Thinking about meeting with me PCP

[mikeotis]

I read the "Do I have ALS Forum" and I have some symptoms but not all.

The worse symptom is shortness of breath when lying down, there are times where I feel like I am about to pass out for no other reason than lying down or sitting.
Next is night sweats every night even though I keep my bedroom cold.
Throughout my body at random times of the day muscles in my arms and legs will twitch painlessly. My muscles are also cramping and even waking me up at night.
In my mouth, every time I swallow if feels like I'm going to choke or the food won't go down.

Also people on a fairly regular basis ask me if I have been drinking because my speech is slurred and it feels like my tongue just doesn’t want to cooperate, especially with R’s and L’s. When I speak my throat acts up and starts to pulsate, it may always do this but I can actually feel it now.

My grip has been getting considerable worse to where I cannot grip small objects such as bolts and wingnuts and coins. Throughout my entire body my muscles are tired no matter how much rest I get. Just typing this is pretty draining for my forearms.

Walking is becoming a chore especially walking upstairs.
Throughout my entire body ill get bouts of pins and needles all over and get a hot flashes.
I know ALS is about things becoming impossible but not worse, within the last year things feel like theyre falling apart

This probably sounds all over the place but I don’t know how else to out it.

 

[starente15]

What have you done to-date to work toward a diagnosis? Any doctor visits, testing?

 

[mikeotis]

What have you done to-date to work toward a diagnosis? Any doctor visits, testing?

Nothing, yet, all these symptoms have really showed up within the last few months. Aside from the fatigue and slurred speech, that showed up last year but I attribute that to lack of sleep (school and work full time) as it went away after graduation. Now I'm out of school and get plenty of sleep and don't drink nearly as much as a used to in college.

 

[Nikki J]

Please go see your doctor. Some things are not remotely like ALS- night sweats, hot flashes , pins and needles. Also having symptoms all over - arms, legs, speech and swallow - is not usual ALs starts in one place and spreads.

You sound young? Recently finished school? That also makes ALS unlikely

You need to be seen and allow your doctor to figure this out. Do not ask is this ALS. Tell him/ her your symptoms and let them order whatever tests are needed. It is not appropriate for us to speculate on what it may be but your doctor can help you

 

[lgelb]

See your primary care doc for an exam/blood work. For example, a neoplastic process should be ruled out.

 

[Atsugi]

Mike, you're still really young to worry about ALS. I, too, don't see ALS in your symptoms, but I agree that something is not right. AS Laurie said, see the doc, sooner is better.