What are Bulbar signs?

[Carli05]

Hello, I'm not sure if this is the place to ask, but here goes.

About a month ago I noticed that my speech was slurring at random times when speaking to friends. The later at night it gets, the more prominent this is. I mess up on certain words and phrases and refrain from speaking lately as it seems almost a chore to get the correct things out. This came on suddenly and only has gotten worse slowly, now It's hard for me to hold an entire conversation at work without my speech muscles feeling tired and just wanting to give up. I can move my tongue quickly, though I know even just a minor change in muscles of speech can cause issues with speaking.

Recently my voice has been sounding hoarse off and on, but hasn't gone away completely for about a week. My doctor suggested a neurologist, but where I am it's quite a hassle to see one in a short time, and am pretty upset because of these symptoms. A couple months prior to all this I started getting full body twitching out of nowhere.

I am in my 20s, and live in the United states. What are the odds that this is bulbar ALS? It's hard for me to function with the stress that this is causing. I'm pretty terrified. Can someone here help me?

 

[lgelb]

Low odds. Take some time away from whatever you're doing and get some sleep. Then if you still have symptoms, add a lot of colored (real) foods to your diet. If the symptoms persist, keep the neuro appointment.

 

[Atsugi]

Doesn't seem like ALS to me.

 

[Carli05]

Low odds. Take some time away from whatever you're doing and get some sleep. Then if you still have symptoms, add a lot of colored (real) foods to your diet. If the symptoms persist, keep the neuro appointment.

I just can't think of anything that causes the difficulty with speech for such a long period of time that gets worse, and now with my voice getting hoarse, I'm starting to get quite scared. I really don't know what to do at this point. I can't wait to see a doctor under this stress, or work, or do anything I have to do.

 

[Carli05]

Doesn't seem like ALS to me.

Could you explain in which ways it doesn't? Sorry, just worried.

 

[Carli05]

Something is weaker in regards to my speech. I just can't figure out what but it seems to be getting worse. Lips or around the jaw maybe? Anyway, I avoid speaking so I don't have to notice or have others notice it lately.

 

[affected]

Honey for someone so anxious, posting repeatedly at people who have a terminal illness, I can't understand why you don't get yourself to the doctors?

Please let it go here and let doctors start working with you. You are simply driving yourself crazy and then expecting dying people to do the task of a doctor.

Peace to you, go and sort this in the right place and remember to tell your doctor how anxious you are.

 

[ECpara]

Your age is the first reason you shouldn't worry. The odds are astronomical for you. (Read the stickies at the top of this subforum). My husband has bulbar and it started with slurring....but not as you describe "messing up on certain words and phrases". Speech muscles? I'm not sure what you mean. My husband slurred EVERY word, he sounded like the town drunk. His tongue was the culprit, nothing else. He couldn't move his tongue to make sounds. And full body twitching is not how ALS starts. Only about 5% of people at onset of ALS have twitching......and then usually only in the muscle where the ALS first shows itself. I think your anxiety is causing your twitching (very common). You don't have ALS. Stay away from Google and forums like this, you are driving yourself crazy. Good luck!

 

[GilWest]

My doctor suggested a neurologist, but where I am it's quite a hassle to see one in a short time, and am pretty upset because of these symptoms. I'm pretty terrified. Can someone here help me?

Then why not take the neuro appointment? If it is ALS, it will become obvious fairly soon...