Is this Atrophy?

[Andy Cap]

Please help me and take a look at the pic of my left hand. Does this seem like atrophy to you? There's also picture of my right hand for comparison.

Left hand

<Right Hand Image to follow -- Mod>

 

[Atsugi]

I don't see atrophy. Do you have weak muscles?

 

[Andy Cap]

Sorry, I accidentally posted two pics of my lefthand.

Here's the right hand.

 

[Atsugi]

I've read your previous posts. Seems to me you've gotten excellent advice from the smartest people, including a wonderful neurologists, who agree you have no signs of ALS. Might wanna get your health anxiety treated, tho. --Mike

Previous thread at https://www.alsforums.com/forum/do-i-have-als-als/28640-bulbar-als-do-symptoms-match.html

 

[Andy Cap]

I don't see atrophy. Do you have weak muscles?

Sorry, I accidentally posted two pics of my left hand. I'm talking about muscle between my the little finger and ring finger and also ring finger and middle finger. I have felt some weakness in that hand but I went to see doctor and he said that the strength is fine.

I should say that I've been having this ALS fear since my fasciculations started in early march. I've seen numerous of doctors and four different neurologists, two of them are ALS specialists with one doing world reknown research on the subject. They all were pretty confident I don't have ALS. I also had EMG april whivh, apart from fasciculations in foot, was ok. This is the first time I've noticed anything resemblin atrophy though.

Also moderators, sorry about the mess I madw posting this topic.

 

[affected]

Still no ALS, sorry you can't convince us either. Believe your neuro and continue with your mental health therapy but be sure to tell your therapist that you are back to severe fears of ALS and imagining symptoms of. You don't have any ALS symptoms, you fear you do and you look for them where they don't exist.

This condition is however treatable if you will be honest with the doctor treating you.

Please let this site be, it's so unhealthy for you to start this again and disrespectful to our PALS.

 

[Atsugi]

No problem.

Andy, seriously, with all due respect, I think you really are losing your grip on reality if you think you have symptoms of ALS, when a bunch of experts say otherwise. Time to see the shrink and get that anxiety treated before it interferes seriously with your life.

 

[Andy Cap]

Sorry, I accidentally posted two pics of my lefthand.

Here's the right hand.

I will try to post the right hand pic one more time.

 

[Andy Cap]

Still no ALS, sorry you can't convince us either. Believe your neuro and continue with your mental health therapy but be sure to tell your therapist that you are back to severe fears of ALS and imagining symptoms of. You don't have any ALS symptoms, you fear you do and you look for them where they don't exist.

This condition is however treatable if you will be honest with the doctor treating you.

Please let this site be, it's so unhealthy for you to start this again and disrespectful to our PALS.

I want to offer my sincerest apology. It is absolutely NOT my intention to be in ANY WAY disrespectful to PALS. I'd like to believe I'm nice person filled with empathy.

My therapist absolutely knows where I am with this issue and trust me I'm putting tons of hard work to get over this anxiety if not for the sake of myself then for the sake of my lovely wife and two children.

But I want to make the humble question, do you see atrophy in my left hand compared to right now that I finally got the pic posted.

 

[affected]

No

 

[Andy Cap]

No

Thank you VERY much.

 

[lgelb]

Andy,
I don't see atrophy nor any reason for concern. I checked your original thread and noticed you reported chewing a lot of nicotine gum. As you noted, gum-chewing can affect jaw/facial sensations/clicking but I will add to that the fact that nicotine as a stimulant can affect body twitching, sense of unease and the like. If you are still taking in nicotine in any form, I would taper down and stop.

My suggestion to you, if you remain unable to seek treatment for health anxiety, a common and disabling condition, is to begin this year by visiting a care center where everyone is physically or mentally disabled, spread some cheer in this cold winter. Thereby find new strength in your own continued good health, as judged by what you can still do and the choices that you have, that many others, including most of those here, do not.

Best,
Laurie

 

[Andy Cap]

Re: Questions about bulbar onset

Unfortunately mu neurologist saw the pictures and thought there was some slight atrophy so I'll be having another EMG on tuesday. Hopefully this will be the last you hear from me.