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eesquared

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Hey guys,
It all started about a two weeks ago when I was at a dinner party. I was pouring a drink out of the bottle when I realized my hand was shaking pretty bad. It felt shaky/weak and felt off the rest of the night. Woke up the next day and my hand felt tired. It felt like it was harder to do things. For the next few days this continued... mind you, I wasn't dropping anything and when I wanted to perform a task, I was able to do it. Just felt like it took more effort than normal. Then one night I was goggling my symptoms (not a smart idea) and this site popped up. I started to read and that is when the fear/ anxiety set in.

From that point on it has been a constant battle in my brain on trying to figure it all out. The hand in question is my non-dominate left hand and I got the smart idea to start testing my grip and pinch strengths. Well what do you know, my left hand is smaller than and not as strong as my right. This freaked me out. I would test each finger over and over again. Realizing that the biggest difference was in my ring and pinky fingers. Now it was not different as in one hand was able to hold weight for long periods of time and the other were could hardly pick something up.... but still the right is bit stronger.

I kept telling myself that it is normal, but the fear won’t leave. I kept testing over and over again and now it is to the point that my hands (mainly my left) are tired/ sore. I even have a twitch/tremor in my left ring finger…. That little bit sent me through the roof knowing that twitching was a symptom.(But part of me thinks that the finger is twitching because I have muscle fatigue from testing so much. But I don’t know!) As it stands now, my left is weaker than the right and it hurts too much to test anymore. I think part of that weakness has to do with the unusual workout I am putting my muscles through…. But my brain just won’t accept that.

I even went in to the GP today and talked to him about my fear and ALS. He played with my hands, fingers, and wrists a bit. I preformed a few resistance stuff and he said “You are not clinically weak and not even weak.” Part of me was relived, but part of me thinks that it was a premature statement since we only did basic stuff. He didn't even look at the fingers individually, just general hand stuff.

I know I am over thinking a lot of this, but I need to hear from you guys. What does normal hand/upper limb onset look like? If I did have ulnar stuff, what should I look for? The question that keeps stinking in my head is this: Could this be the beginning stages of ALS or just perceived weakness multiplied with fear?
I am 24 year old male who is complaining about non-dominate onset.. the odds are in my favor, but for some reason it doesn't feel that way. I ask for your advice and opinion. Thank you for your time and know I have so much respect for the help/humanity that takes place here on this forum.
 
I'm so happy to inform you that what you are experiencing could not be ALS by any stretch of the imagination.

I won't describe what ALS would be like as you can read it all here for yourself but please start with this post as it should answer everything and is our official stance on ALS, we went to a lot of effort to write it carefully.
https://www.alsforums.com/forum/do-i-have-als-als/26591-new-members-please-read-before-posting.html


Your doctor did a thorough enough examination to be sure of what you were told.

If you can't stop from feeling this way please get straight back to your doctor, rather than coming here, and you can be given some help in dealing with the anxiety.

All the best
 
Not to sound harsh but the "two weeks ago" time frame made me laugh. Visit us again after two years...that is of course if you are strong enough to hold up a cell phone long enough to type something that is this long and no longer. (With only 1 finger texting).
 
This is what I would do. First, search for some carpal tunnel exercises. They really help and it sounds like you are now in need of them. Soak your poor hands in some warm water or rest them on a heating pad. Then drink a smoothie w/ some citrus juice, banana + wheat germ every day until you feel better (many people are deficient in K, Mg and/or Ca). If you don't feel better in a week, get a massage. If you're not better in a few weeks, have your 'lytes checked. Meanwhile, take a bracing walk in the spring air, perhaps to a nursing home to spread some St. Paddy's cheer, and celebrate your young adulthood. All the best.
 
Thank you all for responding to me. I truly do appreciate some voices of reason. Mediasmart, you are aright about the "2 weeks" timeline... I guess I had looked pasted about the rapidness of my situation. I think the thing that keeps pulling at me is the now real weakness in my left ring finger and that twitch. I have read so much about twitches and weakness, its hard to let it go overnight. But then again, I truly don't know how weak that finger and the left hand was before all this.
 
