25 and anxious

[dmb1990]

Hi,

I am a 25 year old woman and I suffer from anxiety. I also have diagnosed Hashimoto's and my Vitamin D isn't in the best shape. However, last I checked in July my thyroid was at an acceptable level (2.something) I am so sorry for you all that suffer from this disease - just having symptoms is making me beyond anxious.

Things I am experiencing:
1) Body wide twitching (or fasciculations as I see them described here) - I can feel it consistently throughout the day and have actually viewed it on my left calf, in the crease between my thumb and pointer finger on my left hand, and in the elbow crease on my right arm. However I feel it everywhere ranging from my lower body to my stomach to my arms. I feel like this has been going on for awhile, but I've been noticing it more in the past week.

2) I do get charlie horses fairly frequently. Nothing crazy, but I'd say weekly. Often they're in the night, but sometimes in the day too. Mostly in the leg, occasionally in the foot.

3) I don't feel any weaker than usual. My hands are operating as they always have and I feel capable of doing everything I've always done.

4) I've jumbled my words in recent weeks, but nothing crazy (i.e., accidentally used the word snug instead of smug)

5) I have tremors in my hands constantly, unless they're at complete rest.

6) Sometimes I feel like my body is shaking internally.



This is everything I've got. I am actually going to my GP tomorrow for general blood work and to check my thyroid, but when I've typed in these symptoms on Dr. Google, ALS is constantly popping up and scaring the hell out of me. I have no family history, not that I think that makes any difference. Any and all insights are so appreciated.

Thank you all.

 

[dmb1990]

Not sure how to edit - I also wanted to mention that I drink ZERO caffeine. I'm jittery and anxious by nature and avoid all of it like that plague. I do drink alcohol socially, but it's hardly even worth mentioning it's so minute.

 

[affected]

I have great news for you! Anxiety causes all the symptoms you describe, so be really clear when you see your doctor as it is very treatable.

ALS causes none of what you describe, despite what you have read online.

 

[dmb1990]

Tillie,

Besides ALS, do you have any thoughts on what causes these constant muscle twitches/fasciculations.

Thank you for the encouraging words. I appreciate it.

 

[Atsugi]

Thanks, dmb, for including rich detail. That makes it easier to say this: you don't need to worry about ALS at all.

I'm not a doctor, but I know ALS pretty well. My wife was a doctor for 20 years, and I cared for her every need until she died of ALS. I've been studying the disease and talking with people who have it, for several years now. When I speak with doctors, I find that many of them are not really very familiar with it. It's rare.

First, twitches. Half the population has them after 25 years old. Perfectly healthy people have them.Yes, they happen in ALS, but they happen in lots of other things. They're so common, they're not diagnostic of anything. You can just laugh at them and consider them an amusing benign phenomena. Something weird the body does.

Second, your age: I recently saw a database of 1800 people with ALS. Most of them were 50s and 60s. Only 3 of the 1800 were in their twenties. They were 27, 28, and 29. If a 25-year-old were to get this disease, it would be a real eye popper.

Concerning your speech: In a rare kind of ALS, called Bulbar ALS, it starts with slurring your words. Very badly. You see, the tongue gets paralyzed, and lays in the mouth limp and useless. People around you notice you're obviously slurring your words. But in your case, you can move your tongue around, so I wouldn't sweat it.

Tremors and shaking and charley horses are not symptoms of the new onset of ALS. I don't know what that is. Maybe you need a better diet, vitamins, or something. Your doctor will figure it out.

The really big deal about ALS is clinically observable weakness. (Not just feeling weak. Actually not being able to lift up a foot or a hand.) You don't have that.

So don't sweat ALS. I don't know what might be going on, but it sure isn't ALS. Tillie is right: it sounds more like stress and anxiety. Your GP will figure it out tomorrow.

 

[dmb1990]

Atsugi, thank you for such a detailed response. As someone who suffers from anxiety, the more details someone gives me, the calmer I get. I really appreciate the depth to your answer and I definitely now see that the symptoms I'm experiencing are not indicative of ALS. Thank you very, very much. I'm sorry that your familiarity with this disease comes from seeing you love suffer through it.

 

[Atsugi]

You're kind, dmb. Now be gone and enjoy your life.

 

[dmb1990]

Hi There,

I have gone to the doctor and they have run all sorts of blood tests and I don't appear to be deficient in anything besides Vitamin D. My muscle twitching is still occurring almost constantly in my left calf, with some sporadic twitching in various other muscles. However, without a doubt 85-90% is in my left calf. My doctor told me to come back in 6 months if it was still an issue, but that seems like such a long time! I don't notice any weakness, however my left leg is also kinda tight (according to my massage therapist) and is sore occasionally.

I know initially everyone that had commented had said it could be a number of other things, and I just wanted to check in with the twitches being more isolated and most of my blood tests being normal.

Thoughts?

 

[Atsugi]

Just to remind you, you posted: "I definitely now see that the symptoms I'm experiencing are not indicative of ALS."

Tillie was absolutely correct: "ALS causes none of what you describe, despite what you have read online."

You didn't describe ALS in any of your posts. We won't speculate on what might be the problem, because we're not doctors and this is not a general health forum. But we know ALS pretty well, and you don't have it.

If you're unwilling to accept your doctor's advice, get another doctor.

 

[lgelb]

Boston, blood work at a single point in time doesn't necessarily reveal electrolyte imbalances.

Find yourself some bananas, fruit smoothies and go up or down on salt depending on whether you are a chip/salt person or not. Be hydrated but not sloshy. You could also try a dab of magnesium lotion on the leg in question. And do gradual stretches every morning to elongate those twitchy muscles.

Rejoice! You're going to get better.