Worried about ALS

[AndresCuenca86]

Hi, first of all I want to say thank you to all the members of this forum for the support you provide to newcomers, I've been around the forum for some days and have found many great insights from you. Also sorry for my English as I'm not a native speaker.

About my symptoms: I'm 33, male. About three weeks ago I started to feel some twitches on my lower abdomen; then a couple of days later persistent fascics in my elbow. After a couple days I had fasciculations all over my body, both thighs and calves, arms and forearms, back, neck, chest, and my right eyelid. I bought some Gatorade and vitamins and went on. However around a week ago painful spasms started appearing on my limbs, not short cramps but long lasting spasms on resting muscles that felt really tight, and at night I started to have involuntary sudden movements of my fingers and shoulders. The pain on my last leg has become so bad sometimes I am barely able to walk, with pain in my ankle and knee . At this point I went last Friday to a GP and he first mentioned spasticity and referred me to a neurologist. I'm on pain and muscle relaxant meds. Fasciculations and spasms continue but now mainly in my eyelid, calves and arms. So far I haven't noticed any weakness on my daily life, or muscle atrophy, but it's been only three weeks since onset and pain is taking a toll on my gait.

So, fasciculations and spasticity, all I can find on the web points to ALS. Did any PALS on here started with symptoms like those I mention? And how much time passed before you started to show weakness? What differential diagnoses were offered for the symptoms mentioned?

I do really appreciate your answer, I come from middle-low income household overseas and would like to asses what can I do to ease the burden on my family in case I get this disease.

Regards,
Andres

 

[KarenNWendyn]

Please read this if you have not already done so

Important - READ BEFORE POSTING! Answers to common concerns about possible symptoms

We will try to answer reasonable questions. We are not here to argue with you. If you announce that you ”know” you have ALS when the doctors say otherwise, or you have not bothered to see a doctor, your thread will be closed. It is not our place to try to convince you you are wrong. Neither...

www.alsforums.com

You are not describing ALS. ALS does not come on over a few weeks with fasciculations all over the body, severe pains, involuntary movement. ALS starts in one region of the body and spreads from there. Twitching is common, nonspecific, and meaningless in the absence of muscle function failure which you have not described. If you can still do everything you could do previously, then you’re fine. Make sure you’re well-hydrated. You would probably benefit from seeing a physiotherapist for a good stretching program.

 

[lgelb]

I would also consider therapeutic massage, hot tub/springs, swimming. Do you lift weights or other heavy objects, for exercise or work?Overuse of one set of muscles can have its effects in others.

Best,
Laurie

 

[AndresCuenca86]

Thank you very much for your answers! I saw the neurologist yesterday and he found no cause of concern in the physical tests. He deemed an emg unnecessary but scheduled it anyway to clear any doubt and check nerve conduction in case my pain is caused by a neuropathy.