Zack
New member
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2019
- Messages
- 4
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Diagnosis
- 00/0000
- Country
- CA
- State
- BC
- City
- Vancouver
Hello,
Firstly, I would like to thank in advance anyone who reads and responds to this post. It is greatly appreciated. I am a 34 year old male living in British Columbia Canada. Over the last 5-6 months I have been experiencing pain from muscle cramps in my left arm (minor) and my left leg (daily and multiple times a day). This was followed by widespread fasculations (muscle twitches) in my face (below my left eye and around it), both of my shoulders and arms, both legs, both feet and my stomach. The fasculations come and go except for the ones in my stomach which have been constant for over 5 months now. I was referred by my family doctor to a Neurologist in the summer and met with them in the early September.
The Neurologist performed a standard, but thorough physical exam in which she asked me to stand and walk on my toes and heels, raise my arms, push and pull my extremities with her applying force against me, sticking out my tongue and some eye movement exercises. She did not pay any attention to the muscle twitches as she said I could not have ALS as I was able to perform all of the physical tasks she asked without any problem. I was then told I probably have Benign Fasculation Syndrome and sent on my way.
I of course was happy and relieved to hear this news, but the cramping on my left side (especially my left leg) continued and the twitching also continued. So went and saw my family doctor again. He did some blood work to see if there were any deficiencies (which there were none – everything including thyroid and electrolytes and all blood came back good) and then recommended I take magnesium supplements and drink more water. Been doing both for over a month now and have seen no positive results. The cramps and twitches continue. Now I am an anxious person so I thought that this could also be a huge contributing factor as I have done enough research to know that such twitches can be caused by anxiety.
I ended up going to my family doctor two weeks as my daughter needed her flu shot (under 5 so pharmacy won’t do it) and he asked how I was feeling. I told him things had not changed so he asked me to take my pants off so he could look at my left leg again. He noticed twitching right away in the leg as well as in my stomach. He then did a measurement of my left calf to right calf and he noticed a 1.3-inch difference in their size. I then pointed out that the muscle behind my left knee was non-existent. While when I flex my right knee there is a large muscle that sticks out and connects my back thigh to my calf muscle. He stated that its actually a tendon in the back of my right knee that is not showing in the left. Not sure what to think of that as when I flex my right knee it sticks out in the back and the other does not. It actually hard to flex my left calf at all. He has since requested that the Neurologist see me again (which is going to happen on Dec 5)
My doctor also asked me if I worked out, which I do 2 times a week. I do odd weight lifting at my school’s gym (I am a teacher). This is not major workouts and I am in no way muscular. Lately I have had trouble working out for more than 20 minutes. I did note to him that I can do my exercises, but feel nothing on the left side of my arm and left leg when I do so and it has gotten harder. I can still walk on my toes and ankles although the ankles part has been tougher these days. The pain in my left leg happens all the time (my left leg always feels super tight), my stomach (just below my ribs continues to twitch) and any time I am sitting down my arms and legs also have twitches that last from minutes to throughout the night.
Just not sure what to think. Everything I read states that twitches are usually focal to the region being affected with ALS, but in my case the majority of the cramping is in my left leg and the twitches are in that leg, but in other places as well.
Yes I am worried and anxious. I am a young dad with a 4-year-old and another on the way in June. Wondering if anyone can give me their opinion or what I should ask the neurologist when I see her as last time I did not know what to ask so I just answered her questions and preformed the tasks she asked me to.
Firstly, I would like to thank in advance anyone who reads and responds to this post. It is greatly appreciated. I am a 34 year old male living in British Columbia Canada. Over the last 5-6 months I have been experiencing pain from muscle cramps in my left arm (minor) and my left leg (daily and multiple times a day). This was followed by widespread fasculations (muscle twitches) in my face (below my left eye and around it), both of my shoulders and arms, both legs, both feet and my stomach. The fasculations come and go except for the ones in my stomach which have been constant for over 5 months now. I was referred by my family doctor to a Neurologist in the summer and met with them in the early September.
The Neurologist performed a standard, but thorough physical exam in which she asked me to stand and walk on my toes and heels, raise my arms, push and pull my extremities with her applying force against me, sticking out my tongue and some eye movement exercises. She did not pay any attention to the muscle twitches as she said I could not have ALS as I was able to perform all of the physical tasks she asked without any problem. I was then told I probably have Benign Fasculation Syndrome and sent on my way.
I of course was happy and relieved to hear this news, but the cramping on my left side (especially my left leg) continued and the twitching also continued. So went and saw my family doctor again. He did some blood work to see if there were any deficiencies (which there were none – everything including thyroid and electrolytes and all blood came back good) and then recommended I take magnesium supplements and drink more water. Been doing both for over a month now and have seen no positive results. The cramps and twitches continue. Now I am an anxious person so I thought that this could also be a huge contributing factor as I have done enough research to know that such twitches can be caused by anxiety.
I ended up going to my family doctor two weeks as my daughter needed her flu shot (under 5 so pharmacy won’t do it) and he asked how I was feeling. I told him things had not changed so he asked me to take my pants off so he could look at my left leg again. He noticed twitching right away in the leg as well as in my stomach. He then did a measurement of my left calf to right calf and he noticed a 1.3-inch difference in their size. I then pointed out that the muscle behind my left knee was non-existent. While when I flex my right knee there is a large muscle that sticks out and connects my back thigh to my calf muscle. He stated that its actually a tendon in the back of my right knee that is not showing in the left. Not sure what to think of that as when I flex my right knee it sticks out in the back and the other does not. It actually hard to flex my left calf at all. He has since requested that the Neurologist see me again (which is going to happen on Dec 5)
My doctor also asked me if I worked out, which I do 2 times a week. I do odd weight lifting at my school’s gym (I am a teacher). This is not major workouts and I am in no way muscular. Lately I have had trouble working out for more than 20 minutes. I did note to him that I can do my exercises, but feel nothing on the left side of my arm and left leg when I do so and it has gotten harder. I can still walk on my toes and ankles although the ankles part has been tougher these days. The pain in my left leg happens all the time (my left leg always feels super tight), my stomach (just below my ribs continues to twitch) and any time I am sitting down my arms and legs also have twitches that last from minutes to throughout the night.
Just not sure what to think. Everything I read states that twitches are usually focal to the region being affected with ALS, but in my case the majority of the cramping is in my left leg and the twitches are in that leg, but in other places as well.
Yes I am worried and anxious. I am a young dad with a 4-year-old and another on the way in June. Wondering if anyone can give me their opinion or what I should ask the neurologist when I see her as last time I did not know what to ask so I just answered her questions and preformed the tasks she asked me to.