Do I have ALS?

[ajewe11]

Symptoms started in August of 2014

Here is my story:
I am a 24 year old male, 23 at the time of symptoms. Twitching started in my shoulder region. Right shoulder to be exact. Didn't think of it until 2 weeks later I felt the same twitch and I started researching. At the time I was playing multiple sports. Soccer, volleyball, football, softball, and on the occasion, basketball. Probably overdoing my muscles a little bit, especially at my age, so I started to slack off to see if that would help with the twitching. Another note, I tend to go a long time without drinking water before I realize it. So I made it a point to start drinking more water. Didn't help a whole lot. Twitching started going throughout my whole body as time went on and that made me more nervous. It's more aggravating than anything to be honest. I already knew I had somewhat bad anxiety but the twitching only made it worse, which in return makes the twitching worse. You know the cycle. At one point I convinced myself that I had ALS but as time went on, my symptoms didn't get any worse so I convinced myself that I didn't have ALS, but could possibly have BFS. I notice a lot that my muscles do, in fact, feel "weak" but never weak enough to where I am concerned that I need to go to a doctor. I justrecently started feeling like my toes were numb but I can still move them and wiggle them around. And I have done a lot of strength tests to see if my toes/feet/calves are weak.
As time passes, it gives me relief but the twitching is an annoyance. My question is...with all of these symptoms and twitching for almost 2 years. I can almost rule out ALS, right? Sorry for the long story, but I wanted to give as much detail as possible on the first try.

 

[Atsugi]

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about ALS. You already have a good idea why. The numbness in your toes and the "weak" feeling in your muscles points AWAY from ALS.

Since ALS destroys nerves in the brain, those nerves can't send the "go" signal to the muscle. So the muscle just doesn't go anymore, ever again. Since the muscle isn't doing any work, it doesn't get tired. So there's no "weak" feeling to ALS. No numbness, either. And at 24 years old? Naaa.

And you're right, if ALS started attacking you in August 2014, you'd probably be seeing actual paralyzed muscles by now--if you were still alive.

 

[ajewe11]

Sorry for the late response to your reply. But thanks so much. As time passes, my mind is at ease but twitching is a scary thing. I just wish it would stop and I could go back to a normal life.

Thanks once again