Sound like ALS?

[Harvey Boy]

I'm 22 year old male. Started feelin twitch in my legs, now everywhere. sometime not too bad, sometimes really bad. some day only here and there, some day all day.
feel muscle fatigue too. when holding arms up too long, or even doing dishes.
also feel mucus in throat, even clear it again and again, gets annoying to me and others...
had 1 doc tell me nothing to worry, yet then why it happen all the time? why the mucus? he says stress and anxiety maybe. huh? I need a family doc soon. Do it sound like it could be? I know you can't diagnose, of course not - but so young a 22, M, prett healthy... I can't stand to know. Please any advice or answers...

 

[Phil M]

All you can do really is see a Neurologist. No reason to get all bummed out until you find out for sure. Could be number of things. At your age, and if you don't have it in your family history. The odds of having it should be very slim. Try not to think about it, and get checked out. Good luck!

 

[Harvey Boy]

thanks for the reply, thanks.
but I've had many head injury. many hard head injury. twice with concussion in hospital (once from high jump in school, once from fight... other ones from a time (not proud) I used to punch myself in the head when angry - many times repeated - really, really, really stupid) - but maybe in my young age the head injury caused these neuro problems now they caused ALS?
is this reasonable to assume or at the least consider?
I'm so scared that maybe me in fights or punching myself or hitting head against ground contributed to me getting this disease...
any documented cases of prevelance? is it an associated factor? has a neuro ever touched on this possibility with any of you?
You can get Parkinson's this way, maybe in a slight percentage ALS too - only way to think at my age. too young for this. too young to not swallow properly, mucus full throat, twitches constantly and weakness in my limbs. I can't handle to wait 6 months for neuro.
any any any feedback I would love. thank you.

 

[Phil M]

thanks for the reply, thanks.
but I've had many head injury. many hard head injury. twice with concussion in hospital (once from high jump in school, once from fight... other ones from a time (not proud) I used to punch myself in the head when angry - many times repeated - really, really, really stupid) - but maybe in my young age the head injury caused these neuro problems now they caused ALS?
is this reasonable to assume or at the least consider?
I'm so scared that maybe me in fights or punching myself or hitting head against ground contributed to me getting this disease...
any documented cases of prevelance? is it an associated factor? has a neuro ever touched on this possibility with any of you?
You can get Parkinson's this way, maybe in a slight percentage ALS too - only way to think at my age. too young for this. too young to not swallow properly, mucus full throat, twitches constantly and weakness in my limbs. I can't handle to wait 6 months for neuro.
any any any feedback I would love. thank you.

Wow...6 months? Have you made a appointment?
Head injury the cause? I have no idea, but my gut feeling says the cause is right under our noses. Probably something people come in contact with on a regular basis.

 

[wright]

Global symptoms in such a short span of time sounds nothing like ALS. Typically weakness with ALS is something that is not "felt" but rather someone finds they can't do something they were always able to do. Mucus build-up in the throat is not a symptom of ALS unless you have trouble swallowing.

There are no studies that indicate head trauma causes ALS and I have never heard of any anectodal evidence either.

You sound like a very nervous person but please do your best to relax and do your best not to think about ALS, because your symptoms simply do not point toward it.

 

[Harvey Boy]

I am having trouble swallowing. it's like it's harder i should say. it's like a very tight feeling when the stuff goes down. and sometimes my throat is very dry too.
the excess of saliva and the excess on my pillow in the morning?
I also whistle now when I do my "S"'s ... is that usually a sign? my tongue looks like it's smaller now too!
also, I do notice little things, like even typing - my shoulders are strained, like they are screaming "stop" - it's horrible.
always these twitches too. started in arms/legs, now everywhere.

so you still think not?

 

[Harvey Boy]

and how come after doc checks reflexes, automatically w/o a doubt "no ALS" - a speech about how he seen ALS in 2 people, reflexes horrible and it showed muscles - but to put mind at rest see a neuro anyway. i told about these burns in my shoulders, like they always strained . i need to rest them like right now typing I feel the heaviness almost. is this symptomatic?

i really love that you reply. it shows people care even though they have such heavy burden. i wish i could just know for sure i don't, i'd still stay on this board just to see how things are going.

i'm so scared i feel like a dark cloud over me, like i can't even live.

twitches, weak muscles, hard swallow...? no?

