ALS possibly triggered by visit to Water Park

[rcharlton]

As to what may have caused my ALS - I have tried to think about things that I have done more than anyone else.

One of which is eating Apples - and maybe not washing them enough.

I have been having an apple a day for about 28 years - so maybe the pesticides. A friend of mine was talking to an Apple Farmer and he was saying that they spray the apples 16 times with pesticides during the growing season.

Also - I bike a lot in the City - so I am probably sucking up a lot of exhaust.

And I also swim a lot - so maybe the chlorine...

I've done a fair bit of scuba diving too - maybe sucking in air from an Aluminum tank? Actually I probably ingested way more aluminum from teflon pans and aluminum cans...

Probably a combination of the above and a lot of other things...

ALS does seem to afflict a lot of active people...so maybe by being so active we are processing a lot more toxins through our bodies...via air, water or food...

... or maybe it's not that PALS have been exposed to more toxins...it may just be that we can't get rid of them as other do...

 

[bear2]

Hi everyone,

It has been some time since I have posted on the forum. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day. I read this thread last night and started to wonder if my dad ever got a bad bang on the head. A few years ago he fell while skating (no helmet) and received a very bad knock on the head. We were at the opposite end of the rink and heard his head hit the ice. This was probably about 4 years ago. He was diagnosed with ALS almost 1 year ago and we think his symptoms started about 16months ago. Maybe there is something to this after all.

When he was diagnosed they told him his ALS was slow moving. Uh-huh!
Since last August he has lost his ability to speak, he uses a walker because he has had so many falls, has lost the use of his left arm and the right is rapidly deteriorating. He had a feeding tube inserted about 3 weeks ago and uses it about 90% of the time. Lately he seems to be very tired and naps a lot. So much for slow moving!

On a happier note it is wonderful to see so many new members. The wealth of knowledge on here is just incredible. I stopped viewing the forum for awhile because it seemed that everytime I read about something that someone was experiencing my dad ended up with the same. I think sometimes it is better to not know what to expect than to face the reality of the progression of this disease. One day they will find a cure and forums like this will no longer be necessary. That will be a good thing in many ways but without this forum I would never have known the courage that so many people possess and impart to others by sharing their stories. Thank you to all who keep this forum going and make it probably one of the best I have found.

bear2

 

[Jerry Story]

The brain has a "blood brain barrier" or BBB for short. This is a network of blood vessels that protects the brain against chemicals that would harm the brain. Even glucose (the main fuel of the brain) can't get thru the BBB except via the glucose transport system. Read about this in Blaylock's book.

A hard enough blow to the head can cause damage to the BBB. If the BBB is damaged, then it might not provide adequate protection against junk that can harm the brain and the result can be brain diseases.

But before ALS can be diagnosed clinically, 80% or more of the motor neurons in a given area must die. This almost certainly takes years, possibly decades.

 

[zac111]

i dont have a diagnosed yet but i wasd run over by a car at age 5 wonder if its got anything to do with whats going on now.

 

[vantec]

There are things that can increase your chances of having ALS.
Being lifelong slim (2.2x higher chance of having ALS).
History of varsity athletics (1.7x higher).
Current smoking in females (1.7x higher).
Statin drugs.
There were three American football players from the 49ers team that have ALS.
Higher risk with increasing age.
Toxins during very high intensity muscle workouts.
Injury.
Operations to the spine.
Mercury poisoning (this one is doubtful).

I was a competitive bicycle racer, and I remember about 15 years ago, a truck that was spraying insecticide passed me, and I was sprayed during a hard workout. I also fell off my bike at high speed, and it almost knocked me out, this being about the same time. And finally, I had laser surgery on my neck, at C-5/C-6 twice, for a herniated disc.

I believe that my high intensity bicycle riding, and taking in the toxins, is what caused my problems.

Conrad

 

[Meg1]

There are things that can increase your chances of having ALS.
Being lifelong slim (2.2x higher chance of having ALS).
History of varsity athletics (1.7x higher).
Current smoking in females (1.7x higher).
Statin drugs.
There were three American football players from the 49ers team that have ALS.
Higher risk with increasing age.
Toxins during very high intensity muscle workouts.
Injury.
Operations to the spine.
Mercury poisoning (this one is doubtful).

I'd love to have your sources on the claim that smoking, statin drugs, "toxins during workouts," injury and operations to the spine increase a person's chances of ALS. I think it's pretty well established that slim athletes are more prone (and the mercury thing is bunk) but I've never heard of the others.

 

[Al]

I have read studies where they are trying to link statin drugs to ALS. First thing the doc said when fasic's showed up was let's take you off the statins for a few months to see if they go away. That was Jan. 2003. They're still here. And so am I probably in part due to statins. They are also doing a study in the US I believe using high doses of statins thinking that they may help ALS. The rest I'm not sure of either.
AL.

 

[Meg1]

I have read studies where they are trying to link statin drugs to ALS. First thing the doc said when fasic's showed up was let's take you off the statins for a few months to see if they go away. That was Jan. 2003. They're still here. And so am I probably in part due to statins. They are also doing a study in the US I believe using high doses of statins thinking that they may help ALS. The rest I'm not sure of either.
AL.

I think what your doctor was relaying to you was the well known fact that in some people statins cause muscular weakness. Perhaps they also cause fascics, but I've never heard of that. I am very confident that there is no scientific evidence linking statin use with ALS--quite the contrary, as you point out--the evidence seems to support a belief in some that statins can treat ALS. FWIW, if statins caused ALS, and given the fact that approximately 40% of Americans have taken statins, there would have been in these past few years a shockingly huge, unprecendented explosion in ALS cases. Hasn't happened--incidence is up, but only slightly, and probably due to better diagnosis and an older population. On that basis, alone, I believe it's safe to rule out statins as an ALS cause.

 

[vantec]

Meg,

I'll post later, when I can find all the websites that show what can increase the chances of have ALS.

Conrad

 

[patricia1]

My als MD put me on statins because of my high cholesterol I ask her if it would make the als worse and she said only if I were to get a rare side effect from it ,and that wouldnt be ALS.She said that because you have ASL it doesnt mean you cant get other things like a Stroke from high cholesterol She said you dont need anything more to add to what you have. Sooooo I am on Crestor and have no problems .I even stopped it for a while to see if I got stronger and I didnt Pat

 

[CindyM]

My GP keeps wanting me to go on statins because of my high cholesterol and I've been reluctant. I'm afraid to fool around with anything that could make me worse. I'm quite happy living on the fringes of ALS and there's no sense tempting fate! Cindy