Another person with Bulbar anxiety. (Finally posting here)

[Poncho]

So I am finally doing what I didn't want to do. I've lurked this forum every day for about 4 months now. I have hypochondria and have had bouts with obsession over other various diseases. I've turned out to be diagnosed by none of them. So when I went into my ALS scare I still had a conscious mind about it. However recent developments in symptoms have me rather frightened. I started out worrying about limb onset due to me thinking my arms and legs had atrophied however I had just lost weight in the areas. I overcame my fear with a CBT therapist. It seems my mind has moved onto Bulbar fear and I Would not like to waste my time worrying about this anymore. My symptoms include: coughing after eating certain foods, always solids and no liquids. Perceived slurring, meaning I think I have a nasally voice and slur but no one else confirms this. I stare at my tongue constantly with a flashlight and seem to see small twitches when it is at rest but nothing like the literature describes. (No wormlike movements) I also sometimes feel like certain foods go up my nose when I swallow but nothing ever comes out of my nose? the main thing scaring me is the cough/lump/tickle feeling in my throat after I eat certain foods. I'm worried that I am aspirating food and that's the cause. My therapist and I are working through my anxieties for this but I just wanted to hear from others who actually have the disease if I should be concerned. I'm about to turn 22 years old and I have zero family history of the disease. My chances are very slim due to my age but I feel like I would be the one in a million. Thank you for reading this I understand how hard it is for some of you to read posts like this and I apologize for posting this when another more serious post by someone who actually has the disease could be read. I mean no disrespect and no harm.

 

[lgelb]

If you were aspirating food, you wouldn't be worried about it -- you'd know. If you were slurring, others would notice. You have nothing to worry about. And even if your tongue twitched, that would mean nothing more. Keep working on your therapy, which you were wise to undertake, and best of luck.

--Laurie

 

[starente15]

Ditto what Laurie said. No worries about ALS. No one here will be able to convince you that you don't have it. Keep working on your anxiety and with your therapist. That will be the best route to alleviate your concerns.

 

[Poncho]

Thank you so much for the reply. I appreciate the positive response. I know this forum gets a lot of posts like this one and I appreciate you taking the time to answer.

 

[affected]

Lurking for 4 months and can't press enter to make readable paragraphs.

It's obvious without reading it all that you have zero ALS symptoms, please don't start up here.

 

[Poncho]

I'm sorry if I have offended you. I typed on my phone and was quite nervous when I did. I apologize for that.

 

[affected]

You don't personally offend me. I just think that anyone who spends 4 months reading here would see us constantly ask people to use paragraphs.

Phones have an enter key the same as any device so it is no effort.

The good news is that you don't have bulbar symptoms. My husband died from bulbar onset ALS so I've a fair idea.

 

[GilWest]

You answered your concerns in the first couple lines...