daggy91212
New member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2025
- Messages
- 1
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Diagnosis
- 00/0000
- Country
- US
Hi all, first of all my sympathy to everyone who has had to live with ALS or care for a loved one with ALS. I can't imagine. I am very appreciative that many of you are willing to read posts like this from people like me who are concerned that they have it.
I am here because for the last 3-4 weeks I've been experiencing a few symptoms. I wanted to believe it's anxiety, but with each passing day I think that is less likely.
Full disclosure, I do have a history of health anxiety, including a fear of getting ALS about 15 years ago. I also have a history, on and off, of full body muscle twitching, going back as far as 15 years ago. And a history of "feeling" symptoms that were never actually there, such as pressure in my abdomen, back of knee, waking up in the middle of the night feeling really hot thinking I had a fever, when the thermometer confirmed it was all in my head (after reading that that can be a symptom of some cancers), etc
The situation I am currently in began about 3 weeks ago when I was walking on the treadmill. I was going at a pretty good speed, and about halfway through the workout my left calf started to hurt. I didn't want to end the workout, so I kept going through the discomfort. Long story short, I ended up with something like a calf strain that I've been having treated by my doctor for the last couple weeks.
The day after the treadmill injury, due to my health anxiety, I was worried because I walk often for exercise and haven't had an issue like that (though that was my first time on the treadmill in about 9 months because usually I walk outside). My mind immediately went to ALS, so I googled the symptoms. The symptoms I saw made me worry. It said cramping/tightness in the calf can be a symptom, which was essentially what I was feeling at that moment. It also said muscle twitches. I did not have any twitching there or elsewhere at that time, but twitching developed within 24 hours (psychosomatic?). I then dug deeper on Google and saw that it would be cause for concern if the leg cramps progressed to another limb, so I've been very worried about that happening, which I know is irrational but it's just how I'm wired. And not only that, but that it can take weeks or months for that to happen, which left me feeling like I wouldn't be "off the hook" from that possibility for several months.
I almost immediately went to the doctor for my calf, in the back of my mind thinking this is an ALS appointment, but of course I didn't mention that. The reason I point this out is just to show how immediately ALS was on my mind and how unreasonable that must be,
The weeks that followed have been very anxious for me. I have been obsessively paying attention to my injured calf and how it feels to walk around, waiting for it to get better quickly. I seemed to exacerbate the injury at work. Within a few days I was walking slowly with a limp at work, which really made me worry. I did manage to recover from the limp within a day or two.
My calf still feels "tight" at times, and is still twitching. There seems to be no loss of strength or function. Also, now I've developed a semi-painful/sore quad in my right leg (the opposite leg). This has started in the last few days. I went to get the quad massaged because I saw it recommended somewhere, and the masseuse commented on how it felt tight, though my left calf did not. Walking in general does not feel that great to me right now, I'm overly focused on how my legs feel and notice when anything feels slightly off, for example the other calf might briefly feel tight, but it goes away.
Over the last few weeks I've also had a lot of full body muscle twitching, which again has happened to me before (as long as 15 years ago), however the most intense twitching is in the calf that I hurt on the treadmill.
I have an appointment with a neurologist on Tuesday (1/21), going to try to explain my concerns about having ALS and hope that he will order an EMG. I am going to explain to him how this concern has been on my mind constantly and is really hurting my life. I also have an appointment with an anxiety therapist on Thursday 1/23, which will be my first appointment for that ever.
Bottom line as of right now: concerned how left calf continues to twitch or almost cramp up though I believe the original treadmill injury has healed, concerned about feelings in other legs, anxiety really driving me crazy with just wanting to not feel these leg sensations anymore, can't get my mind off of this, not sleeping well, lack of appetite, etc.
So now I guess it's time to ask what I intend to ask... I know common sense says that no one can know for sure until the EMG comes back, but does anyone have anything worth mentioning? Maybe this has all been overblown in my head and the odds of it actually being ALS instead of just health anxiety are really low. I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance or maybe guidance for the appointment with the neurologist.
