ALS_possible? Questions regarding weakness

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Sebastian_1987

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Joined
Apr 11, 2021
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Reason
Learn about ALS
Diagnosis
04/2021
Country
DE
Hi @ all,

My name is Sebastian and I am 33 years old. I am really concerned having ALS. Maybee you can give me some hints how to interprete the weakness in mentioned ALS symptoms. I recognized, that its harder for me about 3 Weeks ago, that my right calve is some kind of weak compared to the left one. That means i can do every normal activity like walking or running without falling or tripping. My feeling is about inside my calve. It feels like it would start to cramp any second. If I Lift my calve on the right side its harder than normal and im just able to lift my calve 6-10 times. My left calve is able to do the same exercise for 20-30 times without any signes of tiredness.

Is this characterized as weakness in ALS?
How is weakness felt from patients having ALS? Is this coming slowly or are you not able to do something from one second to the other?


Secondly i started getting fasciculations within calves 7 days ago. They are now ongoing 24/7. You have to watch carefully to see them, i just feel them due to my pants or if i am lying in bed. I need contact to feel them. if i am sitting with shorts or after showering i dont feel them, but i can see them in a special light condition. They are everywhere over my calves, not just one point. Even if I contract the muscle i can see the light twitches.

I have seen a neurologist. He examined my condition due to some normal power tests, reflex tests and so on. i told him about the twitches, but he was not able to see them. Because of this and because i passed all of the forcetests made, he told me that the fasciculations will be benign and further that he is totally sure that I dont have ALS. Blood Test are without any signs of any illness.

At this moment i am having:

1. Twitching Calves Musclse 24/7 on both sides
2. Feeling Weakness in my right calve (I can do everything, but with lower force or lower amount of reps). Weakness felt was first symptom, twitches occured afterwards.
3. Feeling Weakness in my right Arm/ shoulder => feeling that my arm is not that stable - especially while working at the computer or while lifting bottles (hard to describe). - Not twitches.

Would be great if someone could help me here and mybee have some recomandations for me.

Sorry for my bad english, I am not a native speaker.

Best regards,

Sebastian
 
No, this does not sound like ALS. Whenever you have problems on one side with both the leg and arm coming on at one time, I think about improving your sleep surface (mattress, pillow) or how you sit when you work or relax. The twitches can be a response to what you think you are feeling.

Best,
Laurie
 
My first hint of weakness was tripping on stairs. I didn't feel weak.
A few months later, when the neuro did his exam, he said I had weakness in arms, hands, legs and feet. I didn't feel weak at all & was surprised to hear this.
 
Nikki
That was in my post response to the original poster.
 
Sorry Grounded deleting now
 
@laurie

Thank you for your response. I feel a little bit better now. Right arm/ right shoulder was recognized by me about 2 Weeks earlier than right calve. Because i dont know how fast this disease would progress i was uncertain about all of this. I will try to improve my sleep pattern. Its hard because since i am afraid (3 weeks) i am not able to sleep well. Falling into bed at midnight and totally awake at 4-5 AM. I am already thinking about getting psychological help. I have never experienced such anxiety before - normally i was in an other mental condition even if a had symtoms of corona virus i stayed calm. I will try my best to get out of this situation. Do you think getting an EMG would help to get more calm within this situation?

@grounded : Thank you a lot for your answer. It helps me getting a better understanding of all the terms used. So in fact I would be able to recognize weakness in my arms/ legs due to the examination of a neurologist or at least if I am not able to do "normal" things without restrictions like tripping? Its really hard to hear this. tThanks again for sharing your experience :)

@affected: I have read both of the recommended postings, but also some unclear points where inside for me. Like the weakness. I know that clinical weakness is meant, but i was never sure how this develops and if it would be possible to recognize the process of getting more weak or the further processing. I tthink i know that most of the posts here from new joiners must be like mine. many questions were already answered froom these Postings you have linked here. Thanks for this :)
 
Within a few weeks of each other is equivalent to the same timeframe, in what we are discussing, and a strong argument against any worry about ALS as onset does not occur this way. If you think you need psychological help, get it and perhaps give it a chance before taking an EMG appointment, which could delay care of someone affected by neurological disease.
 
Thank you very much Lauri for you help. It freaks me out that i dont feel the twitches i can only see them. I have made a video and uploaded it to youtube. This is on both calves non stop and i cant feel it. I think i will look for an appointment with a neurologist. I think this needs to be checked because the fasciculations become more visible and even more frequently - as i said 24/7.



For me this could be sign of ALS...
 
You really do need to go to a neurologist and be examined. I hope you believe what they tell you.
I did not watch the video, we would prefer they are not posted. Twitching means nothing.
Let us know after you have seen a neurologist please.
 
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