Chuck1302
Member
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2019
- Messages
- 15
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Diagnosis
- 00/0000
- Country
- US
- State
- MS
- City
- Tupelo
Hi everyone. First of all let me thank you for your continual answering of questions from people like me- that are worried they have ALS. I understand that most of you have become experts in this field from having ALS yourself or because you a caregiver to a loved one that has ALS. That you could take the time to still help others under either of those circumstances is most admirable. I tried to read through a lot of the threads already posted but symptoms vary so it's hard to find one that describes mine. So here goes-
About a year ago, I started having random twitches. My eyes, shoulders, legs, all over... They would come and go. One in my leg lasted about 4 days and was almost non stop. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone. During this time I started to google my symptoms and you all know what that lead to. I researched enough to know that BFS was probably the culprit given that I had no muscle weakness, atrophy, or any other symptoms.
Fast forward to the first of May this year- all of a sudden my left shoulder was in a complete knot. The pain went from the base of my neck/shoulder down the back of my arm, forearm, and I had pins and needles in my thumb, forefinger, and middle finger as well as twitches in my shoulder and tri throughout the day. The pain was very intense during the night and first thing in the morning. Once I got up and moving it became tolerable.
Went to my general physician and got a series of steroid shots, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxers. No help. Went for massage- the therapist could feel the knot in my shoulder and would work it out. For half hour or so afterwards, it felt pretty good but would then seize right back up. Finally, after a month, my shoulder returned to normal but still left some pain in my left tri and the pins and needles sensation in my thumb and two fingers and some random twitches.
I notice my twitches stop when I'm active and return when I'm at rest. They seem to stop as I drift off to sleep and only return after my morning routine. During this time I had gone back to google... I was concerned about the twitches and the pain left in my tri. I remembered that twitches mean nothing without atrophy so I decided to do a little dumbbell test. With a dumbbell in each hand, and in a standing position, I performed an isolated tri exercise where I bend my elbow 45*, dumbbell headed down towards my shoulder, and back up. My right could do 30lbs, my left only 15. Now I'm scared. I start examining my tri's in the mirror. They look the same. But, If I flex my right tri and feel it with my left fingers, it's hard. When I do the opposite with my left, the muscle is not nearly as hard. Not soft but definitely softer. In my mind, it's atrophy for some reason. And it twitches... Continual flexing makes it pretty sore and causes the pins and needles to start up in my fingers.
Then, a week ago, my gf and I are out to breakfast. I get up from the table and I notice both legs, upper thighs, just feel extremely weak. Like you had just done a ton of squats and had noodle-legs. I'm a slim guy, 5'11, 160lbs. I used to work out just to stay in shape, not a body-builder by any means. Not having worked out in a year or so I ran down to my basement to see "how weak" my legs really were. To my surprise, I squatted 205lbs. The most I've ever squatted when I was really working out was 245lbs so I was satisfied that's about what I should be squatting given my time off. But, my legs still fell weak and have random small twitches a few times a day.
I've gone back to my GP for a referral to a neurologist but we only have one neuro clinic where I live and they are extremely hard to get in with- a month or longer. Meanwhile I'm driving myself crazy with google. Google says the symptoms begin very slowly, hardly noticeable, etc- I'm sure you've all seen it. But I notice the sticky here compares muscle loss to that of losing your wifi connection- that the muscle either works and you don't have ALS or, the connection is lost, and therefore the muscle doesn't work and begins to atrophy.
I would really appreciate some of your guys expert opinion on these symptoms because waiting a month or so for neuro is just is extremely stressful. Thanks so much.
About a year ago, I started having random twitches. My eyes, shoulders, legs, all over... They would come and go. One in my leg lasted about 4 days and was almost non stop. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone. During this time I started to google my symptoms and you all know what that lead to. I researched enough to know that BFS was probably the culprit given that I had no muscle weakness, atrophy, or any other symptoms.
Fast forward to the first of May this year- all of a sudden my left shoulder was in a complete knot. The pain went from the base of my neck/shoulder down the back of my arm, forearm, and I had pins and needles in my thumb, forefinger, and middle finger as well as twitches in my shoulder and tri throughout the day. The pain was very intense during the night and first thing in the morning. Once I got up and moving it became tolerable.
Went to my general physician and got a series of steroid shots, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxers. No help. Went for massage- the therapist could feel the knot in my shoulder and would work it out. For half hour or so afterwards, it felt pretty good but would then seize right back up. Finally, after a month, my shoulder returned to normal but still left some pain in my left tri and the pins and needles sensation in my thumb and two fingers and some random twitches.
I notice my twitches stop when I'm active and return when I'm at rest. They seem to stop as I drift off to sleep and only return after my morning routine. During this time I had gone back to google... I was concerned about the twitches and the pain left in my tri. I remembered that twitches mean nothing without atrophy so I decided to do a little dumbbell test. With a dumbbell in each hand, and in a standing position, I performed an isolated tri exercise where I bend my elbow 45*, dumbbell headed down towards my shoulder, and back up. My right could do 30lbs, my left only 15. Now I'm scared. I start examining my tri's in the mirror. They look the same. But, If I flex my right tri and feel it with my left fingers, it's hard. When I do the opposite with my left, the muscle is not nearly as hard. Not soft but definitely softer. In my mind, it's atrophy for some reason. And it twitches... Continual flexing makes it pretty sore and causes the pins and needles to start up in my fingers.
Then, a week ago, my gf and I are out to breakfast. I get up from the table and I notice both legs, upper thighs, just feel extremely weak. Like you had just done a ton of squats and had noodle-legs. I'm a slim guy, 5'11, 160lbs. I used to work out just to stay in shape, not a body-builder by any means. Not having worked out in a year or so I ran down to my basement to see "how weak" my legs really were. To my surprise, I squatted 205lbs. The most I've ever squatted when I was really working out was 245lbs so I was satisfied that's about what I should be squatting given my time off. But, my legs still fell weak and have random small twitches a few times a day.
I've gone back to my GP for a referral to a neurologist but we only have one neuro clinic where I live and they are extremely hard to get in with- a month or longer. Meanwhile I'm driving myself crazy with google. Google says the symptoms begin very slowly, hardly noticeable, etc- I'm sure you've all seen it. But I notice the sticky here compares muscle loss to that of losing your wifi connection- that the muscle either works and you don't have ALS or, the connection is lost, and therefore the muscle doesn't work and begins to atrophy.
I would really appreciate some of your guys expert opinion on these symptoms because waiting a month or so for neuro is just is extremely stressful. Thanks so much.
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