Is this ALS? Or just Anxiety and Circumstance

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Matthew Hatchet

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May 16, 2022
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Learn about ALS
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US
State
FL
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Cape Coral
Hello, I am an 18 year old male who has high anxiety and a panic disorder. I am turning 19 in June and I’m personally terrified that I have ALS after watching the movie “Father Stu”. As silly as it may sound, let me elaborate as to why I’m petrified that I have ALS despite my age.

Muscle Weakness? Or Muscle Fatigue?
For the past couple days my arm has felt weird or unusual, when I lift up heavy objects then they don’t usually feel heavy but my right arm just constantly feels tired or needing rest. I can’t afford to since I’m a bagger and I constantly grab carts for my job. Now I’ve felt this kind of sensation before but now that I think about it, it freaks me out. It doesn’t feel weaker, it feels tired. Something else I did notice was that when I apply too much pressure to my arm in a certain way then my right arm will hurt or sting a bit.

Twitching
I’ve also had twitching for a while, if anything I wanna say a long time. I’ve always thought that twitching was just a normal thing that occurs in the body. My twitches are scattered across most of my body and depending on how freaked out I am, a muscle will twitch. The very bizarre thing is that once I’m off of work and lying down, my body practically deflated out twitches all over my body. But the thing that concerns me the most is that my right pinky twitches the most and can even occur when I just apply some pressure to it or that hand. But sometimes I’ll go a long time before it happens again.

I have a strong grip and I can still punch like hell, I can lift things without struggling right straining but my arm gets tired easily and I’ve been experiencing twitches along my body, my pinky especially and I’m extremely exhausted all the time.. I blame that on the anxiety though, along with a good percentage of the twitching. I do not struggle buttoning my shirt or writing though. Nor do I experience muscle cramps or full blown muscle spasms. I’m going to the doctor soon to see what they think and if they think it’ll even be worth getting those super expensive tests done or talk to a psychiatrist.


(A personal bonus however is that I believed that I had Dementia at my ripeful age even though it was unheard of for someone under 20 to have it. So I’m hoping this is another case of me having insane health anxiety that’s been making my body twitch wildly and my arm being simply tired at the wrong time and place.)
 
Go see a doctor please.
 
You sound like you know what's going on, we know what's going on, if you're not already seeing a psychiatrist about your health anxiety and panic disorder do it now. Like you said twitching is completely normal and occurs in many healthy individuals like yourself.
 
Hm? Why do you say it like that? Are you concerned that I have it? Or worried for my mental health?
 
We do ask that people read here: Read Before Posting. One of the first things recommended is that people visit with their doctors if they are worried about their health. Strangers on the internet really can't provide you with as much information and reassurance than a doctor who has examined you and done some basic strength and reflex tests to figure out if you even have a neuro issue.

It's pretty clear you've got some major anxiety. Hopefully you will be able to get some support for this while you work with your doctor. There's a great group on reddit- look up MuscleTwitch- where others who struggle with twitching concerns go to receive peer support.

Take care
 
We always tell people worried about their health to see a doctor. If you read the read before posting sticky you would know that. I am certain no one here believes you have ALS any more than you had dementia. Go to your pcp and tell them everything including every disease that you have thought you had. It is urgent for people with health anxiety to get treated. It will ruin your life
 
You don't present with anything resembling ALS, and you know it and basically said as much.
Coming here is not appropriate, see a doctor and get the help you need, please you don't need to do this to yourself.
 
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