Left thigh weakness please help

[Gsexxvi26]

Hello,

I wanted to start off by saying that I am a 22yr old male so I know my chances for als are relatively rare.

About 1.5 years ago I started with a random twitch in my left arm that ended up spreading throughout my entire body. I have pretty bad health anxiety so I threw myself down the rabbit hole of googling symptoms and became worried of ALS. I went to a neurologist about 3-4 months into twitching and did a emg which came back clean and was given a diagnosis of BFS.

Interestingly enough this put me at ease and my twitching stayed however I feel like they were way less than when I first got them.

it has now been a lil over a year and I’m getting some new symptoms on top of the twitching that are causing concern. For one when running I seem to get exercise intolerance and my leg muscles get really stiff and heavy however I don’t fall or trip. What really has started to worry me is that for about 1 week now my left thigh has felt weak. I understand what perceived weakness is and I’m trying to tell myself that it’s just perceived. However I feel that it is really awkward to walk on this left leg, I’ve had perceived weakness before although I remember having the feeling in both legs not just one. The feeling of weakness stays even when I’m laying down it’s like I can feel that the thigh is weaker without even moving it. It even sometimes feels tingly/ticklish on the inside not sure how to describe it. Sometimes it feels like the muscle is twitching internally. I’ve had perceived weakness before and it usually goes away when my mind is focused on something else like (work) however I’ve worked this past week and just can’t shake the awkwardness/weakness in my thigh that I feel. My butt muscles also feel sore which I am wondering if it’s because they are making up for the weakness and are working harder because of it. It’s really this new symptom alone that’s brought me here as I’ve never had this problem before and it’s been 1.5 years already.

it’s only been a week with this new symptom and I’ve made another appointment for a emg with my neuro, but I am worried. Is it possible to twitch for over a year and then finally the weakness sets in. I’ve heard conflicting views about weakness coming first and then twitching. I find it odd bc the twitching started in my left arm originally. I’ve had a panic attack already this week and I know my anxiety is high but I would say it’s high bc of the appearance of this new symptom. I forgot to mention I still have twitching everywhere but it feels more focused in my left thigh where the weakness is.

Does this at all sound like maybe a slow progressing ALS?

 

[lgelb]

No. "Feeling weaker without even moving it" is not ALS.
See a primary care doc to baseline your strength and run any labs, etc. s/he thinks are appropriate.

Best,
Laurie

 

[Gsexxvi26]

Thank you for your reply,

I actually ended up in the ER A couple of days ago due to a panic attack because of my symptoms. The doctor there told me als shouldn’t even be on my mind. It’s just weird that my thigh all of a sudden feels weak and stiff like this and I’m wondering if maybe I’m just progressing rather slowly and am just starting to experience these new symptoms. I do have an EMG scheduled for the beginning of next month though.

 

[ShiftKicker]

It sounds like you're definitely not reassured by the ER doctor nor Laurie's response, so you'll have to keep working with your primary medical provider to hunt down the cause of your symptoms. Please let us know how it goes after your emg, which I am sure will not show any signs of ALS- hopefully you will find that reassuring. Best of luck!

 

[Gsexxvi26]

Update:

a couple of day before the new year started my feeling of weakness in my thigh went away and I was walking normal again without having to think about it. From what I’ve read ALS would not have days where feelings of weakness would get better so I feel a little more at ease knowing that information. However my anxiety has been at an all times high during the past month and I still find myself in constant worry. Yesterday I went to the gym which was the first time since March 2020. I did my usual 5 minute walk followed by 5 minute jog to start which was fine but right after stepping off the treadmill my legs felt like jello however I was still walking just fine. I worked out my chest and triceps and noticed I was not able to completely get through my normal workout. I did a little more than half of my normal routine before tapping out using the same weight as always. I’m telling myself that it has been awhile since I’ve been in the gym and not to convince myself otherwise but I’ve noticed as stated previously my exercise intolerance is increasing. My soreness in my body will last days but will eventually go back to normal. My neuro appointment is in 5 days so I hope to get a clean emg and my symptoms and anxiety will subside afterwards. Was curious to know if my exercise intolerance is something i should be more concerned with. I’ve read from others that they noticed themselves not able to do the things they used to do physically gradually before they’re diagnosis. I will post another update on Wednesday.

 

[Nikki J]

You haven’t been to the gym in 10 months. Of course you can’t do your old routine. Soreness and prolonged recovery from that is not how ALS would be I am sure your visit will reassure you. No need to post again before you can report your visit. Step away from the computer