Thank you for taking the time to read this
I am here because for the last 3-4 weeks I've been experiencing a few symptoms. I wanted to believe it's anxiety, but with each passing day I think that is less likely.
Full disclosure, I do have a history of health anxiety, including a fear of getting ALS about 15 years ago. I also have a history, on and off, of full body muscle twitching, going back as far as 15 years ago. And a history of "feeling" symptoms that were never actually there, such as pressure in my abdomen, back of knee, waking up in the middle of the night feeling really hot thinking I had a fever, when the thermometer confirmed it was all in my head (after reading that that can be a symptom of some cancers), etc
The situation I am currently in began about 3 weeks ago when I was walking on the treadmill. I was going at a pretty good speed, and about halfway through the workout my left calf started to hurt. I didn't want to end the workout, so I kept going through the discomfort. Long story short, I ended up with something like a calf strain that I've been having treated by my doctor for the last couple weeks.
The day after the treadmill injury, due to my health anxiety, I was worried because I walk often for exercise and haven't had an issue like that (though that was my first time on the treadmill in about 9 months because usually I walk outside). My mind immediately went to ALS, so I googled the symptoms. The symptoms I saw made me worry. It said cramping/tightness in the calf can be a symptom, which was essentially what I was feeling at that moment. It also said muscle twitches. I did not have any twitching there or elsewhere at that time, but twitching developed within 24 hours (psychosomatic?). I then dug deeper on Google and saw that it would be cause for concern if the leg cramps progressed to another limb, so I've been very worried about that happening, which I know is irrational but it's just how I'm wired. And not only that, but that it can take weeks or months for that to happen, which left me feeling like I wouldn't be "off the hook" from that possibility for several months.
I almost immediately went to the doctor for my calf, in the back of my mind thinking this is an ALS appointment, but of course I didn't mention that. The reason I point this out is just to show how immediately ALS was on my mind and how unreasonable that must be,
The weeks that followed have been very anxious for me. I have been obsessively paying attention to my injured calf and how it feels to walk around, waiting for it to get better quickly. I seemed to exacerbate the injury at work. Within a few days I was walking slowly with a limp at work, which really made me worry. I did manage to recover from the limp within a day or two.
My calf still feels "tight" at times, and is still twitching. There seems to be no loss of strength or function. Also, now I've developed a semi-painful/sore quad in my right leg (the opposite leg). This has started in the last few days. I went to get the quad massaged because I saw it recommended somewhere, and the masseuse commented on how it felt tight, though my left calf did not. Walking in general does not feel that great to me right now, I'm overly focused on how my legs feel and notice when anything feels slightly off, for example the other calf might briefly feel tight, but it goes away.
Over the last few weeks I've also had a lot of full body muscle twitching, which again has happened to me before (as long as 15 years ago), however the most intense twitching is in the calf that I hurt on the treadmill.
I have an appointment with a neurologist on Tuesday (1/21), going to try to explain my concerns about having ALS and hope that he will order an EMG. I am going to explain to him how this concern has been on my mind constantly and is really hurting my life. I also have an appointment with an anxiety therapist on Thursday 1/23, which will be my first appointment for that ever.
Bottom line as of right now: concerned how left calf continues to twitch or almost cramp up though I believe the original treadmill injury has healed, concerned about feelings in other legs, anxiety really driving me crazy with just wanting to not feel these leg sensations anymore, can't get my mind off of this, not sleeping well, lack of appetite, etc.
So now I guess it's time to ask what I intend to ask... I know common sense says that no one can know for sure until the EMG comes back, but does anyone have anything worth mentioning? Maybe this has all been overblown in my head and the odds of it actually being ALS instead of just health anxiety are really low. I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance or maybe guidance for the appointment with the neurologist.
Thank you for taking the time to read this
