Status
Not open for further replies.

NickT76

Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2013
Messages
13
Reason
Learn about ALS
Country
US
State
New York
City
Staten Island
Hello everybody how are you? I don't know how it happened but my ALS fears have started to spark up again.

I'm 38 year old and had upper and lower EMGs done in 2014. Lower EMG was just done in September of 2014.

I started exercizing again; nothing too crazy just alot of walking. I would say about 45-60 minutes a day.

Last week out of nowhere I started getting this strange senstion on the side of my left ankle up towards the bottom of my calf muscle. Over the course of a few days I'm becoming more and more aware of it. If I had to describe it it's almost as though my ankle foot and lower leg want to fall off... very loose feeling. Not tired just loose. It's almost like the beginning of a charlie horse but the muscle hasn't yet spasmed into a full blown charlie horse. I also feel what is like a bubbling feeling in the affected leg but know that ALS related fasces don't come first.

Of course my anxiety led me to Dr. Google, foot drop and ALS. I can walk on my heels and toes, go up and down stairs, etc

I really did freak out yesterday though. While walking in dress shoes it sounded a bit louder when I stepped with my left leg and not my right.. I read this was classic foot slap symptom which is foot drop. I can't tell

Is this how the disease starts in your leg or foot?

Anyways apologies in advance. I did read the stickies but to no avail. I would think a lower EMG not even 7 months ago would have detected something. That I did read in the stickies but I'm still freaking out.


thanks in advance
 
Foot drop is because you can't lift the front part of your foot. You can walk on your heels so you can lift the front part of your foot. So not foot drop. And as you know ALS does not start with sensory issues as you describe. And even if you had foot drop ( you don't from your own report) there are many far more likely causes than ALS
 
My als started with foot drop.
I 'felt' nothing, my foot started 'slapping' the ground as I walked as I was losing the ability to lift my foot.

I could not heel walk on that foot.
 
Nick, you've been worried about ALS for two years now, and haven't yet had a symptom. Time to see the psychiatrist.
 
Thank you for the advice. I do see both a psychiatrist and therapist.

It's very scary though as I really think something might be wrong this time. I really do notice weakness in this left foot after 2 weeks of this. When i place both feet on the floor and just try to flex my toes only up it's very easy to do with my right foot but on the left foot they only bend a little bit. It's kind of like my foot is not part of me.

I'm wondering though if that's because I've spent the last week and a half walking on my toes and heels or is this what you mean as real weakness.

And now the little twitches have started in this left foot today. Doesn't this seem to all to coincidental to be nothing?

I went to an orthopedist today who didn't know what to say really. they were looking for pain and did have me stand on my heels and toes, move my feet around, etc. I asked if they noticed foot drop and said no.. but it could be too early and the nerves might not be damaged enough yet.

I really think I'm going to end up back at the neurologist.

thanks everyone
 
Please, I say this with all respect Nick. The people here are dying, caring for people who are dying, or trying to recover from caring for the person who died.

There is absolutely NO WAY you have ALS. Please read that three times out loud.

This is fantastic news. You need to get straight on the phone to your psychiatrist and therapist. Set up an urgent meeting and do not leave until they have gone right through your renewed fear and anxiety. Read this short thread to them including my reply.

Make a pact with them that you will not return here and continue posting about your anxiety.
Follow whatever directions or suggestions they have for you.

All the best
 
My friend,

I'm a psychologist who specializes in OCD treatment. You have, from a VERY brief assessment, one of, or perhaps, all the following mental conditions:

-Generalized anxiety disorder
-Health anxiety disorder (called sometimes hypochondria)
-Health focused OCD

You can google any of these three conditions to find myriad results and explanations, but the bottom line for all of these conditions is that you are very anxious for no good reason at all. The root of all these problems also lies in repeated and unhealthy behaviors, defined as checking and reassurance seeking
Checking includes some behaviors that are probably familiar to you:
-prodding alleged weak limbs to test strength
-monitoring gait
-monitoring frequency and area of twitches
-examining muscles for asymmetry

Reassurance seeking is defined by, well, what you just did, asking others if they think you have ALS or whatever illness you'll be scared of next

While all of these behaviors provide a short term relief of your anxiety, in the long term, they will contribute to increased anxiety and fixation on the possibility of being ill.

I would recommend that you talk to your therapist about ERP (exposure response prevention therapy) and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). If he is unable to practice these with you, he will likely know someone to refer you toward

I wish you the best of luck in fighting your PSYCHOLOGICAL illness, and will give you a one time dose of medical reassurance:
ALS takes a YEARS to develop, at literally any point during this development, an EMG would obviously point towards a problem, as much as 70% of your neuroconductivity can fail before symptoms begin. If you have have two lower and two upper EMGs, there is no way on this Earth that you have ALS or any other MND.

Fair well, any questions, message or email me,
Y
 
Last edited by a moderator:
excuse me Yggdrasil I think you should introduce yourself in the appropriate section (not here) before becoming an expert handing out advice.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top