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Dustinulater

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Learn about ALS
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Ca
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Mountain View
i know it's silly to try and diagnose myself online, but i'm scared because i've been having these symptoms and when i typed them in ALS popped up. First off im amazed by the support and bravery of everyone on these forums, i think it's an amazing thing, and brough a smile to my face.

I'm a 24 year old male, 5'11" 200 lbs, smoke half a pack to a pack a day

My symptoms:
First started about 2 months ago with sharp quick headaches that would make me feel weak in the arms and legs. Ever since i've seen these white rippling lights in my vision, bewtween 10-20 times a day. For about 3 weeks after that first incidence i felt very weak, off balance, and uncoordinated, like i was in my body but wasn't. Sometimes i felt dizzy, weak, and felt like i was falling, or had a tendancy to lean to my left. I just didn't feel right. My PCP said it was anxiety and sent me on my way....but here's the thing, i know my body and something isn't right, i felt like there was no sympathy or any urgency for this doctor to find out what was going on with me. For the last 5 weeks, i have experienced heart palpatations, tough time taking a deep breath. some chest pains, left side flank pain, constipation, sharp stabbing pains to the left of my belly button. The biggest symptom for the past 5 weeks has been the muscle twitching or spasms all over my body. They started in my left abdomen, mid lower and upper, and have ssince moved to my chest, inbetween my ribs, on the insides of my knees, on my shoulders, on my neck, in my back, things, and biceps. There has been some soreness accompanied by them, like in my bicep. The heart palpatations, muscle twitching, and white lights are thbiggest problems. I have had some soreness in my upper thigh and claves, but no twitching in the calves, infact like a lot of BFS sufferers not twitching in the eyelids either. I saw a cardilologist and pulmonoligist to rule out cardio and pulmonary problems which they cleared and recommended i see a neurologist next week. All 3 of my doctors did perform basic neurological exams (stand on one foot, hop on the other, reflexes, etc, and said i seemed ok) Standing on my left leg though i do feel off balance and have a hard time staying balanced. Sometimes i still get the sharp headaches, but no accompanying weakness. The only thing i can do to recreate the white rippling lights in my vision on demand is take 4 deep breathes in a row, but i always see them when i am breathing normally. I have had some tingling in my extremeties,not sure what that could relate to. My knee or knee cap has been very sore and has some "lumps on the cap" that feel funny, but is very sore. I do get bouts where i yawn profusily and have frequent urination, but not all the time. I constantly feel the need to stretch my body, and even when i stretch i don't feel satisfied. I also have a "warm rushing water sensation" in my legs, primarily in my right leg. I do have muscle stiffness and some discomfort in my back, but could be from how i sleep, not sure. A couple times i did experience some pain swallowing, like i swallowed wrong or something, about 4 seperate times. What could this be? does this sound like it could be ALS? or something else someone might know about? im just tired of being neglected by my doctor's and not addressing my concernse, im really scared, and at this point just want a diagnosis of something, it would ease my mind, and i just want to feel better, please help
 
So far as you've described it you don't have any real symptoms of ALS. You may have googled twitches and it led you to an ALS conclusion. Sure , a lot of people with ALS have twitching but it is not normally recognized as a symptom of it. The headaches and light flashing and stomach problems are not ALS symptoms. I'd be less concerned about ALS and more concerned with what might be going on inside your head in regards to your symptoms. Maybe the neuro can help you with that.

AL.
 
Dustinulater,
I didn't have the energy to read your whole post so I can't comment on the ALS question but I did get this part:

"I'm a 24 year old male, 5'11" 200 lbs, smoke half a pack to a pack a day"

so if you want any advice it is this: quit smoking and maybe shed a few pounds too!
 
Dustinulator, I would highly recommend that you see a nutritionist. I am not a medical doctor so this is just my personal opinion but the headaches and flashes sound to me like you consume way too much sugar and the constipation indicates you really don't get enough fiber in your diet. The heart palpitations probably come from all the cigarettes you smoke and/or maybe you are a big coffee or Coke drinker. I don't know what your diet is like but if you are 24, you might not eat in the most healthy way. What you eat, drink and smoke can profoundly affect the symptoms you describe. I hope you find some answers!
 
dust

Have you been to an eye doc? maybe you have a optic nerve issue. I suffered from ocular migranes after I gave birth and it was scary. I had prisms, flashing lights, you name it. Motrin is what relieves it. Kinda funny, at the start of my saga Ihad that warm water rushing feeling as well. Haven't heard alot of people talk about it. It was on my thigh. and sometimes calf. My thigh a year later is rippled and uneven compared to other one and I have emg needles poked into that leg with clean results? Go figure. I had the knee pain as well, but that is very few these days. I have alot of what you say, and I was really sick and my body went wack! I have had als ruled out. I think I have a funky muscle autoimmune I may never know thing going on. I have been seeing an als specialist/professor for over a year and had every test that one could have (not the spinal tap) and nothing has shown up. some things have got better and some things worse. Usually when you have so much going on it points toward autoimmune. Thats what i was told!
Hang in there and please dont worry, I did for so long and nothing has been diagnosed yet.

april
 
Dust,

It sure doesn't look like a case of ALS to me, either (but I'm no doctor).

Like Al pointed out, headaches and occular trouble (light flashes) are not symptoms of ALS and twitches are caused by many things, anxiety being a chief one.

I would quit smoking so much. Your heart doesn't like it and neither do your lungs.

Zaphoon
 
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