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CrazyDiamond

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Feb 7, 2018
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Learn about ALS
Country
PT
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Lisbon
City
Lisbon
Hello guys, I’m new in here, hope yall doing fine. Well, first, my clinical history. I’ve just turned 22, no family history of als. I’ve been diagnosed with GAD when I was 12 and always been worried about having serious diseases, it started with brain tumors and stuff like that. Ive been on ssri ever since (now on zoloft 200mg). I stoped cold with no medical authorization in September (i go to a phsyquiatrist weekly), and restarted in January when all these problems started.

I started noticing that i was talking differently, like stuff wouldnt come out right sometimes (ive always been a fast talker), and i still do. No one in friends/family notices it, they think its just my mind playing tricks but i know im talking different. I can say any single word the right way and every phrase if i talk slow (not real robot slow, but normal slow). I immediately went to a hospital because i read it could be ALS or brain tumor.

The doctor said it was because of the anxiety i have, exacerbated by my left friend leaving for erasmus and exams coming very soon.

She did a neurological exam which was fine and said she would have me have a CT scan just so i could tranquilize. It came out clean.

Then I went to the internet and read that als doesnt show on ct scans and my anxiety went through the roof.

On the days/weeks that followed i started having palpitations and normal anxiety stuff, fasciculations all over my body (arms, legs, cheeks, ass, feet), legs and arms really weak or fatigued i dont know how to describe it (specially legs and left leg shaking), i dont think ive lossed strenght, i can walk, climb stairs (my legs shake when im walking down the stairs curiously), random spasms (along with the fasciculations) in leg, arm, back, right thumb shaking in certain positions, and my wrist shakes a bit aswell if i hold like a tea cup in a 0 degree angle or if i rotate it slowly.

After that visit to the hospital, i had my psychiatrist tell me its just the anxiety and that my symptoms dont have “basis organicity”, and visited two more doctors, one (family doctor, hes pretty good) that didnt even exam me at all, said it was anxiety and the last one last week, who is supposedly really good (all of them normal general doctors, not neuros) who examined me and stuff and said i didnt have als and even almost laughed and pat me on the back.

Should i bee worrying further? This is still driving me nuts i cant study i barely even leave home.. Thanks in advance to any advice you guys give me, you are true warriors. Cheers

PS: sorry for my bad english
 
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Lisbon, your docs seem on point to me. ALS doesn't show up as you describe, and I can't think of a serious problem that does, apart from anxiety and/or tachycardia. But these problems build on each other, so they can be hard to shake without help.

This is a good time to re-evaluate the things that are stressful for you (school, work, relationships, home life) and get rid of what's not working. It's also a good time to reconsider hydration, nutrition, exercise, sleep, walks in the woods and all the things that can help you feel better. You might also ask about a short-term, low dose of an anti-anxiety drug (drugs like Zoloft typically take up to 6 weeks to work their best) or even a trial of a low-dose beta blocker. But you seem very much in the clear as regards to ALS.

Best,
Laurie
 
Lisbon, your docs seem on point to me. ALS doesn't show up as you describe, and I can't think of a serious problem that does, apart from anxiety and/or tachycardia. But these problems build on each other, so they can be hard to shake without help.

This is a good time to re-evaluate the things that are stressful for you (school, work, relationships, home life) and get rid of what's not working. It's also a good time to reconsider hydration, nutrition, exercise, sleep, walks in the woods and all the things that can help you feel better. You might also ask about a short-term, low dose of an anti-anxiety drug (drugs like Zoloft typically take up to 6 weeks to work their best) or even a trial of a low-dose beta blocker. But you seem very much in the clear as regards to ALS.

Best,
Laurie

Thank you Laurie for your reply, its nice to have some insight from someone who suffers from the condition. I understand that you guys should be tired of so much people coming here being paranoid they have als when they clearly don’t. Its almost like being ungrateful if you’re blessed to not suffer with this disease or any other and still manage to convince yourself that you are sick. I have always been a very rational individual, but when it comes to this I just dont know. I have had depersonalization from my anxiety (which I personally reckon as the last symptom anyone could ever wish to have), and along with that, I’ve felt as sick as people who are, in fact, sick.. Real anxiety problems are no joke, I suffer psicologicaly almost as much as someone who is objectively physically sick and can never tell if my symptoms real are due to anxiety. I feel that by having a GAD diagnosis, a lot of people just dismiss every symptom saying its anxiety when sometimes its not, who knows.. Anyway, thanks for your opinion Laurie
 
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