strange symptoms I’m 19

[i have no idea]

Hello! I am a 19 year old girl with severe health anxiety. I usually can let things go but i have had some very odd symptoms and don’t have a complete understanding of als. I woke up one morning and my left leg felt weaker. just like heavier. I noticed that my leg muscles (thigh and calf) also felt extremely tight and kinda sore when squeezed and flexed. Of course I freaked out and did some physical tests, I can still heel and toe walk and pass the foot drop test. I still have my strength i think I can still squat but when doing so that whole leg those muscles feel so tight and sore. I have also had aching in that leg off and on. i have twitches that occur in random spot at random times but they have been kind of concentrated in that area and that’s freaking me out. they aren’t constant but the weakness and tightness has been. it feels so off and i’m scared this is a pre cursor to als. like maybe this is the beginning. I saw a walk in clinic doctor and she did a complete physical exam of my arms and legs and did reflex tests and said everything is perfect. so it’s perceived? but what if this is temporary and turns to clinical? will that happen? i am begging for advice or help. I am sorry.

 

[lgelb]

I changed your status to reflect that although your aunt has been diagnosed, you have not. Please let her know about the forums, though.

I see zero reason to worry about ALS. I would stop testing and get more/better counseling for your health anxiety, before it takes over your life.

 

[i have no idea]

thank you so so much for the time you took to reply. I am getting in with a doctor about my anxiety. just worried because i keep seeing people that have had perceived weakness before clinical weakness and then got als. I also hear that you have to have clinical weakness for it to be als. so i’m confused. does the clear clinical exam mean i don’t need an emg?

 

[lgelb]

Yes, it does.

 

[i have no idea]

i’m sorry to reply once again, But i have noticed a new symptom. i realized it feels like i can’t flex my hamstring muscle in my back left thigh in the leg i’ve been having weakness in my calf and other muscles in that leg. It feels like i can’t flex it in certain parts of my back thigh and i tried to do a hamstring bridge excercise with that leg and it felt like my hamstrings weren’t engaging at all. like my gluttes were over compensating. i had a physical exam at the walk in clinic but i don’t know how credible it was since it wasn’t a neurologist. would i still be able to do things i’m doing with a paralyzed hamstring? Could i be overthinking it and maybe my muscle naturally there is weaker? i can still squat, no trouble when walking, squat on the bad leg, heels and toes, all that stuff. But when i do a hamstring bridge like apply strength to the hamstring i don’t feel them engage. i am terrified now hopefully they are just weaker than the other ones maybe i’m just now noticing it. any help would be appreciated i am at the point of checking myself into a ward. i don’t know what to do. please help me.

 

[ShiftKicker]

A physiotherapist may be a better person to provide you some reassurance and exercises to increase strength and create better balance in muscles. You do appear to be descending into a bit of an anxiety wormhole and it's super important to address that now before it takes over your life any more than it has. I urge you to find someone who can give you some tools to manage what looks like growing health anxiety while you also work with a physio to create a healthy relationship with your physical body.

 

[lgelb]

ALS doesn't show up in a single muscle's being unable to flex in exercise. It can be seen in very everyday activities. So if there's no clinical weakness (and yes, the tests that a walk-in clinic uses are going to see the level you think you have if it exists), you're not going to find weakness unless you look for it/induce it. (Muscles get weak when you don't usually isolate them, you know, and get even weaker on obsessive self-testing.)

As noted above, physio and counseling are called for but there's no worry re ALS. You can get both even by text or video.

 

[i have no idea]

One more question and i’m done! i’m probably noticing stuff do to anxiety but i’ve noticed my left foot feels harder to lift up than the other one. i can still walk on my heels without my foot hitting the ground, walk on toes and stuff. but it feels like it kinda wants to and it feels tight. it almost feels like there’s something stopping it from coming up completely as easy. i can get them to the same angle if i try hard. could me over testing cause my foot to tighten and be a little weaker? thank you for helping me through this.

 

[Nikki J]

Yes definitely. People have injured themselves self testing

My loss of strength has never been preceded by a feeling whatever just stopped working.

Please move on you are in danger of ruining your life

 

[i have no idea]

thank you for your time. you can close this after i ask this and i’m sorry for doing so. I have an extremely worrying symptom. my left toes aren’t as strong as my other toes. i can put pressure on them but they weaken much easier than my other toes. they’re harder to lift up.

i can still heel walk and toe walk without it falling, walking feels somewhat normal, but when i lift that foot it feels tight and constricted. the toes are farther apart on that foot and i have a higher arch in that foot.

My question is, if i can jump on that foot and walk up stairs normally and walk on toes and heels am i most likely fine even though my left toes are weaker and it feels harder to lift that foot up? it feels like the leg tightens up when i do anything with it.

The twitching has been more prominent in that area. I don’t see how over testing can cause me to have actual weak toes. my foot feels weak. i don’t know what to do i will see my primary in a couple days. usually with als does it cause immediate foot drop? google is telling me i have partial foot drop because it feels harder to get the other one up as high. it’s freaking me out.

 

[Nikki J]

If you can walk on your heels you do not have any form of foot drop.

To answer your question yes you are as you put it likely fine.

Closing thread as you requested