Help to rule out ALS

[Iris Horton]

I’m making a post in regards to my husband. Googling symptoms leaves us very worried and scared about what could be going on. He is 34 years old and has been a farmer for over 10 years. He started having pain in his groin and eventually found out it was a pulled muscle, but underwent several tests and labs to make sure nothing else was going on. During that time he started feeling weak and generally shaky. This was all mid September. He has had ongoing stomach problems for two months as well with GERD, pharyngeal reflux and lastly a stomach bacterial infection that put him in the hospital for four days. Throughout all of these issues, he has complained of worsening muscle atrophy, feeling shaky (esp in his shoulders, arms and hands), along with muscle twitching in these areas as well. Today he felt like he had a spasm in his tongue. Doctors keep brushing off his complaints of feeling shaky and muscle tremors/twitching. We have a neuro consult in two weeks. He is so consumed with feeling shaky and wondering what the cause is that he cannot function like normal. The more he googles, the more convinced he is that he has als. Any insight if this could be ALS or another neurological disorder while we wait for a consult? Thank you

 

[Nikki J]

Hi
first, read this Important - READ BEFORE POSTING! Answers to common concerns about possible symptoms

from what you say it sounds like symptoms are pretty diffuse and you say he feels weak and shaky. ALS generally has a very focal onset and is more about loss of function than feeling.

obviously there is something wrong so it is good he is seeing doctor. From what you have posted so far it isn’t even clear it is neurologic at all go to the appointment with an open mind. Don’t focus on ALS or any one diagnosis. Present his symptoms.

good luck

 

[Iris Horton]

Thank you very much. I did read the important to read before posting, and after reading, I felt like maybe I shouldn’t post, but he needs someone else besides myself telling him not to focus on als. His hands shaking with twitching his probably his biggest complaint. When googling als symptoms, that symptom seems to be listed too often for him to believe that’s not what he has. Every so often he says something with his hand eye coordination is off. From what I’ve read on posts, hand twitching/shaking isnt as common of a symptom as google makes it out to be for als?

 

[affected]

I hope you can help him calm down and take a breath.
Googling headaches probably also bring up brain tumours, but that doesn't mean many people with a headache have a tumour.

 

[lgelb]

Infections and antibiotics are both frequent causes of the shakiness and loss of coordination that you describe. As others have said, I expect the neurology visit to be reassuring as regards ALS. Nutrition and refreshing sleep, which have both probably been hard to come by before you even factor the life of a farmer into it, are often priorities worth considering. I would also wonder if he has been screened for food allergies.

Best,
Laurie