kevincs
New member
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2012
- Messages
- 4
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- California
- City
- Sunnyvale
Hi all,
I've been having some pretty concerning symptoms. A quick background, I'm a 26 y/o male with obstructive sleep apnea that's getting worse over time.
Basically, about a month ago, I started noticing weakness in my left thumb. It was slight, but distinctly there. Over the course of the weeks since, that weakness has spread to my left pinky, left forefinger, right thumb, right ring finger, and right pinky. The rate of progression has increased recently and today, I had trouble squeezing a mustard bottle with my right hand (my right pinky would essentially collapse flat at the 2nd hinge from lack of strength).
I notice this weakness very distinctly in these fingers as I'm typing on my keyboard. When I press down, the hinges have very little support and feel weak. Today, my left thumb started to bend like my left pinky does when I press down on a key.
I'm concerned because there's been no pain so far, and because of the rate of progression on both hands. If there were wrist or elbow pain, I might have thought it was some sort of pinched nerve, etc. However, the lack of that and the appearance of these symptoms in both hands makes me afraid it's ALS.
On another perhaps related note, the muscles in my left calf and knee have gotten weaker also. This has been happening over the course of a few months now. I have pretty frequent feelings of muscle fasciculations, but not much evident twitching.
I'm going to see a neuro real soon, but I'd love to hear your guys thoughts also.
I've been having some pretty concerning symptoms. A quick background, I'm a 26 y/o male with obstructive sleep apnea that's getting worse over time.
Basically, about a month ago, I started noticing weakness in my left thumb. It was slight, but distinctly there. Over the course of the weeks since, that weakness has spread to my left pinky, left forefinger, right thumb, right ring finger, and right pinky. The rate of progression has increased recently and today, I had trouble squeezing a mustard bottle with my right hand (my right pinky would essentially collapse flat at the 2nd hinge from lack of strength).
I notice this weakness very distinctly in these fingers as I'm typing on my keyboard. When I press down, the hinges have very little support and feel weak. Today, my left thumb started to bend like my left pinky does when I press down on a key.
I'm concerned because there's been no pain so far, and because of the rate of progression on both hands. If there were wrist or elbow pain, I might have thought it was some sort of pinched nerve, etc. However, the lack of that and the appearance of these symptoms in both hands makes me afraid it's ALS.
On another perhaps related note, the muscles in my left calf and knee have gotten weaker also. This has been happening over the course of a few months now. I have pretty frequent feelings of muscle fasciculations, but not much evident twitching.
I'm going to see a neuro real soon, but I'd love to hear your guys thoughts also.
