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GGKK

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Learn about ALS
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Vitoria
Hello!

I do not know if anyone remember but I posted some messages here 3 months ago! My mainly symptoms: Twitching 4 years (not intense, not continuous, just sometimes), sometimes vague pains...

I was putting my worries out of my mind again. But last weeks...so worried again!

I keep feeling my twitches (mainly in my right leg). Very worried I started to look myself on the mirror everyday...and I figured out that my right quadriceps has a bit less muscle than my left quadriceps! Also, in my right leg, some strange feelings (like worms under skin).

Keep jogging, playing tennis, up and down stairs...no problem! Gaining weight, 35 lbs in 3 months (I also eat a lot).

During/after playing tennis last sunday (2 hours) felt some pains in my joints (feet and ankles). But it became fine after some hours of rest. Maybe my weight (300 lbs), I do not know...

What do you think?

- What are these feelings (worms under skin)? It is happening always in the same place, when I am seated (almost continous last days).

- And about my quadriceps? Do I have to worry about?

It is important to me hearing some opinion!

Best,

GGKK
 
You need to see your doctor. We can give our opinions but we are not doctors so take what we say with a grain of salt. Having said that, fasciculations can be caused by any number of things and they don't mean anything by themselves. Try to stop worrying and make an appointment with your doctor.
 
You need to see your doctor. We can give our opinions but we are not doctors so take what we say with a grain of salt. Having said that, fasciculations can be caused by any number of things and they don't mean anything by themselves. Try to stop worrying and make an appointment with your doctor.

Hello Joel,

I know people here are not doctors. But you are experiences about it and I just would like opinions about my symptoms.

Thanks for your kind attention,

Best wishes,

GGKK
 
GGKK ... Your symptoms do not sound like ALS to me. The fact that your quadriceps left and right are slightly different sizes could be perfectly normal ... the two sides of our bodies are not identical. The joint pain after exercise could also be perfectly normal, especially with your weight. Tennis puts quite a pounding on the joints. As for the twitches and strange sensations in your leg, that's not the way ALS generally begins as I understand it.

As Joel says, none of us are doctors. See your own doctor and get some answers. It doesn't sound to me like you have anything to panic about.

Take care.



Sppechless in L.A.
 
I understand your concern - believe me I can still do some very active thing but have strange symptoms going on. Go through the process with the docs, but be thankful you do not have anything imminent going on. You played tennis for 2 hours!

Just so you know, the first time ALS crossed my mind was when I thought I saw a difference in the shape of my calf muscles from one leg to the other. That was 6 years ago!

Do I still have something going on? Yes. Is it ALS? Don't think so - but who knows? It is difficult not to obsess, but there are much more important things to focus on.

Take care.
 
I try to put my worries out of my mind but it is very hard.

I started twitches 4 years ago (may 2005). The year of 2005 was terrible, so scared, went to neuro 10 times, did 2 EMG's (clean). In all appointments neuros said me: "you are crazy, you are totally fine". In 2006/2007/2008 I was able to rest my mind (even twitching...not intense, not continuous, just sometimes).

But in january of this year, with new symptoms (vague pains), more stress! And recently the problem was these 'worms' in my right quadriceps when I am seated and my feeling of less muscle in my right quadriceps comparing with the left.

No weakness...

Trying to put my worries out of my mind again! Not easy...

All the best for you!
 
sounds like anxiety. Tell your doctor how you are feeling and ask for something to help you from worrying without a cause. Quad issues could be also caused by a weak knee and a weak knee can also cause atrophy in the affected leg. So an appointment with a good knee/leg orthopod doctor may set your mind at ease.
 
In ALS which come first? Muscle wasting (atrophy) or weakness?

Thank you.
 
You will feel weak prior to wasting. I asked my neuro that due to I feel I still look to athletic for ALS. He said inactivity (nonuse) atrophy can cause up to 25% and MND lesions cause more like 60-70%. The neuro has some tests they do in the office by asking you to do things where they can pick up on weakness before it is too bad. See an experienced neuro who specializes in MND/Anterior horn cell diseases.

My regular neurologist told me once.. I have this one patient with ALS and this is exactly how the disease progresses. He told me my clinical signs were consistent with MND (I had signs of lesions in the clinical exam), but I had an EMG/ncv over the summer for a pinched nerve in my knee and elbow that was clean (minus 2 entrapped nerves). I even told the neuro I thought I had a jaw tremor and he never examined my mouth or tongue. (My tongue twitches pretty bad at the back and middle making my jaw feel like its shaking).

I told the MND neuro what he had said and he explained that mnd/anterior horn cell diseases represent themselves unique in each individual. He also explained the clinical portion of the exam is how they diagnose ALS and the emg confirms their findings and helps with the differential diagnosis.

........so see a MND neuro, they can pick up on the lesions well in advance of significant signs of disease. If they say you are ok.. Smile.. Go home and hug your family and thank god you do not have this horriffic disease. I feel significant deterioration since March. If this is something you "think" you could have and have good days or weeks or this goes on for months.. then you dont have als and should not stress yourself out and go enjoy life.
 
Do you think a clinical exam made by a specialized MND neuro is enough to rule out ALS?

Thanks.
 
The worms under the skin are fascilations ( fancy word for muscle twiches). You ususally don't gain weight with ALS you lose it.
Please see a nueromuscular specialist to but your mind at ease.
 
Nowaday the twitches (for 4 years, since 2005) do not worry me...

My concern is about a muscle wasting I figured out in my right quadriceps. Both quadriceps have the same size...but the right one has a 'scoop' in the middle of it. I feel it when I touch it...and if I force it, it is also a little visible!

No weakness, still playing tennis, jogging...but t is scaring me a lot!
:(

All the best for you!
 
Muscle wasting with twitches is very likely to be ALS? (no other relevants sympthoms...)

Thanks for opinions!
 
No. There are several treatable conditions that have atrophy and twitches.
 
First of all, gaining 35 lbs in 3 months is going to beat up your joints when you're in the 300 lb range. Twitches don't mean a thing by themselves. You're going to feel weak and tired just carrying that weight unless you're 7 feet tall. If you have to examine your muscles that closely then it's probably not atrophy. See a good neuro if you're worried but I don't think you're going to die anytime soon.

AL.
 
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