Bulbar onset?

[littlelibertine]

I feel like a real jerk posting about this in a forum for people who actually have ALS. I'm sorry. It just seems so disrespectful, but I'm frantic.

I know that my real problem is that I have terrible health anxiety. But I want some reassurance from people who know what they're talking about. Please.

What's been worrying me is that I trip over my tongue several times a day. Not on the same sounds -- it's as though I just stumble over part of a word but pick right back up. Tongue and voice seems normal otherwise. But I almost cried this morning because it took me several tries to pronounce the word "ranitidine."

Fiance says that I sound normal. I'm assuming that the reason I keep tripping over my words is that I'm hyperaware of how I'm talking right now and that laser focus is heightening my anxiety, causing me to trip over words more often. It definitely does seem to coincide with when I'm feeling anxious. I've been trying to pay attention to the ways that other people talk and how often they stumble over their words. Happens more often than I think I realized at first.

Anyway, thanks.

 

[Nikki J]

Hi. It sounds as if you have good insight into what is really going on. It does not sound at all like bulbar ALS to me. I hope you are getting help with your acknowledged health anxiety. Do not let it take any more of your life and happiness. If you are in treatment already I am sure you have been told reassurance seeking is not usually effective. The health anxiety folk refer to ALS anxiety as a rabbit hole. Pull yourself out of it before you go too deep!

Best of luck and every happiness in your marriage!

 

[Atsugi]

LittleLibertine, please allow me to say nothing that Nikki hasn't already said.

It sounds like you know exactly what's going on. Of course, a true pathological health anxiety isn't something you can cure just by "toughing it out" so you'll need intervention for this. Rest assured, there's no ALS there. Good luck.