Hi, my name is Kim and I am 52, within the past few months I started having strange things happen to me. My fingers started curling under at the joints 3 years ago and the past few months have noticed weakness in the right hand and fingers..I can grasp things with my whole hand, but to pick small things up are very clumsy and have less coordination. My left leg muscle is very weak as if I am dragging my leg. It feels so heavy and weak . My knees are so stiff all day and tight as if they cannot bend and sometimes buckle, I also feel such muscle fatigue all over, but especially my left leg and right hand and fingers. Now I have started with muscle twitching, like just a couple of twitches all over..jumping from foot to calf then to the other side, then my shoulder and arm..even sometimes my abdomen. I have a long wait to see a Dr. they just couldn't get me in for a couple of months...also, I have no Insurance..so I did what everyone does and shouldn't, looked up my symptoms on the internet..which led me here and I must admit..it has scared me a tad... the other symptom I forgot to mention is sweating for months ( am through menopause) I feel so horrible with this weakness and stiffness that I cannot even describe it. I did go and have a physical and bloodwork about 5 months ago before I lost my insurance, so I know I have no vitamin deficiencies. Stupid me. never mentioned any of these symptoms..which now have gotten much worse. I have looked up everything and what scares me is I somewhat fit the description of ALS..except the jumping around twitches...but they are mostly in my feet and calves..and between my thumb and pointer finger. !0 years ago, I had a similar problem of muscle fatigue..had a electrical impulse type test that the Dr. said was a little off..but did not diagnose me with anything, but it is more than fatigue now, it is stiffness and weakness.. does this sound anything like ALS? or am I worrying for nothing? I must add another thing that heightened my fear was I read that certain military exposures could lead to it. My father was in the neuclear bomb study, operation Sandstone during the Navy..later in years he was told that he contained much radiation and that his childrens genetics could have even changed.. Any info on my symptoms would be appreciated greatly, while I am on this long wait to see a Dr.
Do I have ALS? is this ALS?
- Thread starter kimmi 8
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Barbie
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the way you describe your symptoms, they do not sound at all like ALS. ALS is very rare, but when you look up symptoms on the computer it appears that it is very common. It is not. I think you are jumping to conclusions, I really do. As far as a military connection--that is concerning veterans, not the children of veterans being affected. and I believe that most think it is some kind of a chemical/stress related issue.
You really have nothing to worry about. trust me--your greatest problem is looking up symptoms on the internet. stop doing that and your worries will fade away.
You really have nothing to worry about. trust me--your greatest problem is looking up symptoms on the internet. stop doing that and your worries will fade away.
Thank You, Barbie. Yes, it is very alarming when you look up your symptoms and come up with this devastating disease. It does say it is rare yet it seems not to be with all the stories of people that have it. I had heard of this disease in my life, but actually never knew anything about it until reading....never knew of it's horrible fatal outcome, if anything it has raised all my awareness and I feel so bad for everyone who has to endure this very wicked disease. I have now been praying daily for a miracle for the medical science to find a cure. And I will be giving to it's research.
I will still visit my Dr. because I really do not know what is going on with myself and even though you have given me reassurance I am still slightly in fear, my left leg is getting worse and I can barely walk and the twitching in the left leg is now worse than anywhere and I have a vibrating feeling in that leg that now has a small area of a steady twitch that never stops that just kind of flutters under the skin. This is all driving me insane. I am hoping it is something like just a pinched nerve. I have a beautiful grandbaby boy that is 2 that I take care of and a new grandbaby on the way. I am the rock of my small family and my children have already lost their dad to a battle of cancer at 53. I do thank you for your quick response, and I know you probably think I am silly for still worrying, but I have been taking your advice and staying off the internet about it. It only upsets me worse. Thank you again for the reassurance....
I will still visit my Dr. because I really do not know what is going on with myself and even though you have given me reassurance I am still slightly in fear, my left leg is getting worse and I can barely walk and the twitching in the left leg is now worse than anywhere and I have a vibrating feeling in that leg that now has a small area of a steady twitch that never stops that just kind of flutters under the skin. This is all driving me insane. I am hoping it is something like just a pinched nerve. I have a beautiful grandbaby boy that is 2 that I take care of and a new grandbaby on the way. I am the rock of my small family and my children have already lost their dad to a battle of cancer at 53. I do thank you for your quick response, and I know you probably think I am silly for still worrying, but I have been taking your advice and staying off the internet about it. It only upsets me worse. Thank you again for the reassurance....
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