Weird and worrying symptoms

Status
Not open for further replies.

Robmac6

New member
Joined
Oct 29, 2021
Messages
2
Reason
Learn about ALS
Diagnosis
00/0000
Country
UK
State
GL
City
Glasgow
Hi All
And thanks for all the fantastic information given on this site. I have read lots and lots of questions and many reassuring answers that I had hoped avoided me having to write on this and take up people’s valuable time but I have yet to see every symptom I am having quite in the way I am having them and would like to write this one post and hopefully get closer to feeling better or not about all the anxiety the waiting for my MRI and EMG are bringing.

So, and please hear me out as I know the first reaction to my first symptom, it all started with numbness in my left hand when sleeping but this was going on for about a year before any other symptom so may not be related to other symptoms I have developed.

I eventually went to the doc who decided it was not carpal tunnel and he gave me some simple, I guess, strength tests like griping his wrist, making a hoop with my thumb and forefinger and linking with his and pulling. He decided I should get an MRI on my neck as it could be a trapped nerve.

So roll on 6 weeks and my symptoms have dramatically changed. I have developed bad upper body weakness to the extent that lifting anything heavier than a couple of Kgs causes my arm to start shaking. If I do 3 press-ups my arms start shaking. I have general fatigue and have aching in my shoulders and biceps. I am trying to convince myself that I don’t see atrophy in my shoulders but my forearms and wrists have got definite indents when I clench my first that we’re not there before.

But the 2 most concerning things to me are that no matter how much I eat I can not gain weight (this was never the case before) and I have developed this internal tremor in my stomach which I am pretty sure is always there but more noticeable when lying down or coming out of a sleep. I also sweat more in bed than I used to and I still get the numb hands that wake me up although as said this is an old symptom.

I can still, so far, do all the small motor related tasks that I always could, can still walk on my toes, heels. I just feel so much weaker, heavy armed. Get tired and fatigued really easily. I’m 58 and male.

Any thoughts more than welcome.

I still await my MRI and EMG dates. Fearing the worst and hoping for the best.
Many Thanks

Rob
 
Hello- please make sure to read here:



It covers such things as numbness, internal tremors, sweating, etc. These issues are not part of the spectrum of symptoms that cause a doctor to be concerned about ALS. Please keep working with your doctors to find out the cause of your issues, but as you will read in the link provided, these symptoms point in other directions.

Take care
 
Hi
first as you know the numbness is not ALS. I assume you are worried that that was coincidence and now something new has started?

i can not think of any ALS process that would result in internal stomach tremor.

Limb onsetALS virtually always starts on one side and you make reference to arms being affected in a 6 week time period which would be highly highly unusual

the timing of your doctor visit is unclear. If it happened since onset of these new symptoms I would expect the exam to be abnormal with MND and it appears it was not? If it was before onset of new symptoms you should go back for reevaluation even as you wait for your tests
 
Thank you to both your replies.

I had read that there was research done that concluded some people with ALS tend to sweat more and had also read posts on here about people experiencing internal tremors albeit not necessarily in the stomach abdomen area always.

The weakness I have did start in my left arm but seems to be equally as bad in my right as well now.

Throwing in the inability to put on weight and shaking when I try to lift something I guess I may be overly worrying about ALS.

The doc had arranged for a neck MRI but has now extended it to be my spine as well I believe.
Don’t wish to waste anyone’s time and appreciate your response.

Thanks
Rob
 
I agree that this sounds more systemic than anything, so I would stay in close contact with your GP and possibly consult as regards a sleep study. You can also simply video your own sleep for starters. There seems no resemblance to the patterns of ALS onset.

Best,
Laurie
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top