wishingwell
Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2011
- Messages
- 13
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- AUS
- State
- Victoria
- City
- Melbourne
Hi guys,
Let me start by saying that I think this website is an invaluable resource, and it really does help to clear up the many misconceptions that are out there on the internet about ALS. So thank you all for keeping such a fantastic resource.
Basically, I'm 25 year old male living in Australia, and I am having a few health concerns at the moment, and I'm just curious as to whether any of this sounds familiar and whether I should be worried about ALS or not. I will also be up front and say I haven't seen a neurologist yet, I'm simply seeking some guidance.
About 6 months ago, I started having these strange chest and back pains. They came and went indiscriminately, and they were accompanied by heart palpitations, high blood pressure and an elevated heart rate. Initially fearing it was a heart issue, I barked up that tree first. After a couple of months of visiting various doctors, I was diagnosed with an overactive thyroid gland, and I have been on medication since (thyroid blocking hormones and beta blockers).
At this point, I thought, "great, a diagnosis, I'll get better now", but it hasn't really panned out this way. The muscular pains have become more widespread - they are now in my shoulders, neck and legs as well, but they are still random and sporadic. I have been advised against exercising throughout the last few months, but I visited my endocrinologist last week and he is happy enough with my progress (he says my thyroid levels are back to normal), so I can start exercising again. At this point, he also halved my beta blocker medication.
In the last week, however, my symptoms have gotten worse again. Now, I'm not sure if it's linked to my halving of the beta blockers dosage, but I have discovered new symptoms. I have had tingling and soreness in my hands and feet, and twitches in my arms and legs (worse at night and when at rest), as well as what feels like "jolts" through my body. Most scarily, however, has been my nausea. For the last few days, if I've gone to cough, even a small cough, I've almost thrown up each time. I actually did throw up before after a big cough, and that has scared the hell out of me. Even though I have had thyroid trouble throughout the past few months, I have never had a problem like this. Now I'm afraid to cough.
In addition to all this, throughout the last few months (i.e. when my thyroid was said to be improving, according to my endocrinologist), I've had (at different times) random top of head tingling, pain and tingling throughout my arms (elbows/shoulders/hands - worse on left side), speech difficulties - it is now harder for me to raise my voice and articulate myself, pain on the front of my knees, and mild pain and tingling throughout my calves and feet (again, mainly left side). I have seen my GP about all this, but he thinks much of this can be attributed to my thyroid issues. I'm not as convinced, seeing as my thyroid is apparently improving, according to my blood test results, and my osteopath who I've been seeing for my muscular issues is also not convinced about my GP's view either.
Now, I know this is a very exhaustive list of symptoms, and I haven't yet seen a neurologist (do I even need to? Do these problems *sound* neurological?), but I was just wondering whether anyone has experienced anything similar to this, and whether I should be going to see a neurologist for these issues?
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your responses
Let me start by saying that I think this website is an invaluable resource, and it really does help to clear up the many misconceptions that are out there on the internet about ALS. So thank you all for keeping such a fantastic resource.
Basically, I'm 25 year old male living in Australia, and I am having a few health concerns at the moment, and I'm just curious as to whether any of this sounds familiar and whether I should be worried about ALS or not. I will also be up front and say I haven't seen a neurologist yet, I'm simply seeking some guidance.
About 6 months ago, I started having these strange chest and back pains. They came and went indiscriminately, and they were accompanied by heart palpitations, high blood pressure and an elevated heart rate. Initially fearing it was a heart issue, I barked up that tree first. After a couple of months of visiting various doctors, I was diagnosed with an overactive thyroid gland, and I have been on medication since (thyroid blocking hormones and beta blockers).
At this point, I thought, "great, a diagnosis, I'll get better now", but it hasn't really panned out this way. The muscular pains have become more widespread - they are now in my shoulders, neck and legs as well, but they are still random and sporadic. I have been advised against exercising throughout the last few months, but I visited my endocrinologist last week and he is happy enough with my progress (he says my thyroid levels are back to normal), so I can start exercising again. At this point, he also halved my beta blocker medication.
In the last week, however, my symptoms have gotten worse again. Now, I'm not sure if it's linked to my halving of the beta blockers dosage, but I have discovered new symptoms. I have had tingling and soreness in my hands and feet, and twitches in my arms and legs (worse at night and when at rest), as well as what feels like "jolts" through my body. Most scarily, however, has been my nausea. For the last few days, if I've gone to cough, even a small cough, I've almost thrown up each time. I actually did throw up before after a big cough, and that has scared the hell out of me. Even though I have had thyroid trouble throughout the past few months, I have never had a problem like this. Now I'm afraid to cough.
In addition to all this, throughout the last few months (i.e. when my thyroid was said to be improving, according to my endocrinologist), I've had (at different times) random top of head tingling, pain and tingling throughout my arms (elbows/shoulders/hands - worse on left side), speech difficulties - it is now harder for me to raise my voice and articulate myself, pain on the front of my knees, and mild pain and tingling throughout my calves and feet (again, mainly left side). I have seen my GP about all this, but he thinks much of this can be attributed to my thyroid issues. I'm not as convinced, seeing as my thyroid is apparently improving, according to my blood test results, and my osteopath who I've been seeing for my muscular issues is also not convinced about my GP's view either.
Now, I know this is a very exhaustive list of symptoms, and I haven't yet seen a neurologist (do I even need to? Do these problems *sound* neurological?), but I was just wondering whether anyone has experienced anything similar to this, and whether I should be going to see a neurologist for these issues?
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your responses