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Stimpycat

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Learn about ALS
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Uni
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California
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Moorpark
Hi,

I've been searching the forum for symptoms similar to mine and haven't come across anything. My left limbs have a constant feeling of weakness and tightness. I feel it most in my bicep, forearm, hand, hamstring and foot. I don't notice it much when I'm moving around but when I'm still it is always there. I'm 38 and have felt it for probably 2 years now and it has become more noticeable over that time. I mentioned it once to my primary care doctor who said it was just anxiety. He gave me Xanax and I have been on different meds since then for anxiety. All the meds have helped other symptoms to varying degrees but nothing has changed the feeling on my left side.

I have other issues on my left side that seem to be unrelated based on what I've read: jaw stiffness (TMJ I figure) and pulsatile tinnitus.

I hate to bug everyone here and sound like a hypochondriac since I know ALS is rare and I'm on the younger side, etc. But having been diagnosed with a rare kidney/autoimmune disease that typically affects either young children or Asian males (I'm a Caucasian female), I tend to be quite cautious. The pulsatile tinnitus is also rare and I had to undergo several procedures and tests to rule out potentially serious causes but I had doctors initiating and guiding me through the process. I'm just concerned because my GP dismissed this so quickly as anxiety yet as different medications have eased various symptoms of anxiety, nothing has eased these feelings and they have gotten more noticeable.

Thank you and wishing you all the best!

Alison
 
The good news is that it doesn't sound like ALS. I'm sorry I don't have a suggestion of what it could be, though.
 
Alison,

" just anxiety" is dismissing a real ailment. It's not "just" - it can cause a multitude of symptoms, which while benign, become major irritants and obstacles in one's day to day life. That being said, since the meds prescribed have helped you along the way, your physician likely made the right call.

You've had symptoms for 2 years. If it was ALS, you would most likely be severely affected by now - all the time- not just at rest. Please get ALS out if your mind as nothing you describe sounds even remotely similar. If you've researched on this forum, you will know that ALS typically begins in one limb - foot drop, loss of ability to grip etc.

You do not have these issues and it sounds to me that you've had great medical intervention to date; if your PCP suspected a neurological problem you would have been referred for appropriate testing.

Good luck getting the tinnitus dealt with, and stop focusing on having a fatal disease.
 
What Elaine said is very true, and Beky too...

But I will add one thing. Once a GP has 'labeled you in his head or his records as "anxious" - it is very difficult for them to 'hear' anything else. Your reported issues don't sound like ALS...but if they persist, I might consider having another GP take a look to be sure it isn't something else.

People can and do often have more than one auto-immune condition.

Also--have you been evaluated for clots or a stroke?
 
Thank you everyone. I should have pointed out that my current GP had nothing to do with the diagnosis of my kidney disease or pulsatile tinnitus so I have no experience with his ability to diagnose or refer to specialists.

Thanks for identifying that in this time period the symptoms would have progressed much more rapidly and severely if it were ALS. My concern arose after I read that early symptoms are often one-sided.

I have not been specifically evaluated for a stroke but many if the tests done to evaluate the pulsatile tinnitus are the same. I've had an MRA, MRV, MRI, EKG, LP, and lots and lots of blood work (and get lots and lots of blood work a few times a year for my kidney disease). I can't recall the exact timing though so some of these tests were done prior to the symptoms, some were not.

I see a neuro for migraines so I will mention he symptoms next time I see him and see if he wants to repeat any of the tests.

Thank you!
 
Hon...there are no blood tests for strokes, per se.

And MRI's unless done recently since the onset of the weakness, would not show a stroke. Or a mini-stroke, for that matter.

But as said--ALS just isn't that fast.
 
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