Worried that ALS might be in my future. Input on symptoms? Looking for opinions

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MountainMan

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Oct 25, 2023
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Learn about ALS
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State
WA
Hello and good afternoon everyone,

After referring back to this site a few times now, I thought I would create my own account and introduce myself, as well as discuss what's going on.

I'm a 40 year old man who spent roughly a year working in Pest Control as an applicator. Before this I had always been healthy. I exercised regularly, and prior to that, was an NCAA athlete who played soccer.

During my time in Pest Control I had 3 accidents involving pesticides that obviously resulted in my leaving the industry. The first came from sudden wind guests that came off the bay, resulting in the pesticide product I was spraying coming back at my face and neck. This product contained Esfenvalerate, Prallethrin, and Piperonyl Butoxide. The product itself was diluted of course, but when it comes to chemicals, anything is unhealthy as you all know.

The second incident occurred when a can of pesticide containing a Pyrethroid, discharged product into my face, nasal passages, and mouth. This is was quickly washed off, and my mouth rinsed out aggressively.

The third and final incident resulted in my visit to the doctor and prescribed a heavy steroid, after a product containing 2-Phenthyl Propionate and Polyglyceryl Oleate, made skin contact that I was unaware of. This resulted in breathing issues that occurred slowly over time and needed treatment to clear up.

When I left Pest Control I was given a thumbs up on my physical. No issues were lingering and all seemed to be rather healthy, this was around July 2021.

Now that you know the background of what had me concerned, given the students having shown long exposure to chemicals in relation to ALS, allow me to discuss my symptoms as they have been occurring as of late:

About 8 months ago I started to experience a shortness of breath again and rose out of bed when my resting heart rate was over 230 beats per min. I went for a checkup, and although my cholesterol was a little high, they said I was in good health and did not recommend a specialist. My heart was also in good condition from the EKG.

This summer I spent almost a month abroad from July to August, and again, everything was fine. In fact, I had never felt healthier, that was, until I came back to the US.

Around a week after I got back, which was the end of August, I started to experience pain in my lower stomach and felt as if it were a prostate issue. Turns out I was correct. I went to see the Urologist and was treated for Prostatitis. This was a little baffling to me as the paid and inflammation seems to have come from nowhere. None the less, I received an antibiotic and was on my way.

Then about three weeks ago, I started to notice some weird changes. My saliva began to increase and I felt like I was swallowing a lot. No pain, in fact, as I am typing this, there is still no pain, just much more saliva. It's also not appearing to be drainage either, as when I cough to spit this out, there is no color, no foam, and no frothiness. My throat felt heavy as well, but not aching, and no pain.

Two weeks ago I began experiencing twitching of a single finger on my left hand (I am right handed). After that, I began feeling muscle twitches in my left triceps at rest. It wasn't a huge tremor, but I could def feel it. These have come and go, but the tremors and the twitches have moved to other parts of my body, my legs, my buttocks, and my biceps. All coming and going, all of them painless.

What prompted me to write this, and the most recent symptom, is what I began experiencing as of yesterday. I noticed under my chin and around my submandibular the lymph nodes in pain when I touch them. Now, I have neck pain occurring in my Semispinalis Capitis, an ache in my low right back, and what feels like a pinched shoulder. An hour ago, I felt a random pain in the right side of my face behind my eye and shooting pains down my left hand fingers, both that came in a matter of 30 seconds, and then disappeared. These all seem to be stemming from the lymph nodes or possibly something else.

I don't feel extremely weak, and I was just able to lift weights and run as I always have this week. I am not experiencing any spasms of the tongue, my neck, while in pain, is not drooping, though it does feel tense. No drooping foot as of yet, but my balance as of late has not been stellar.

I am not sure what to make of this. Given all the research I have done, it leads me to believe that a neurological issue is in the works, and if not ALS, certainly the possibility of MS or something else. I have not yet scheduled a doctors visit with a Neurologist, but at this juncture it might be in my best interest to do so.

I am really, REALLY hoping it is not ALS, and I have ridden a rollercoaster looking into this thinking, "Oh good! I can still lift weights and run even though this is going on, and if I have twitches before weakness, it can't be ALS" to then reading the small instances that occur where muscle twitches can occur prior to weakness, and that bulbar ALS can show early signs of breathlessness and changes in voice, to which I have had both, but fluctuating. My voice was nasally a few weeks ago at random, and now my wife says I sound the same as I always do. Some days I feel as if my breathing is better, and other days I don't feel like I am getting enough oxygen.

I know this is a long post, and I thank you for taking the time to read it. While I am hoping for the best, I am always someone who expects the worse. If ALS related, knowing my luck I am probably in the 2% of cases that show different symptoms early on, or occur prior to the main symptoms normally found in those with ALS.

I look forward to hearing back from you, and thank you again for your input.
 
I wouldn't be scheduling a neuro visit just yet. I'd be seeing an internist. They need to examine your lymph nodes, etc. and run labs.

In addition, a resting HR of 230 suggests further testing, regardless of what the EKG says (if your current PCP dismissed you after an EKG, you need to find another one).

Many post-COVID people, even if you never tested positive, have orthostatic changes in their pulse and/or BP, and many others develop early cardiovascular complications since COVID infects the blood vessels. And of course swings in BP/pulse can also affect how you think you're breathing, whether down to COVID or something else.

I'm not reading any reason to suspect ALS, but your anxiety about it rings loud and clear. So my advice on that is simply to stop reading about ALS, and spend that time on a concise one-page summary for your current or new PCP, with your med hx and chemical exposures, current issues, duration, and frequency, stuff like that.

Once again, my strong bet is that you're in the wrong place here, a very good thing.
 
I appreciate the response Igelb. I do hope I am in the wrong place, and I hope having left Pest Control, bettered my health to the best of my ability, and the steps I have taken thus far to prevent something like ALS from happening will keep something like that at bay.

We have absolutely no clue as to my families medical background as my father was abandoned at a young age, and having the above instances occur, it's no surprise many folks who work in Pest Control or other careers that revolve around chemicals develop these issues.

I sincerely hope I am wrong, and that you are correct in this manner. I will be taking your advice and reaching out/looking for a new medical provider.
 
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