Is ALS contagious?

[Pandora]

there are no words for this... any reply i can think of is dripping with curse words and hate speech. really? just really?

 

[cubcake]

Welcome back to kindergarten, Children. Our first rule is one of courtesy. If it's not nice, and it isn't helpful.......DON'T SAY IT.

Now everyone grab your carton of milk and lay down on the mat for nap time. Sheesh.

 

[KKay]

Knock it off! I remember laying in bed with my husband and he would say "look at my bicep, its twitching it wont stop." And I put my hand on it thinking it would stop as soon as there was pressure on it (like normal muscles), but it didnt. And then in the middle of the night I would put my hand on it again certain it had stopped... and it hadn't. I told him to drink more water, he must be dehydrated (?seemed logical at the time). He said to me one day, "I think I have ALS." I said "What is that?" I looked it up on the COMPUTER, talked to a friend that is NEUROLOGIST and discovered it was just about the worst diagnosis one could have. I read everything I could find about ALS... and did not feel any better. It has affected me, sorry if that makes some people uncomfortable. Hasn't anyone felt completely vulnerable to just about anything at some moment? I know I can't "catch ALS" but I will never look at twitching muscle the same way again. The fact that someone needed some assurance of that is fine by me, "No, you cannot catch ALS." Sleep well and drink lots of water. LOL

 

[kiwisally]

I would just like to point out that the person who asked the question has not logged back onto their account since they ask. So for a week now we (16 of us in 19 replies) have been basically talking to ourselves. I for one think that people should at least consider who their audience is when they do reply and at some point let a thread close that seems to hit a nerve with so many (pun intended) considering the person that asked it really did not give a stuff to start with to warrant such a hoo-ha.

 

[Danijela]

As a caregiver I found this question both ignorant and offensive. That is why I said I was 'speechless'.

I recall a daughter who was a caregiver for her mother, and who became obsessed that she too had ALS, although it was obvious that mum's ALS was sporadic rather than familial. Throughout her mother's journey (which was difficult and short) all she could talk about were her own 'symptoms'. Day in and day out, just 'me, me, me, me...' I can understand caregivers talking about anger, frustration, exhaustion, stress... but this kind of self-centredness really gets me.

D

 

[Fiancee]

Thank you for all of the replies.

I appreciate all of your responses. I needed some assurance, yes. If that need offended some people, I am sorry, It wasn't my intention to hurt you in anyway.

Also, I couldn't response to your responses before, because I am a caregiver, a single mother supporting two kids in college, a hard working woman in a very demanding job, and really no friends who can understand my jouney. It is not about me me and me, it is about a place where I can be silly sometimes because I am stress out and tired to be smart, trying to balance everything. My fiance doesn't want anybody other than me to take care of him. It is just hard, so please don't be hard on me too because I say or ask a silly question. Be compasionate to each other. Amen.

 

[brooksea]

It's OK. We are here for you when you need us.

 

[KissJ]

I've had those fleeting moments too where I had a "symptom" and worried about it. Then I reasoned that IF it were contagious it would be the number one link/clue, to diagnosis, research, etc... in deciding where this horrible monster/ALS comes from. So, that and doing some reading on the ALS websites I put it into focus!
As a caregiver I'm upfront and personal with this awful disease as so many of us are as relatives, spouces, etc... I feel it is normal to have what I call sympathy pain/symptoms... etc...
I hope this helps. God Bless!