Rough time, symptomatic and looking for some help.

[Serious1]

*after writing this, I see I am just regergitating all the symptoms I have been having and it lead to a long post. My intention is to let you know what ALL is going on when we all know there is probably just specific symptoms that I am focusing on for this forum.*

Thanks for reading this long post in advance.

I see a neurologist tomorrow. My PCP (who I have only known for a month), urologist, pulmonary, cardiology, ER physician... all have said its stress/anxiety/depression... why isn't this enough? I am unsure.

To be fair to myself, the twitches, trembling, hand weakness, mouth issue ect. (explained below) started after I saw them and before I have seen a neurologist. So no MND exclusion yet. The pinned DIHALS anxiety thread echoes through my mind right now as I write that...

Short story... muscle twitching all over with internal trembling at times. Some pins and needles and just not feeling right. Strength hasn't left (i dont think, have tested with my family's help) but my hand weakness, finger movement and reactions are concerning and my sleep and diet are currently crap for which I am trying to work on too...

Long story... I have had a lot of muscle twitching all over... started about 4 weeks ago in my intercostal and, basically, it is now happens everywhere. Top to bottom, you name it, its twitched (even my privates, internally...). Does seem to stop when I move (maybe just harder to detect). When standing still I have maybe 1 or a few. Laying down or sitting... it comes on more. Before bed and sleeping... it can get "bad". Wife was woken up one night by a few hard twitches. On the same night I had it really bad at the bottom of both feet it woke me up. This has been happening every night with moderate to low intensity. The only place I feel I haven't had very noticeable twitches is my head but I think I have... just they are not as strong and are quick to disappear when I reach to feel.

Recently I had some (procevied) issues with swallowing, tounge and mouth control. Feels like I have struggles speaking at times like pushing my voice out as it hurts the muscles required for talking (job has me talking a lot). Tried my best to chalk it up to over-thinking but it persisted the entire evening... freaked me out because as much as I ignored it it would get a bit worse and eating physically felt difficult so I was refusing to eat admitting though it seems to have passed but I have been having weird sensations in my mouth area, sometimes a feeling of numbness or lack of control, some sensation of uncontrolled movement... have had a weird lump feeling deeper in my esphogus as well. Have ignored that portion for weeks.

I do also feel an internal trembling. Started inside my abdomen and I seem to feel it like my twitches, almost at random, and in random spots, but lately it's been in my abdomen under my ribs on both sides, inside my right hand and inside my right foot and leg. Not all at once though. Sometimes I feel it might be my heartbeat but it does feel noticeably different than that at times. Wife can feel it very slightly... although she feels the twitching, she thinks it's mostly in my head. It was very strong in both legs last night.

Pins and needle sensations since then as well... not localized, same as the twitches. They can be weird feeling but do not tend to last. Again, all over the body and at random. Like random pin point pain to groups of stars like pain, almost a cut-off-of-circulation feeling, but localized and strong.

No real muscle weakness, almost feels like both hands are weak, at times I will use my hands and they can feel weak, today my right hand felt particularly weak and loss coordination and it is honestly scaring me... but I challenge it and I seems I still have strength and coordination though determination but its hard to tell... sensation seems a little less on my right side but super hard to tell if it is actually that or im panicing... cause I'm not trying to precieve anything and they feel weak. I am right handed and it just feels like my right hand is not right lol... trembles when I try to reverse flex with resistance, the back of the hand does feel slightly numb as compared to the other side a bit ever so slight I might be thinking too much into it... some loss in muscle mass as I stopped working out and I was a gym and nutrition rat. I am lossing weight little by little everyday.. I chalk this up to not only stress but I am not eating as much. Maybe a bowl of oatmeal, a decent sized lunch, and maybe supper.

Some fatigue that creeps up after work (took a month off after the panic attack). I have had a pain in my middle back but I believe it was due to posture and largely it went away but still seems present. And today it was worse. Right in the middle of my back and my chest also hurts and burns. Speaking of which.. heartburn has returned to normal levels, almost non-existant, hurts very little when I breath deeply. Today it began to hurt a bit more when breathing.

Bio background if interested:

Male, 27, hispanic/white, 195lbs, no diagnosed diseases, no (current) medications.

Been having health anxiety since a severe panic attack about 2 months ago. It was my first one ever and was not helped by my family well nor was I taken to the hospital to be sure. And to be clear, as much I dont want this to be a drug discussion I had the severe panic attack because of my first time usage and this is also the reason my family did not take me to the hospital. I convulsed, went numb, throst felt like closing, passed out, sweating clammy, foggy ect. This all happened ever since then. Smoked weed this once before the incident, not doing it again. No other drugs. Outside of a severe depressive/anxiety episode following that... there has been a wide range of "symptoms" as you have read. I did take some anti-depressants for three days and stopped due to suicidal ideation. I had nothing of this nature beforehand.

