Help- Do I have ALS

[Nikkic]

Hello;

I have been reading some of the posts here and they are very helpful. I don't know where to start, but my father was diagnosed with ALS last November and he passed away this past September. I am 44 years old, an athlete and I regularly bike, climb and ski. I have noticed that over the past year or so my muscles seem weaker and I am extremely sore the day after a work out, even a very easy work out and my muscles and ligaments are very, very tight. I also have experienced dizziness while climbing or extreme exertion even while climinb places I have climbed before with no problem. I also think that I feel what may be fasiculations on the inside of my muscles- no outward signs. I also seem to be unable to do things that I was easily able to do even one or two years ago.

I am really struggling with what to do. I know the obvious thing is to go to the doctor. However, I am afraid to do that because I may be switching jobs soon and if it turns out to be ALS I just can't risk switching insurance companies and having a pre-existing condition. I have talked to my husband about it but he always says things like 'I am sore too after excersize" or he suggests that I am getting old. However, the level of soreness that I experience after a workout is such that it is almost unbearable and I can hardly even touch my muscles. It feels like someone beat me up.

I guess I am wondering has anyone else experienced muscle soreness and weakness as the first sign? Do you have any suggestions as to what to do? I feel like I am living in suspended animation. Because I know what lies ahead if this is ALS, I find myself not making plans for the future or actually thinking that I may not be living much longer. I have even said this on one occasion or two to my husband which of course he gets really upset. I know this is crazy since I technically haven NOT been diagnosed. Any suggestions?

thank you

Nikki C
I know that watching my dad decline and then die may be driving my anxiety about this.

 

[BethU]

Hi, Nicci ... I'm so sorry you lost your dad to this lousy disease. I can understand why you are concerned.

But, to me, this sounds nothing like ALS. I think the fact that you are thinking about changing jobs might be contributing to your anxiety level, along with your dad's tragic death. We seem to get a lot of people on this forum who do not have ALS but are in the midst of major life changes, which produce natural anxiety and uncertanty ... job changes, marriage, losing a loved one. Anxiety often manifests in the physical body, with twitches and other disturbing symptoms. Often, the symptoms go away after the amxiety is resolved.

I don't know if this is true with you, but I'd suggest you consider the possibility that this is a response to your dad's death and your contemplated change of jobs. I don't know what to tell you about seeing a doctor now or later, only that this doesn't sound at all like the onset of ALS.

Good luck!

 

[joelc]

I totally agree with Beth.

The only thing I will add is to see a Doctor as there might be a simple solution to your problem and it would be a shame for you to continue to worry about it any longer than you have to!

From what you have described it is NOT ALS, so go find out what is really is.

 

[Zaphoon]

Nikki,

There are many things that can and do cause muscle soreness and weakness, perceived or otherwise. Age has a way of bringing things on that we have not here-to-fore experienced. Hate to say it, 44 is no spring chicken.

I second the visit to your GP. If he/she can't tell you what is going on, you are sure to get a referral to someone who can bring you one step closer to an answer.

Zaphoon

 

[suzannj]

Hi Nikki,
I am very sorry that you had to see your father die of ALS. That is surely something that will affect you in one way or another for the rest of your life, and quite reasonably cause you to worry / wonder if you also will develop ALS. From a very lay person standpoint, just from doing a lot of reading, I cannot recall a poster on the Forums, or reading any info about ALS that had post-workout muscle soreness as an initial symptom.

As far as your health insurance coverage, you may have heard of HIPPA? The big buz about it these days is the portion of the law dealing with privacy of personal medical information and that sort of thing. However, the original purpose of HIPPA was health insurance "portability". In essence to protect people who were being treated for an existing illness, who then change jobs (thus health insurance carriers) and would be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions. I'm a bit rusty, but I do believe you would have to have had your current coverage for a certain period of time (18 months is coming to mind?) and then it wouldn't matter, you can change carriers and they have to accept you regardless of prior and/or existing health issues. In any event, do a bit more research, check in with a non-rusty HR person and then you can just go to the doctor and not worry about a job change too.

Hope that helps,
Suzann