Another worried sick health anxiety tourist

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Smpearce22

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Sep 5, 2020
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Reason
Learn about ALS
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Country
UK
State
UK
City
Northallerton
Hello everybody.

Please let me begin by apologising in advance to all those of this forum who have been genuinely affected by this awful disease and have to put up with those of us who fall over themselves with worry seemingly needlessly. I can totally understand how it must be quite insulting to see and hear us worry about our perceptions, when you genuinely suffer mentally and physically daily! So in advance of my post I wanted to show that I acknowledge that and apologise for probably adding to that list.

Iv also read the sticky re: perception of symptoms....it seemingly gave me 24hrs semi-reassurance before the doubt set back in.

So, I’m a 39 year old male in general good health.

Iv has a bad back (2 levelproplased discectomy withfusion) and continual nagging/issues since.


I’ve had sporadic twitches in my my left hand (thumb and forefinger) for a long time now but for some reason I’ve only now ‘decided’ it’s possible ALS!

My hand has got weaker or ‘slower’ in recent months with tingling in pinky that is now subsiding although the perceived weakness/slowness remains?

So, I have questions:-

1) Iv read here on the ‘sticky’ about ALS is about failing not feeling.

I really responded to the logic of that.... for 24hrs!!

However as I moved on to other ALS resources other sufferers seemed to elaborate that initial symptoms did start with self recognised weakness.

If so, my worries remain!

Is it possible or likely my hand issues with weakness are potentially initial onset? My primary concerns revolve around my hand are the numbness in pinky, but twitching in thumb and forefinger as those are served/operated by separate nerves?? Hence why I’m wondering if there is a larger problem if it can’t be attributed to a single pinched nerve.
My hand in general just feels tight, like it wants to stay relaxed/closed and that it takes some extra effort to outreach my digits or operate. otherwise it works. It grips. It operates a game controller, holds a knife etc. But it’s just a different feeling from the ease of my dominant right hand.

however high strain triggers the twitching in index finger and thumb.

As Iv read into the depths of this forum, Iv found useful info regarding clinical weakness and test exercises etc.

I don’t seem to be weak anywhere but in my hand

...and even my that, despite feeling weak is not showing signs of atrophy and is strong enough to do everything I ask of it (I think?)

of course as Iv tuned into the possibility of ALS I’m hyper aware of every single twitch and shudder my body makes and so now I’m in a perpetual cycle of using Twitch symptoms to subsidise my fears that started with my hand.

I don’t want this, what I want is to NOT have this, and so I’m just looking for real information from those that know best.

how does ALS TRULY start? Is failure the true FIRST symptom or redflag? or is it changes and ever growing weakness that eventually lead to failure as per what Iv read elsewhere?

this forum was a beacon of perspective and reassurance upon my first visit yesterday but as Iv read on elsewhere, the elaboration of other sufferers as they their first issues has shaken me back into the fear zone.

I’m so sorry to be here, I’m so sorry to potentially offend or upset anyone, but I’m wracked with fear that I won’t see my little girl grow up and that she would see me suffer the effects of this awful disease.

Any help/reassurance or perspective would be greatly appreciated, as tiresome as someone like me must be.

id like to thank you all in advance for reading this, and offer my thoughts and prayers to all of you as you continue your brave fight.

much love and respect.
Stuart
 
PALS may report that they recognized weakness, but in close concert with its being recognized by a physician as well. Therefore, though I do not see ALS in your account, the first step is to see one.

Hand problems are most often not a pinched nerve in the hand, but in the wrist or forearm (if it's a nerve problem at all), typically due to overuse e.g. keyboarding or gaming. Thus, stiffness in multiple fingers is very common.

But to answer your question, yes, failure is the red flag as outlined in the stickies. When an actual PALS comes here pre-diagnosis with "feelings," they are typically framing failure as feelings.
 
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