ALS first symptoms

[Info123]

Hi all,

a couple of weeks ago I had an intractable headache for about 14 days . It got so bad I finally went to the ER where I was admitted for a week to try and get it under control. They performed CT scans of my Brain, a spinal tap, and a brain MRI. Everything looked okay, but after discharge I began having some weird symptoms. First, the muscles in my legs began to twitch slightly. I wrote it off to a nerve irritation from the spinal tap, but it quickly got worse. About 2 weeks ago the twitching spread to my entire body. I still twitch most in my legs (with it almost non stop throughout my left leg) but I also now twitch in my stomach, shoulders, arms, and my bladder/bowel regions. To add to my worries, my left leg feels kind of numb.. it's hard to explain, but it feels like a constant low grade buzz is going on through my leg muscles at all times. I still have all sensation and feeling. So what I'm curious to know is, do any of you feel like that "numb" feeling might be ALS along with the twitching? I'm not meaning to asking for a diagnosis, just looking to see if this sounds similar to anyone else's first symptoms. I saw a neurologist today and after reviewing my test results and seeing the fasciculations he told me to come back in 4 months and see if I begin to have weakness. I can't get my mind to think about anything else and any advice or stories would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Zachary

 

[affected]

Hi Zachary, at the top of this forum section is a post titled READ BEFORE POSTING. It answers your questions and is our official position. No, what you describe is not the way ALS starts, so that's great news. I hope you get some answers on what is happening, remember twitching means nothing. All the best.

 

[Info123]

Hi Tillie,

thanks so much for taking the time to reply I sincerely appreciate it.

Best regards,
Zachary

 

[lgelb]

Info, do you know what drugs they gave you during your week-long stay? I would certainly ask for the hospital record if you don't have it. Some kind of diagnosis had to be coded...doesn't sound like ALS at all, but does sound like something that should be followed at less than a 4-month interval.

Best,
Laurie

 

[Info123]

Hi Laurie,

I was given all kinds of muscle relaxers, lots of magnesium, and some anti nasuea medications like Reglan and Compazine. Nothing really worked and it finally went away, but now all these symptoms have started.

I guess I will just wait and see if anything progresses like my neurologist told me to do. My left leg (most in my quad area) feels very tight and just twitches constantly, but I'm hoping it just goes away.

I started taking magnesium supplements and leg excercises, but it's not really doing much. I will update this thread if I get anymore answers.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Best regards,

Zachary

 

[Info123]

Hi all,

I've noticed that now my leg left quad (that twitches constantly) is noticeably smaller than my right. I had a family member look at it and I measured my muscles and it's definitely smaller. I know ALS doesn't usually hurt, but my whole leg feels like it needs a really good stretch (especially in the quad) but that never provides reliefs.

The twitching/spasm has also gotten stronger at times near the knee where the muscle is now smaller. I'm only 23 and I'm fairly active, and I've always had pretty defined quad muscles. The body wide twitching is still there, but iid say now 70% in my left leg.

Would any of you recommend I try to get back to the Neuro for an EMG? I've been taking Magnesium and other vitamins and they do nothing.

I feel I should also mention I've had some weird unexplained health problems for almost exactly one year that have come and home repeatedly. Everything from joint pain ( in my wrist and costochondral joints), bradycardia at times, migraines as mentioned, vertigo, tinnitus, and much more. I was treated for Lyme multiple times to see if it was that even though my tests were all negative. Fibromyalgia was thrown at me but I feel like that's just what doctors say when they don't know what's going on.

I had twitching very minimally at different times this year, but nothing to this degree and no muscle loss and weird sensations like I'm experiencing now.

Has ALS been known to begin in the quad area for anyone?

I'm really just struggling with what to do at this point. My leg is becoming more problematic by the day and April seems so long away.

Best Regards,

Zachary

 

[Firefighter58]

Nothing you describe Zachary sound familiar to me, I suggest you start with your family doctor and go from there.

 

[affected]

Please don't keep asking us to repeatedly tell you that you are not describing ALS. I know you are very scared. No one is symmetrical and you have zero symptoms.

You need to stop for your own sake. Go tell a doctor how incredibly anxious you are about ALS and ask for help for that. This can be treated.

 

[Info123]

Thank you guys for taking the time to reply I really do appreciate it.