I am new to this forum, and apologise if this has been posted on the wrong page.
I am extremely worried that I might have ALS, and need your help/advice. I have managed to ruin mine and my families Christmas, and am desperately trying to turn things around.
I am a 45yr old white male, and have a condition called Barrett’s Oesophagus. This is an Acid Reflux problem, which increases my risk of Oesophageal cancer to 1 in 20. As a result I need to have an endoscopy every two years.
Approximately 3 months ago I one night had a shot of alcohol and almost immediately had severe heartburn/indigestion. I went to bed, and the following morning I felt better but had a feeling of food being stuck behind my breastbone, especially after eating but that ‘feeling’ seemed to remain 24/7. I began to worry it might be cancer of the oesophagus, and asked for an endoscopy, which (barring biopsy results which I get in two weeks), came back as clear.
Around this time I had also gone for a routine eyesight test (I wear contact lenses) which highlighted a problem with my field vision. I had a small area I was missing on the test, which the optician noted had been there two years earlier, but had not got any worse. He explained it was probably nothing, but should get it checked out. I then did what I know you shouldn’t, and googled my problem, which indicated possible MS. I again began to panic, and paid to see an MS Neurologist privately. He did a clinical exam (strength, reflexes etc) and stated I was ‘as strong as an ox’ - did not have MS, and in all honesty could not justify me paying to have an MRI scan as it was not necessary. He told me to try to deal with my anxiety, and be rest assured it was not MS. He said the field test problem was extremely common and rarely turned out to be anything to worry about.
This made me feel better, but that feeling in my chest remained, especially after eating. First thing in the morning it wasn’t as bad but seemed to get progressively worse during the day. I stopped eating as much and started losing weight.
I then read something on Google about ALS/MND, and immediately began to worry this was my problem. My anxiety levels went through the roof, and I was unable to cope with either family or work life.
Another symptom I have noticed for the last couple of months is a gurgling sound in my throat when I swallow saliva, especially first thing in in the morning, and a sort of crackling sound in my lungs when I breath in and out, (at the top of my inhalation/exhalation) again barely noticeable, and only first thing in the morning. I also seem to sneeze more, sneezing once after eating usually ... but not always. Is this a symptom of ALS?
Over the last week or so I have now however began to get twitching all over my body, especially in my legs, and over the last three days have noticed a sort of tingling/numbness in my left foot which when I’m walking is not apparent, but when at rest, and I move it, it feels ‘strange’ and tingly. I’m not sure, but the heel of my foot seems slightly numb compared to my right. I have done the ‘strength tests, i.e. jumping up the stairs with both feet, walking on heels and balls of my feet with no problems), but am worried this is the first sign of atrophy in my feet. I understand it tends to present in the extremities first?
I have been to my local doctors practice (GP) three times, twice over the last 10 days, (seeing separate doctors) all of whom have explained that I do not have ALS.
During one of the three visits, one of the doctors suggested the symptoms were more likely due to anxiety and my Barratt's, and sent me for a chest x-ray to calm my nerves (I thought it was aspiration due to my throat muscles not working properly). However the x-ray was clear.
I am now concerned that I have Bulbar ALS and that now after 3 months, it has progressed to twitching all over, (especially in my legs, primarily calves, buttocks area, arms and occasionally hands etc.) and has now began to show in my foot. These twitching symptoms are virtually continuous.
I am able to chew and swallow without apparent difficulty, but don’t know if Bulbar ALS might cause me to feel as though my food is not going down properly after swallowing.
I am now panic stricken and am permanently attached to googling my symptoms. The last time I saw my local GP, on the third visit, he put me on 80mg of Propranolol to cope with my anxiety.
If a Neurologist checked me 4 weeks ago (prior to my twitching), could things have developed that quickly and might he have a different opinion now?
I am constantly it seems in tears, and wake each morning to the same worry nightmare.
I understand that some of you using this forum might have been diagnosed with ALS, or have loved ones that have been, or maybe you understand the concerns that someone might have who instead has BFS, anxiety etc, and has managed to turn things around. I don’t know, but I want my life back.
