stx5m
New member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2013
- Messages
- 2
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- Texas
- City
- Dallas
Looking to hear your perspective, fatigue->bad swallowing->imperfect emg->twitching
Hi Everyone,
Before I start, I just want to say that I truly appreciate your perspective and taking the time to read this.
I am a 25 year old male who has had various symptoms for the past seven weeks. I know based on my age ALS would be extremely unlikely, however, I was hoping to get the opinion of the experienced individuals on this site. Here is a rundown of how my symptoms have progressed:
Week 1: Started with sensory symptoms in legs/arms/back regarding temperature (not indicative of ALS, I know)
Week 2: Fatigue worsens and sensory symptoms continue, Begin to lose weight. Drop from 158lbs. to 150 lbs.
Week 3: See GP who immediately refers to Neuro. Neuro thinks MS is a 50/50 chance, I randomly ask him about other possible causes and throw out a list of a few things which ALS was on. (I had just started experiencing some difficulty swallowing). He said the youngest person who has ALS is 28 and that there was no way that could be possible. Have MRI which was almost perfecct, 5 very small spots, but too small to indicate MS. Neuro gives me 1 regimen of oral steriods
Week 4: Weight goes from 150 lbls. to 145lbs. See another Neurologist for second opinion. Second Neuro thinks MRI is completely normal. Does an EMG on both my legs. Mostly normal except my left (sacral? nerve I think). One of the nerves near the bottom of my left foot which was low. Begin having nerve twitching in different parts of my body.
Week 6: Swallowing difficulty worsen, fatigue continues, small fasiculations begin to occur all over but mostly on the left side of my neck and in my left leg, sensory symptoms are still present, I have lost a few more pounds and am now at 142.
The reason I am concerned now is that the swallowing difficulty, fatigue, weight loss, and fasiculations are now the primary symptoms I am experiencing. The sensory symptoms have always been extremely mild. I also did a micronutrient test myself recently (test the level of compounds in white blood cells) and my results showed low of Glutamine, Glutathione, and Cysteine. The glutamine was particularly concerning since I know in ALS the white blood cells overload the nervous system with glutamine, creating an environment of neurotoxicity.
I know it seems like I am jumping the gun, but I have a biology background so I think about these things. If I were to be diagnosed with ALS, as futile as it might seem, I know based on my personality I would do everything in my power to learn as much as I could as fast as a I could to come up with any way to slow progression.
Thanks for reading if you got down this far, and let me know your thoughts.
Hi Everyone,
Before I start, I just want to say that I truly appreciate your perspective and taking the time to read this.
I am a 25 year old male who has had various symptoms for the past seven weeks. I know based on my age ALS would be extremely unlikely, however, I was hoping to get the opinion of the experienced individuals on this site. Here is a rundown of how my symptoms have progressed:
Week 1: Started with sensory symptoms in legs/arms/back regarding temperature (not indicative of ALS, I know)
Week 2: Fatigue worsens and sensory symptoms continue, Begin to lose weight. Drop from 158lbs. to 150 lbs.
Week 3: See GP who immediately refers to Neuro. Neuro thinks MS is a 50/50 chance, I randomly ask him about other possible causes and throw out a list of a few things which ALS was on. (I had just started experiencing some difficulty swallowing). He said the youngest person who has ALS is 28 and that there was no way that could be possible. Have MRI which was almost perfecct, 5 very small spots, but too small to indicate MS. Neuro gives me 1 regimen of oral steriods
Week 4: Weight goes from 150 lbls. to 145lbs. See another Neurologist for second opinion. Second Neuro thinks MRI is completely normal. Does an EMG on both my legs. Mostly normal except my left (sacral? nerve I think). One of the nerves near the bottom of my left foot which was low. Begin having nerve twitching in different parts of my body.
Week 6: Swallowing difficulty worsen, fatigue continues, small fasiculations begin to occur all over but mostly on the left side of my neck and in my left leg, sensory symptoms are still present, I have lost a few more pounds and am now at 142.
The reason I am concerned now is that the swallowing difficulty, fatigue, weight loss, and fasiculations are now the primary symptoms I am experiencing. The sensory symptoms have always been extremely mild. I also did a micronutrient test myself recently (test the level of compounds in white blood cells) and my results showed low of Glutamine, Glutathione, and Cysteine. The glutamine was particularly concerning since I know in ALS the white blood cells overload the nervous system with glutamine, creating an environment of neurotoxicity.
I know it seems like I am jumping the gun, but I have a biology background so I think about these things. If I were to be diagnosed with ALS, as futile as it might seem, I know based on my personality I would do everything in my power to learn as much as I could as fast as a I could to come up with any way to slow progression.
Thanks for reading if you got down this far, and let me know your thoughts.
Just to let you know, young people can get ALS too.
