ALS or Anxiety?

[kellysmum]

I'm a 43 year old female, and for the past 8 months, I have been experiencing extreme tiredness and fatigue. I go to bed at 8:00 p.m. and sleep 12 hours, and I'm still very tired the next day. During the last few weeks, I developed a twitch just below my left eye that is constant. I was referred to a neurologist and he found I have "hyper" reflexes and I failed the heel to toe walking test. The neuro mentioned MS first, but he did not rule out ALS. He did say that if the MRI came back negative and the EMG also, that he would consider anxiety as the diagnosis.

My question is, is it possible to have the symptoms I have, and have it just be anxiety?

 

[awieleba]

Hi!

I am no expert as to tell someone if it sounds like als!I know anxiety can cause some problems but I hate when that is the assumption for everything! one twitch under the eye I dont think is cause for alarm. ALOT, of people get eye twitches--I am sure everyone has had that at one point. Please dont let an eye twitch freak you out. The only thing you can do is sit and get your tests done and see what they say. You could have a virus, I had the EBV virus 15 yrs ago and I was tired like that for a year and thought I had ms. I had none of the issues then that Ihave know.

I have hyper reflexes as well, If i slap my hand down in the right spot my leg jerks. MY neuro did not seem concerned about it. I have been told that it is just one of many clinical findings. maybe you have not been able to do the heel & toe thing, prior to this, had you ever tried before?

I hope that your tests go well and get to the bottom of it for you. Trust me, it is hard.

take care,

april

 

[crystalkk]

Extreme tiredness and fatigue could be caused by alot of different things.
The twitch below your eye is probably anxiety related, eye twiches are very common. Hyper reflexes can be caused by anxiety also. Are you drinking alot of caffine to stay awake? That can cause both of those symtoms.

What bloodwork have you had?

I'm not a dr but I would difinately not jump the gun to ALS.

 

[kellysmum]

Bloodwork

I had just basic bloodwork done: CBC with diff, BUN, hemoglobin A1C, and liver tests.

The neurologist didn't order any bloodwork. My family doc did. The neuro went straight to ordering an MRI and a sleep study (b/c I'm so exhausted during the day, I guess).

 

[crystalkk]

Did you have the sleep study yet?
Did your GP check your thyroid?

 

[kellysmum]

I have the sleep study scheduled for the 24th. Yes, my thyroid was tested and came back fine.

BTW, why are sleep studies necessary?

 

[Al]

Sleep studies are used to tell if you have sleep apnea which is closing of the wind pipe during sleep causing snoring and sometimes gasping for air which wakes you but you think you slept ok but really were up all night gasping for air. Thus tiredness and fatigue. A CPAP might be prescribed.
In an ALS patient it is usually done to check oxygen and CO2 levels during sleep to see if you need a Bipap. In answer to your original question, anxiety and tiredness could cause the symptoms you describe. You might just need a Cpap. No big deal at all.

AL.

 

[Sammantha]

I have anxiety over the medical situation i am in... I am also prone to anxiety, NOT depression. Usually before your body shows physical symptoms you have noticeable worries. Like for instance i worry about if i am going to get better, then i think if i dont i will loose my car, my house, my husband, my kids future aughhhhhhhhh then i start showing physical signs like the shakes. I have learned to nip my thoughts in the bud, and also klonopin helps a lot! I keep telling myself Ignorance is Bliss...... Whoever came up with that saying is a genius. Good luck, Sam