 

[Harvey Boy]

and by "twitches everywhere" i mean in arms, legs, feet + hands. noticed a few months back.

 

[Harvey Boy]

and do the twitchese *generally* come first, or the muscle weakness? cus i can remember twitches (slight here and there, but enough to make me wonder) as far back as last spring...

sorry for the barrage of messages. really crazy of me. just need to get out all the worries. you people know this stuff the best (not diagnose like neuro - just general info. a grasp).

i just want to cry. i could cry for an hour straight right now. i know, it's i know in my heart i probably have this. any of the symptoms were me having htem first then reading on them and being related, not the other way around.

 

[Zaphoon]

Harveyboy,

I would suggest taking the opposite train of thought; that being, "I do not have ALS!" In fact, if you are convinced you have something wrong (and you well may), try convincing yourself you are suffering from a pinched nerve (because you are more likely to have a pinched nerve than ALS).

For your sake, please choose something other than ALS as a possibility for what may be causing your symptoms. If the doctors say its not ALS, believe them. If they say it is ALS, make them prove it! In the meantime, how about a pinched nerve?

Zaphoon

 

[Harvey Boy]

a pinch nerve cause muscle weakness?
i mean i just stuck my tongue to my brother to compare he literally stepped back and was like, "oh my god it's all weird and ripply at the sides- what's wrong with you"? - his tongue is full and smooth ont eh sides, as is my Mom's - they have bigger tongues, looks healthier. mine looks rippled and bit into on teh sides and looks smaller. never did before. THIS scares me A LOT.
and now choking while sleeping waking up? hard swallow?

i wish i could say pinched nerve. but these are huge reminders.
i never showed doc my tongue! i was so flustered to get everything out. that was the most important thing to show. he would have been shocked at least.
i'm so, so scared. thanks for the reply though Zaphoon. sweet of you.

 

[Zaphoon]

A pinched nerve, in the right area, can cause a myriad of problems. I've got to say, I've never given my tongue a second look. I've had episodes of losing my voice and jaw tremors and still have never looked at my tongue and probably never will. My hat is off to you for your careful examination of yours.

I will not argue that you probably have something awry but for Pete's sake, man, I wouldn't be jumping to the conclusion that its probably due to ALS. Why not choose something less debilitating and more treatable (even curable) like a pinched nerve?

To qualify as ALS, you have to have both upper and lower motor neuron death. The EMG is a tool used to detect lower motor neuron troubles. If you've had a clean EMG, it is indicative of not having ALS and that is a very good thing!

Zaphoon

 

[Harvey Boy]

how do you notice the twitches in the tongue? when i stick my tongue out i can see minor undulations. it can never hold still (i know sticking out will never hold completely still, but...) - i'm scared this is als because of all these symptoms together.
22 , is that too young to worry?

 

[Phil M]

a pinch nerve cause muscle weakness?
i mean i just stuck my tongue to my brother to compare he literally stepped back and was like, "oh my god it's all weird and ripply at the sides- what's wrong with you"? - his tongue is full and smooth ont eh sides, as is my Mom's - they have bigger tongues, looks healthier. mine looks rippled and bit into on teh sides and looks smaller. never did before. THIS scares me A LOT.
and now choking while sleeping waking up? hard swallow?

i wish i could say pinched nerve. but these are huge reminders.
i never showed doc my tongue! i was so flustered to get everything out. that was the most important thing to show. he would have been shocked at least.
i'm so, so scared. thanks for the reply though Zaphoon. sweet of you.

Hey buddy. Try to relax..My ALS started in the tongue. I honestly can't tell if it is smaller, and. It still looks normal. Don't try to convince yourself that its something bad. When I was in your position. I got busy. Do something you enjoy, and keep your mind off it. Thats about all you can do right now. Your gonna drive yourself crazy.

 

[Harvey Boy]

Hey buddy. Try to relax..My ALS started in the tongue. I honestly can't tell if it is smaller, and. It still looks normal. Don't try to convince yourself that its something bad. When I was in your position. I got busy. Do something you enjoy, and keep your mind off it. Thats about all you can do right now. Your gonna drive yourself crazy.

can you live at least 20 yrs of ALS?
also, if it started in tongue no sign of ripples or atrophy?
when i stick out my tongue i can see that it kind of undulates - classic sign?
sorry to be like this, but you might know some of these answers.
likely at 22 to get the bulbar onset?