Janusz.
I am extremely worried that I might have ALS, and need your help/advice. I have managed to ruin mine and my families Christmas, and am desperately trying to turn things around.
I am a 45yr old white male, and have a condition called Barrett’s Oesophagus. This is an Acid Reflux problem, which increases my risk of Oesophageal cancer to 1 in 20. As a result I need to have an endoscopy every two years.
Approximately 3 months ago I one night had a shot of alcohol and almost immediately had severe heartburn/indigestion. I went to bed, and the following morning I felt better but had a feeling of food being stuck behind my breastbone, especially after eating but that ‘feeling’ seemed to remain 24/7. I began to worry it might be cancer of the oesophagus, and asked for an endoscopy, which (barring biopsy results which I get in two weeks), came back as clear.
Around this time I had also gone for a routine eyesight test (I wear contact lenses) which highlighted a problem with my field vision. I had a small area I was missing on the test, which the optician noted had been there two years earlier, but had not got any worse. He explained it was probably nothing, but should get it checked out. I then did what I know you shouldn’t, and googled my problem, which indicated possible MS. I again began to panic, and paid to see an MS Neurologist privately. He did a clinical exam (strength, reflexes etc) and stated I was ‘as strong as an ox’ - did not have MS, and in all honesty could not justify me paying to have an MRI scan as it was not necessary. He told me to try to deal with my anxiety, and be rest assured it was not MS. He said the field test problem was extremely common and rarely turned out to be anything to worry about.
This made me feel better, but that feeling in my chest remained, especially after eating. First thing in the morning it wasn’t as bad but seemed to get progressively worse during the day. I stopped eating as much and started losing weight.
I then read something on Google about ALS/MND, and immediately began to worry this was my problem. My anxiety levels went through the roof, and I was unable to cope with either family or work life.
Another symptom I have noticed for the last couple of months is a gurgling sound in my throat when I swallow saliva, especially first thing in in the morning, and a sort of crackling sound in my lungs when I breath in and out, (at the top of my inhalation/exhalation) again barely noticeable, and only first thing in the morning. I also seem to sneeze more, sneezing once after eating usually ... but not always. Is this a symptom of ALS?
Over the last week or so I have now however began to get twitching all over my body, especially in my legs, and over the last three days have noticed a sort of tingling/numbness in my left foot which when I’m walking is not apparent, but when at rest, and I move it, it feels ‘strange’ and tingly. I’m not sure, but the heel of my foot seems slightly numb compared to my right. I have done the ‘strength tests, i.e. jumping up the stairs with both feet, walking on heels and balls of my feet with no problems), but am worried this is the first sign of atrophy in my feet. I understand it tends to present in the extremities first?
I have been to my local doctors practice (GP) three times, twice over the last 10 days, (seeing separate doctors) all of whom have explained that I do not have ALS.
During one of the three visits, one of the doctors suggested the symptoms were more likely due to anxiety and my Barratt's, and sent me for a chest x-ray to calm my nerves (I thought it was aspiration due to my throat muscles not working properly). However the x-ray was clear.
I am now concerned that I have Bulbar ALS and that now after 3 months, it has progressed to twitching all over, (especially in my legs, primarily calves, buttocks area, arms and occasionally hands etc.) and has now began to show in my foot. These twitching symptoms are virtually continuous.
I am able to chew and swallow without apparent difficulty, but don’t know if Bulbar ALS might cause me to feel as though my food is not going down properly after swallowing.
I am now panic stricken and am permanently attached to googling my symptoms. The last time I saw my local GP, on the third visit, he put me on 80mg of Propranolol to cope with my anxiety.
If a Neurologist checked me 4 weeks ago (prior to my twitching), could things have developed that quickly and might he have a different opinion now?
I am constantly it seems in tears, and wake each morning to the same worry nightmare.
I understand that some of you using this forum might have been diagnosed with ALS, or have loved ones that have been, or maybe you understand the concerns that someone might have who instead has BFS, anxiety etc, and has managed to turn things around. I don’t know, but I want my life back.
Janusz.