Everybody gets twitches. No worries, you don't have ALS. Have you read the sticky yet?
 
Without sounding too ignorant, what is the sticky?
 
I posted a link to it in my first reply to you, please read it as it answers why you show no symptoms of ALS.

Follow lgelbs advice she wrote that very well.
 
I did and thank you! Very informative and helpful. I am taking lgelb's advice and doing my best to relax once again. I do have a follow up question... Not due to personal fear, but out of true intrigue. Do most people suffering from true weakness feel it coming on or does it feel all the sudden? I have read so many post from people who described their experience as a kinda of "all of the sudden" I couldn't do x,y, and z. I reality though, it doesn't progress over night. Just wondering, I ask the question with no disrespect and I understand if people don't wish to share personal experience. Just trying to understand all the things I have read on this site. Thanks again for the helpfulness and humanity you guys have shown those far!
 
The sticky you read is our OFFICIAL stand.

Read that and work with us from it, rather than from reading other stories of people who think they have ALS. It is very clear about feeling and failing and answers your question.

All the best, this is my last reply on this thread as I genuinely can say you show ZERO ALS symptoms. Stick with your doctors they are able to assess all your concerns in person.
 
Weird foot when walking

I have been dealing with some walking issues as of late. This is not stressed induced, I discovered my weird foot pattern after a long day on my feet. My foot feels like it is slightly unstable and not functioning properly for a normal gait. Like when I step, it is not very strong and slapping a little. Honestly feels weird to walk on it, but I don’t believe I have foot drop or at least clinical foot drop yet. I am able to flex my feet and do all the basic stuff (heel to toe and walking on heels ect).I don’t believe this is clinical weakness, but I am not an expert. I am able to function like I have in the past, but there is a concentrated effort on my part to make sure my left foot is stepping correctly. I have also noticed that the toes on that foot are catching the ground a little bit when I bring my foot up during the step. On occasion, they will catch on the floor, but I have not tripped or fell. It feels like I don’t have normal strength in the muscles for walking in that foot. I also have had a lot of twitches down there, but in all reality they are probably unconnected since there are no great signs of weakness or atrophy. (But still problematic for the mind)

Questions:

What was your experience with foot drop? Sudden or Gradual?
Could you tell that there was something weird going on with the foot?
Does this sound like the beginning of something or am I hyper focused?

Words of wisdom would be appreciated
 
Re: Weird foot when walking

Also forgot to mention that I struggle a bit more to balance on the "unstable" foot compared to it's counterpart. But I don't know if that is relevant.
 
Re: Weird foot when walking

Feel, feel, feel.

This will be merged, please don't start new threads.
You told us you read the sticky, please read it again and adhere to our rules.

Now, the great news is you are still not showing signs of ALS, you are just feeling stuff so it most certainly CAN be stress induced.

I would urge you to go back to your doctor and be very open and honest about all that is concerning you so deeply so you can receive help.

You can't strength test yourself, but you can damage muscles constantly attempting to, please leave this to your doctor as well.

All the very best. I would sincerely and gently urge you to stay off this site and only work with your doctor.
 
Re: Weird foot when walking

affected,

I appreciate your patience and willingness to talk to me. I am addressing these thoughts and mostly the anxiety with the doc. I apologize for starting a new thread too, :( I must have missed that part.

Just frustrated because I am "feeling" these things, but they are manifesting themselves in a very real and physical way. Just trying to understand how it all begins. I know many on here describe experiences that feel very sudden to most, but in reality the muscles were gradually getting weaker. I was just wondering if it was possible to notice the beginning stages of that weakness? That, I think truly is the root of all my concerns and questions.

Is it possible that all of these small things are the beginning... But at the end of the day you are right. This site acts as a great resource and aides so many with more. However, for me it has started a hyper-focused anxiety tail spin. I just want to get a EMG and be done with it.... however, my fear is will that test actually help or just enable me to live in this unhealthy manner.
 
Re: Weird foot when walking

my fear is will [the emg] actually help or just enable me to live in this unhealthy manner.
you are currently living in ignorance. The EMG, good or bad, will end that ignorance and let you move on.
 
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