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dheinrich20

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Nov 12, 2007
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Learn about ALS
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Illinois
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Chicago Ridge
Hello everyone. I need some reassurance because my mind will not stop thinking that I have A*S. Heres my backround:

I am a 22 y/o male. Last year, i was sick for about 3months. I went to doctor, after doctor, after doctor. They couldnt tell what was wrong with me. I went to doctors who did test that came back that my white blood cell count was high... I got online and checked my symptoms and came up with tons of bad diseases (lukemia, cancer, lymphoma). I got to the point where i was going to die. I honestly thought that. I finally went to a doctor, and she gave me some antibotic which seemed to clear everything up. Soon after I started to feel better.. I all of the sudden got muscle twitches in my arch of my foot and calf muscles and thighs (i want to say it was jan or feb of this year). This happened for a good three weeks and all of the sudden it disappeared.

About three months ago, I started getting bad headaches and started worring about the headaches because I had them for a good three weeks untill a doctor took a CT of my head and told me I had a sinus infection and gave me medicine for that. When My headaches started happeneing and i began to worry about it, I again started getting muscle twitches. This time it was all over. My calfs, my arms, thighs, back, stomach, upper eye lid and my back.

I went back to the doctor who did some basic blood tests for the muscle twitches. All came back normal. I asked for cholestrol test just for my referenece, which i had to come back for the next day to get the results. I came back and a different doctor gave me the results and asked why i was in here. I told him i was having muscle twitches. He told me i should go see a neurologist.

I made the appointment and about a week later i went to see him. The neuro did some basic tests (reflex test, strength test, exc..) and he tryed to see my twitching, but couldnt get my body to twitch! it was weird! He told me I had BFS. I was fine with the Diagnois until i got home and looked up BFS.

So here I am looking up BFS online and came upon a website stating that doctors can only make a diagnosis of BFS after an EMG, and other tests to rule out ALS and other diseases (which the doctor didnt do) ...

So I am still freaking out because I still get the muscle twitches, and sometimes i get pain in my leg. I also started notcing that when I do my cardio workout that my left leg sometimes feels like it cramps and gets a "burning" sensation untill i stop my workout.

I dont have any kinda weakness.. and I dont think i have any kind of Atrophy (i really dont know what it looks like.. anyone if you can please describe).

Any input on my situation would be greatly appreciated! I am just keep freaking myself out.

Thanks everyone!
 
Also.. does Muscle Atrophy follow muscle weakness?
 
Hi--
Chances are you do not have ALS. But just to get definitive reassurance, you should ask your primary-care physician to refer you to a neurologist who specializes in neuromuscular diseases--such a specialist would be the one to order an EMG if it is indicated.

Best,
Jeff
 
Hey, Im 22 too and had/have the same. You dont have ALS - you twitch more than 6 months without weakness and atrophy - in your age you have higher chance to be killed by small meteor.
I can see you have really nice health anxiety (checking high level of white cells on net -white cells are higher in any infection ). This anxiety could lead to twitching, like in my case - Im pretty nervous and health-anxious person. I dont twich (almost) last days, since Im nearly convienced its not ALS.

PS: Try to eliminate caffeine, it makes twitching worse. It was better when I dont eat chocolate, cafee etc.
 
Thanks so much for your input! Its greatly appreciated. I went to see my Doc today and he put me on Lexapro. He stated I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. So we shall see if the "happy" pills work.:mrgreen:
 
Hi. That's good news! So did you see a neurologist or your gp? Are you having an EMG done?
 
No EMG right now. I am taking my neuros word for "BFS"....
 
dheinrich20: LOL, I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder too! I was on the Klonopin to get over the darkest times and now Im taking 125 mg Serlift and its much better.
Dont be affraid, we are the same age, same symptoms (except I have tremors too) and both really anxious - I think that this proves pretty well that twitching can be disorded caused by anxiety or íts anxiety that leads to auto-immune disorder.
Have twitching before weakness is possible, but very rare and it doesnt last too long when the weakness and atrophy appear.
What about babinsky and hoffmans signs?
 
What is BFS ? Geo
 
dheinrich20: LOL, I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder too! I was on the Klonopin to get over the darkest times and now Im taking 125 mg Serlift and its much better.
Dont be affraid, we are the same age, same symptoms (except I have tremors too) and both really anxious - I think that this proves pretty well that twitching can be disorded caused by anxiety or íts anxiety that leads to auto-immune disorder.
Have twitching before weakness is possible, but very rare and it doesnt last too long when the weakness and atrophy appear.
What about babinsky and hoffmans signs?

The babinsky.. I believe is the foot stroke test?... if that what it is, then thats negitive.

The Hoffman i have no idea what that is.. can you explain? explain how to do it so I may test it. Thanks!
 
Geo: BFS is benign fasciculation syndrome. You have fascics, fatique...and thats it. Its benign but almost everyone who had is is scared of als.

dheinrich20: Hoffmans sign - its test for abnormal reflexes. If you tap on the nail on your third or fourth finger, your thumb and index finder should be without reaction. If these fingers move, its positive hoffmans sign.
 
Would you still get atrophy with BFS?
 
Geo: BFS is benign fasciculation syndrome. You have fascics, fatique...and thats it. Its benign but almost everyone who had is is scared of als.

dheinrich20: Hoffmans sign - its test for abnormal reflexes. If you tap on the nail on your third or fourth finger, your thumb and index finder should be without reaction. If these fingers move, its positive hoffmans sign.

Blizna,

WHen you say "without reaction" do you mean finger curl, or jump or move at all?
 
Blizna--
What is the generic name for Serlift?

Thanks,
Jeff
 
shopathonic: Im not sure about the right name, but the main component is Sertralini hydrochloridum. I think it really works for me.

dheinrich20: No, you shouldnt get any response from the thumb muscles. The thumb shouldnt be affected by tapping on fingernail.

Just J: Atrophy isnt with BFS. But C4-C7 compression can pretty nice mimic ALS, since it compress nerves the muscles twitch and atrophy... I know few people with BFS and atrophy and it was different problem (carpal syndrome and back problems)
 
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