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Pinetree

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May 29, 2017
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Lost a loved one
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US
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CO
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Colorado Springs
Hi everyone,

Thanks for taking a moment to read my post.

I'm a 32 year old woman, generally good health. The past month or so, I've been having hand issues. I wake up with numb, non responsive pinky and ring finger. A few minutes of hot water, and it's much better. Now I'm having some pain in my forearm and tricep. I think I may see some atrophy, but this could be in my head. Some hand weakness, nothing profound. It's a problem with both hands, but more pronounced in dominant hand.

I'm also having muscle twitches. They are not constant or localized. Generally, a handful everyday, in the legs. My legs also fatigue more easily than they used to, doing normal things like climbing stairs.

I'm not a total basket case. I realize that there are some far more likely explanations than ALS. Ulnar nerve damage from the usual boring things that happen, and muscles twitch sometimes... But I keep coming back to ALS, because I'm from an fals family.

Does this sound like a possible presentation of ALS?
 
It doesn't sound typical certainly. You should of course get it checked by your doctor and take it from there.

How close is your nearest affected relative? What is the usual age of onset in the family? Do you know the genetic mutation?
 
Thank you for your respone. There have been two confirmed cases in my family, my grandmother and her father, both affected in their 70s. I am aware of a relative in the same line a couple of generations earlier who was said to die of syringomyelia, in her early 50s. We do not not know the mutation; I wish we did.

I have an appointment to see my doctor on Friday. Whether scary or commonplace, there is something going on with my hand, and I imagine even the best case scenario involves some physical therapy in my future.
 
Your chances of the mutation are about 1 in 4 then as your parent's status is unknown and there is only a 50 percent chance they inherited it. If they did your chance is 50-50 again. If they did not inherit it then you did not either. Onset age of 70 plus or even 50s make it unlikely to be your current issue at 32. In mutations with genetic anticipation they estimate the drop in onset age to be about 7 years in 2 generations. That is not etched in stone but what they see.

I would have been more worried if you had said your parent or sibling had it in their 30s even though it sounds like something else. Good luck with your appointment
 
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