Excess saliva for 6 weeks.

[worriedweirdo12]

Hey.
I would like to ask your opinion on some symtopms I have. I am 25, caucasian.
I had fasculations and tremors in different parts of my body for a couple years now. I know, ALS symtopms are not on and off.
At the start of September I had a canker sore in my lip and i had more saliva than usual. When the canker sore went away, the excess saliva didnt.
I started to think about my symtopms, saliva, tremors and sometimes minor balance anomalies and i got a nasty health scare, either MS or ALS or something else.
I went to a neuro (who has MS himself) and he did some physical tests. He told me it cant be something neurolical, its probably from anxiety and loads of sittin (office clerk). he still scheduled an brain MRI, the appointment is in 5 weeks.

most of the tremors went away again, but the excess saliva still seems to be here. i mostly feel it during the day and to make it simple, shortly after I swallow my mouth fills up with saliva again. also my mouth corners feel on & off wet, i seem to have gotten angular cheleitis. But i am not "visible" drooling. 4 weeks after onset, i had a sudde nasty wisdoom thooth infection and the theeth need to be extracted. during the infection I had no hypersalivation. after the inflammaiton and pain piped down, it came back. also my face or facial skin sometimes feels thight.

essentially, i am rly rly afraid of bulbar onset. i dont rlly have swallowing problems. i do have to clear my throat after drinking (especially cold drinks), but this could be attributed to a load of other issues. (i have some mild asthma, my bronchial system is hella sensitive). i dont know, little points to ALS, but my brain and anxiety constanlty levitate towards this horrible condition.

what do you guys say? can excess saliva be an onset symptom for bulbar? or am i simply a mental case ..

 

[ShiftKicker]

Hello-

It sounds like you already know that this is not how ALS starts. You've also been reassured by a neurologist- to the extent where they stated your issues are not neurological at all. You can also read here: Read Before Posting for more reassurance.

You don't have bulbar onset ALS- you do appear to have a pretty high level of health anxiety, which you can address. This is not dismissing your other, non-neurological symptoms, which do still need attention as well. But you are focusing on and worrying about a disease you do not have instead of recognizing the conditions you've already been diagnosed with are the cause. That would definitely be mitigated by addressing your health anxiety.

Take care

 

[worriedweirdo12]

Hey Kicker,
thank you for your kind response. I am terribly sorry that I came on here to waste your valuable time. However I really needed to hear some words of reasurement. While my head is still levitating towards ALS, I do have to assume its severe health anxiety I guess I have to consult a psych. Thanks, I wish you all the best.

edit: for anyone in my position, stop googling.

 

[ShiftKicker]

It's true. Dr Google does like to give people the most spectacular and alarming answers and very definitely does not have a valid medical licence.

It sounds like you do have excellent in-person medical care providers, so I hope you keep working with them to reduce your symptoms (which are caused by non-ALS conditions!).

All the best