Symptoms. Thank you.

[Gardenrose]

Hello all,

I hope this finds you in good spirits.

We lost my grandmother to Bulbar onset ALS last year and I am grateful to have been able to look after her for a period of time.

I have a few concerns related to my own health in the past few months and thought I’d put a post on here as you tend to find conflicting information online.

Around 2 months ago I suddenly started getting twitches in the calf on both legs. These have been constant at rest but in the past few weeks have moved to both feet, in combination with the rest of the leg. These are only small twitches but happen for the vast majority of the day and are visible, often causing rippling.

No pain as such but mild cramps a few times of the day.

My questions are:
1. Is twitching in multiple areas in the leg a cause for concern?
2. Does ALS start in both legs or feet at once?
3. How often is twitching the first sign of ALS (lots of unclear info online in relation to this)?
4. Is it possible I have manifested these twitches after lots of online research with my grandmother and being there? But surely that wouldn’t explain the extent of twitching. Literally happening all the time.

I have read pinned posts, but the trouble is there is so much conflicting information online, it heightens anxiety.

Thanks so much for your consideration

 

[Nikki J]

1no
2 no virtually never
3 very very rare. Especially if you are not a male over 50 and it is rare in that group too
4 yes it is not only possible but likely and twitching and worry about it feeds on itself

I am sorry about your grandmother. Losing someone to ALS is extremely traumatic