equally on both sides. Some may be that way sometimes but it is far from a universal truth

 

[bksmvh]

Thank you Nikki, I forgot to mention that I also have twitches all over. I don't know how common those are in auto immune issues. I do have a positive ANA and have for the last 10 years and have had joint pain but never had muscle paint or twitching like I do now. My rheumatologist had told me to rule out other neurological issues and then come back to her.

 

[bksmvh]

Hi, I'm sorry to bring back this post but I have some questions about atrophy and didn't want to start a new thread. Is there pain with atrophy? And also would I have a loss of function with it? Like would I still be able to use my leg? I have noticed that my left quad muscle looks a lot smaller than my right and I have some saggy skin (more so than on right) by my thigh. It looks kind of lumpy when I flex it. If I stand straight it looks pretty much the same as my right side.
I went to my rheumatologist last week and she thought maybe I had fibromyalgia given the muscle pain but with this I don't think she is right. Any thoughts are greatly appreciate. I am so sorry for the bother and appreciate all the input.

 

[bigpiz]

I am by NO means an expert. In fact, I'm currently in your shoes - despite people on this board suggesting the opposite, I'm terrified I have ALS given my symptoms.

However, I still think I can shed some light on your question. Hopefully this will save some of the PALS some effort from needing to type out a lengthy reply.

Atrophy can ONLY follow weakness, speaking from a physiological perspective. Atrophy is a result of a muscle not being used or being unresponsive. Since ALS is a neurological issue, the muscle will not be responding. After a prolonged period of unresponsiveness, the muscle begins to atrophy, much like people when they wear a cast for several weeks/months. A question I posed on the bored was due to my constant little fascics. I am an avid weightlifter, a competitive bodybuilder, and have previously held powerlifting records. Some say that twitching CAN be a first symptom that is noticed (and I'm assuming to some degree atrophy, too). It is my understanding (and hopefully people can confirm this so I'm not spewing anything incorrect) that the reason those two can be initial symptoms is because the individual wold have no adequate way of assessing weakness.

For example, let's say I have a great deal of twitching, which is true. Even though I have the symptoms of ALS in regards to twitching, many people have told me that is unlike because I would have seen a great decline in my workouts by the time twitching has set in. Now, lets take an individual who actually has ALS (undiagnosed) and they also have twitching as an only symptom. They, however, are largely sedentary and rarely exercise. Then when they go in for a clinical...BAM - they have tons of weakness that they never noticed. This is applicable to you, also. As long as you are decently active and have ways of assessing your functional strength, you would have LOTS of weakness prior to atrophy.



Funny how I can think logically when it comes to others, yet I'm still convinced I have ALS myself. Crazy how the brain works. Hope this helped. Again, if anyone reads anything false in the above statement, PLEASE correct me.

 

[bksmvh]

Bigiz, thank you for getting back to me. I have the feeling of weakness in my left leg. That's how all of my concerns started and after going to a couple of neuros they told me that I wasn't weak but now w this look of my leg and the pain and feelings in my left leg that I have recently I am even more concerned. I also have a sharp pain in my left glutes area. I guess I was wondering if the leg would be functioning? I don't know if what I am experiencing could also be from me favoring my right leg so causing my left muscle to be less. I don't know if that's possible. Thank you so much for answering me though. Your answer is helpful.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Bigpiz, the time has come for you to excuse yourself from this Forum, my opinion.

As you just wrote previously, ("I am an avid weightlifter, a competitive bodybuilder, and have previously held powerlifting records.")

That would pretty much sum up your twitches and other symptoms.

Bksvmh... sorry to interrupt your Thread.

 

[affected]

Al is completely correct. Bigpiz you should not be commenting on other peoples threads, and your post was quite simply a pile of .... If you go back and read the sticky it states clearly that you should come here, ask your questions, if the answer is no ALS then you should leave. Please do move on for your own sake.

bk you were right to post back here in your thread rather than start a new one, thank you.

To answer your actual question, there is no pain with atrophy.

Please do go back to your doctors yet again, find a new one if you don't believe the ones you are seeing. But don't stop returning to your doctor until you get to the bottom of what is happening to you. The great news is that you honestly do not present ALS symptoms. There is something going on, but it's your doctor that can help you to discover what and then treat it.

I wish you all the best

 

[bksmvh]

Thank you Tillie, I have an appt in a couple of weeks with my neuro. I am just really noticing that my left quad muscle looks smaller than my left and when I measured my thighs there was a half inch difference. I haven't had a chance to tell the doctor yet being as it's the weekend. My leg feels shakier when I try to stand on just that leg, would I have more symptoms if this was ALS atrophy? I also keep having a burning pain in my thigh. And twitching that is still going on....

 

[skipper66]

Please kindly quit asking anymore questions on here. We've politely answered several of your questions and members with alot of hands on experience with ALS said that they don't believe that your symptoms are related to it. That's all we can do. Don't keep badgering with questions after questions. We aren't doctors! If you don't like the one you got find a new one. It's that simple really.
This is a ALS support group. It is for members with ALS and their friends and family members who support him. It is not Dial a doc. True we do have this thread to help people who are still in the diagnostic process with their questions. But, once we answered it is time to move on. I'm not saying you don't have something going on but we don't think it's ALS. So, go somewhere else to look for your answers. If a doctor does eventually do tests and it does turn out to be ALS then at that time you are more then welcome to join us. Thank you, Kim