obsidian
New member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2007
- Messages
- 2
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- NY
- City
- New York
Hi all,
First let me say how amazing you guys are. I've read through many posts and you're all so supportive. Community is a wondrous thing. I have some unanswered questions so I was hoping someone had an answer. I'm a 25yrd old, fairly healthy male with a history of lower back issues. About 1 month ago, I started on propecia for a slight receding hairline. A couple of days later while watching tv, I noticed a twitch on my left knee right below my kneecap. A few days after that, the twitching became continuous, almost 30 -50 times a minute. This had never happened to me before and I was really scared. I stopped propecia immediately and hoped the twitching would go away. About two weeks later, the knee twitching stopped. Now I have dispersed occasional twitching everywhere (about 10/hr), stomach, calves (both legs), and very infrequently my knee where the continuous twitching had occurred.
I went to see my doctor and he thinks it might be nerve related from my lower back. He said that ALS twitching doesn't go away once it starts somewhere and that it is more likely to occur first in hands/feet/tongue and not start with a large muscle like the leg. Of course after he says that I immediately start "feeling" twitches on my hands/feet/tongue. I'm a fairly neurotic person so lets just say I've spent more time starting my my hand today than I have working.
I know ALS is very rare, but then again I am allergic to temp (cold, which is even rarer). My doc is going to do some bloodwork and then if my twitching doesn't get better in a few weeks, he going to refer me to a neuro. Here are my questions.
1. Is it true that once twitching starts in a area, it doesn't really stop? Is the change in my twitching pattern a good sign?
2. Should I wait for it to get worst/better or should I just make an apt with a neuro now. Does insurance cover exams like EMG?
Thanks for the help,
Obs
First let me say how amazing you guys are. I've read through many posts and you're all so supportive. Community is a wondrous thing. I have some unanswered questions so I was hoping someone had an answer. I'm a 25yrd old, fairly healthy male with a history of lower back issues. About 1 month ago, I started on propecia for a slight receding hairline. A couple of days later while watching tv, I noticed a twitch on my left knee right below my kneecap. A few days after that, the twitching became continuous, almost 30 -50 times a minute. This had never happened to me before and I was really scared. I stopped propecia immediately and hoped the twitching would go away. About two weeks later, the knee twitching stopped. Now I have dispersed occasional twitching everywhere (about 10/hr), stomach, calves (both legs), and very infrequently my knee where the continuous twitching had occurred.
I went to see my doctor and he thinks it might be nerve related from my lower back. He said that ALS twitching doesn't go away once it starts somewhere and that it is more likely to occur first in hands/feet/tongue and not start with a large muscle like the leg. Of course after he says that I immediately start "feeling" twitches on my hands/feet/tongue. I'm a fairly neurotic person so lets just say I've spent more time starting my my hand today than I have working.
I know ALS is very rare, but then again I am allergic to temp (cold, which is even rarer). My doc is going to do some bloodwork and then if my twitching doesn't get better in a few weeks, he going to refer me to a neuro. Here are my questions.
1. Is it true that once twitching starts in a area, it doesn't really stop? Is the change in my twitching pattern a good sign?
2. Should I wait for it to get worst/better or should I just make an apt with a neuro now. Does insurance cover exams like EMG?
Thanks for the help,
Obs