Now I'm scared

[wright]

I just posted a thread this morning, but since I've done that, I just noticed something different. I have had very mild weakness in my right arm for a little over a month now. Now I just noticed that I have continuous fasciculations in my forearm (in just one spot) . . . it looks like a tiny, beating heart. I can't feel it . . . but I can see it. What does this mean? I always see that fasciculatoins with weakness is bad, but what does "weakness" mean? My weakness is very mild (not clinical). Does that make a difference to the severity of fasciculations?
Do fasciculations usually come before muscle weakness? Is the muscle weakness caused by denervation and then in turn, the fasciculations start? This is the scariest thing I've ever been through.
I also saw a thread on here that showed other conditions that mimick ALS. Could someone tell me what that thread is . . . I can't seem to find it.

[Tall John]

Check my other posts, we cover this

[wright]

I went to the other posts and I'm still not sure what to think. Maybe I'm just so nervous right now, that I can't think straight.
Are these fasciculations bad? They just started today but I have had that mild weakness for a little over a month. What else could this be?

[Tall John]

It's called a Radiculopathy (I think). Same symptoms as early ALS, should show on MRI.

Pain is usually NOT a symptom.

[Peg B]

Hi Wright,

If you have not done so, please do a search - located at the top of this page for "fasciculations." There may be some other answers for you. See if that helps or sparks more questions. Best Wishes, Peg

[CindyM]

Another suggestion: you might also read some of the posts of others who are or were frighted by fasciculations and weakness. Very few of them developed ALS. It should reassure you. Cindy

[wright]

I have read many posts when it comes to weakness and fascics, but most of those are body-wide fascics. I have a few fasics in my legs, arms, back, chest . . . but those are very infrequent and I mainly notice them when trying to sleep. These new fasics I'm having now are just on the top of my forearm and beat like a little heart . . . they just don't stop. That is what has me concerned. My weakness is mild, but none-the-less, I am weaker than I used to be . . . I am sure of it . . . and the fasics are in my muscles that I'm feeling weakness.
I believe you are a moderator on here (right?) so I'm sure you're as knowledgeable as any when it comes to symptoms. Could I ask you if you think that this change in my fasics (along with my mild weakness) is cause for concern?
Thank you for all you do for all of us on here.

[CindyM]

I wouldn't be too concerned yet. ALS is not something that comes on really quickly. Even the diagnosing part sometimes takes months, since there is now real test for it. Plus, the twitches you feel can be explained by about 90 different conditions, all of which are treatable.

But we will be with you as you go through the testing and waiting process. Hopefully you will be one of our happy cases where we can all congratulate you!

[wright]

You just EXUDE warmth on here, Cindy. I know I might be jumping the gun with my ALS fears, but as I'm sure you're well aware, there are many of us on here. Thank you Cindy and thank you Al and thank you to the other moderator (I'm not sure of his name at the moment) for making this site so wonderful for those of us that have concerns and for those that are going through much more.
One last thing: you say that my symptoms can be due to many other things and I remember from reading another post on here, that there is a link that shows 100 other diseases that remsember ALS. Would you happen to know what that link is?

[CindyM]

Here are a couple. Maybe somebody has the one that lists other diseases?

Meanwhile, try this:http://www.aboutbfs.com.

Or this: http://www.rarediseases.org

Just a caution: don't feed your anxiety too much. Promise us you will spend at least part of today doing something that does not involve the computer! Here in New England we are promised a huge storm but right now the sun is out and I am going for a walk. LOL I may need a wagon and somebody to pull me but I am determined to get out into the sunshine!

[patricia1]

Originally Posted by wright

I went to the other posts and I'm still not sure what to think. Maybe I'm just so nervous right now, that I can't think straight.
Are these fasciculations bad? They just started today but I have had that mild weakness for a little over a month. What else could this be?

You should see a doctor and stop guessing. Youll make yourself crasy

[L4dybugg]

Originally Posted by wright

I just posted a thread this morning, but since I've done that, I just noticed something different. I have had very mild weakness in my right arm for a little over a month now. Now I just noticed that I have continuous fasciculations in my forearm (in just one spot) . . . it looks like a tiny, beating heart. I can't feel it . . . but I can see it. What does this mean? I always see that fasciculatoins with weakness is bad, but what does "weakness" mean? My weakness is very mild (not clinical). Does that make a difference to the severity of fasciculations?
Do fasciculations usually come before muscle weakness? Is the muscle weakness caused by denervation and then in turn, the fasciculations start? This is the scariest thing I've ever been through.
I also saw a thread on here that showed other conditions that mimick ALS. Could someone tell me what that thread is . . . I can't seem to find it.

I have seen my husbands muscles do that (shoulders, arms & sometimes legs) looks like little heart beats, he says he can feel them also. They can last several seconds, to as long as four to 5 minutes. I was wondering what that was, and if anyone else was doing that.

[Zaphoon]

Wright,

You have to be putting us on. You know far more about this stuff than most of us.

[Zaphoon]

I want a promotion to "senior member" for my last post.

[wright]

When I first came onto this forum, I was just as scared as any new person with their symptoms. In graduate school I learned about ALS but I certainly didn't learn about it in great detail; I learned about its outcome as opposed to how it's diagnosed and how it progresses and what can mimic it.

That is a big problem with medical students and students getting their degrees in medical type sciences: sometimes there isn't enough time to get the full story . . . and because of that . . . many of them think they have every "bad" disease they study. There are also many M.D.'s and Ph.D.'s that fall into this pattern. I was no exception. I now make it a point to teach the students more about ALS and bring more awareness to it.

What I chose (and needed) to do is study it, study it, study it . . . talk to my colleagues at the university . . . talk to my neuro colleagues . . . and learn as much as I possibly could about ALS and how it is diagnosed, how it progresses, etc. I also got evaluated by three different neuro's (one of whom I'm still seeing) and listened to what they had to say about my diagnosis. I simply trusted what they had to say, which is what others should also do when they get evaluated by a good neuro. I also listened to the people on this forum who gave me their time when I needed it (Al, Cindy, TallJohn, Mammaoftwo, Patricia1, Northerngirl, ZenArcher, Mt. Pockets, PegB, VMD).

Even though I didn't get a diagnosis of ALS, I promised myself and the people on this forum that I would stay and help those that are just as scared as I used to be . . . and those that simply have questions. I'm blessed with a lot of medical knowledge . . . and now . . . a lot of knowledge about ALS. My beginnings on this forum were very humble (which I have stated in some past posts) and I certainly haven't forgotten those days. So here I am, doing what I can along with everyone else on here.