CBC shows elevated RBC, Hemo, Hemocrite (have had in the past, went down and now is back up).

Negative for STDs, Hep A,B, C.

High lipid panel... slightly out of range (high) on cholesterol (214mg/dl), LDL(147mg/dl) and risk ratio (3.67).

Have not tested hormones yet. Calcium and Mag are normal. I am pretty sure I am vitamin D deficient. Going to my GPA with this soon.

Ultrasound coming up to look at abdomen as back pain and GI and urine change is concerning.

Went from 5 meals a day, working out, a gallon of water to a depressive episode where I do not even a quarter of that. Small breakfast, small lunch and maybe dinner. Was "bodybuilding" so I had as much as I could in check. Trying to fix it... believe me.

This forum is truely a place of hope and help and I understand I am only a very worried guest with no diagnosis of and MND. I pray for all of you, afflicted or not (as the anxiety is amazingly powerful as well).

I have to say this...I could describe more and I am scared. Specifically about the trembling, twitching and hands and the sensations following them. Hopefully I get some resolution soon, whatever that may be. Maybe someone has some words to say about this here that can be helpful.

THANKS!

 

[lgelb]

Understanding that your past with drugs is over, was it weed or something else that caused the severe episode? Even weed can have lingering effects since there are no controls on potency.

I understand that you are looking for help, but in truth, the best kind is right there in Katy. That is where you can get help for the anxiety and maybe try an antidepressant again (suicidal ideation within 3 days sounds more like an interaction than a side effect, but even if it was, there are many ADs). That you feel less able to eat and had to take time off work suggests that there is definitely work to be done, and having someone helping you makes it easier.

I'm very confident that the neuro will not find anything neurological from what you have said, so that is where going back to do the work is going to come into play. Besides counseling and possibly a drug for the anxiety/depression stuff, very simple approaches like stretching, tai chi, massage, hot tub, etc. can help. There are tons of videos on YouTube to check out.

So to sum it up, there's nothing suggesting ALS or any other kind of neurological disorder, though it wouldn't hurt to be screened for RLS/PLMD if the twitching is worse at rest and improves with movement. But you deserve to feel better, and once you get more confirmation that you have a direction to tackle, I hope you head that way.

Best,
Laurie

 

[Atsugi]

You have problems. I hope you give that post to your PCP.


I don't see anything anywhere in that post that has anything to do with ALS. Why are you here?

 

[Serious1]

Thank you, Laurie and Mike for your replies.

Laurie, thank you for the kindness. This has definetly taken a toll on my life. Yes, like many others may have had something similar, I have been having very obsessive, often morbid, thoughts pertaining to leaving my 5 yo daughter and family due to something of this nature occurring in my health.... classic health anxiety, right? It sucks and is very real for me in all aspects.

It's been very sad times with this horrible depressive episode and thoughts, 2 weeks plus of the darkest times I have had (I know this is not a psychological forum... just wanted to share). And going from a very confident young weightlifter to... a worried-mess is what I have been seeking help with... especially after "symptoms" started. Counseling has helped, speaking about much emotional baggage since the incident. Unfortunately it does not seem to help with these somatic symptoms... and it is hard as a man at this satge in life to even admit a small fraction of any of this.

My 1 time drug use with weed was the trigger for this incident (severe panic episode) for which, like I said, I have never ever had before (nothing relating to panic, common anxiety and some difficult times in life, maybe).

As to Mike - why am I here? I consulted Dr. Google... lesson learned. And so what I have, unfortunately, learned, is like what others have and that symptoms line up. At least, the twitching, weakness, internal trembling ect... and because I dont know, I have to ask (and I tried, in as best detail as possible, to explain). As common as it (anxiety) is... I may very well be mixing up anxiety with legit neurological/MN disorders and I mean no offense to this... only baring my belly that I have fears. Fears for everyone involved and much empathy for those i have read about (having a higher degree I research fast, meticulously and I dont help my health anxiety exhausting every article, story and... forum). And now gratitude that you all, with who are actually living it, can help others... even if it's just because they are a worried mess.

Thank you again for the replies. I do fully expect neuro to not find anything upon initial look... and they probably will go the emg route to pacify/make sure. It's scary. Dont know if I should.