Shepster48
New member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2018
- Messages
- 6
- Reason
- Loved one DX
- Country
- UK
- State
- Yorkshire
- City
- Rotherham
Hi
Im 48, male from the UK.
I'll keep this short. Im worried sick i have als.
Around 6 months ago i noticed knee pain when bending in both knees. Around a similar time i noticed it needed a bit more exersion to raise from a chair. It was the knee pain that hurt though when raising rather than thighs. Had an xray and knees came back normal. I can do squats on my thighs if i lean backwards and not rely on my knees so much. (Strangely my knees feel ok when my thighs are pumped which worries me that the thighs are weakened and not keeping my knees correctly in line). I can walk absolutely fine.
Around 4 months ago, i noticed my fingers cramping up at work. I work in an office and was just doing normal office things, typing, moving papers and files and noticed my fingers didnt feel as strong and i was cramping if i did repetition. Really strange as it seemed to affect both hands at same time. (right slightly more). I could grip ok, grab things, shake hands and do intricate things however, anything repetitive after about 20 seconds would cramp up. It was strange because 2 months before i had decorated 2 bedrooms with no problem then noticed this in both hands at the same time. The cramping is felt in my fingers and down my forearms. I hadnt noticed any twitching in my hands or forearms but there may have been.
Looking online has freaked me out as it went straight to als. I dont think its carpel tunnel as its in both hands at exactly the same time and i did a quick test for cts which i saw online which didnt do anything.
Ive looked at my hands. They both look exactly the same as each other.
I cant decide if my phenar muscles look normal. Its my first post but i'll try and send some pics. My back of my hand looks like an old man. I am quite thin so ive never had fat hands but im sure my finger guiders look more prominent and seem to have more loose skin than i remember on top I still have a lump of muscle between my thumb and forefinger but i cant decide if its decreasing. Both hands have exactly same amount of loose skin, prominent guiders and same amount of thenar muscle.
Ive read the sticky thread about symptoms and it stating about failing not feeling which has me confused. I can do everything but it starts to hurt after a number of seconds due to the repetition. If im vacuuming i change hands after a minute of so as i start to cramp. I do also think that i am not as strong as i was in my arms but ive not done any exercise for years and im getting older so put it down to that. Its the reetition rather than full not being able to do it.
My thighs still feel a little weak and my knees still hurt. Im wondering if my thighs are not strong enough to hold my knees in place.
A few weeks ago i got a pain in my ankle. It hurts to walk on it. I can walk but i get a pain directly below the outer ankle. Its not got worst but atill there.
I feel like my arms and legs have pins and needles all over, not numbness just feel fluttery without twitching. I dont know if this is anxiety.
After getting my xray for my knee back and before i had hand pains the gp has arranged for an mri on my thighs and knees and an emg.
This is with a rheumatologist not a neurologist.
I am so scared this is als. If i have weakness and maybe atrophy plus all the thigh problems its looking likely. I have 2 daughters, a wonderful wife and a mortgage and dont want to die.
In the 4 months since i noticed my hand and finger cramping i dont seem to have got any worse in terms of weakness but im unsure if my muscles look the same as
i didnt take any photographs before so nothing to guide.
Does this sound like als. I know i have worrying symptoms.
Photographs attached
Im 48, male from the UK.
I'll keep this short. Im worried sick i have als.
Around 6 months ago i noticed knee pain when bending in both knees. Around a similar time i noticed it needed a bit more exersion to raise from a chair. It was the knee pain that hurt though when raising rather than thighs. Had an xray and knees came back normal. I can do squats on my thighs if i lean backwards and not rely on my knees so much. (Strangely my knees feel ok when my thighs are pumped which worries me that the thighs are weakened and not keeping my knees correctly in line). I can walk absolutely fine.
Around 4 months ago, i noticed my fingers cramping up at work. I work in an office and was just doing normal office things, typing, moving papers and files and noticed my fingers didnt feel as strong and i was cramping if i did repetition. Really strange as it seemed to affect both hands at same time. (right slightly more). I could grip ok, grab things, shake hands and do intricate things however, anything repetitive after about 20 seconds would cramp up. It was strange because 2 months before i had decorated 2 bedrooms with no problem then noticed this in both hands at the same time. The cramping is felt in my fingers and down my forearms. I hadnt noticed any twitching in my hands or forearms but there may have been.
Looking online has freaked me out as it went straight to als. I dont think its carpel tunnel as its in both hands at exactly the same time and i did a quick test for cts which i saw online which didnt do anything.
Ive looked at my hands. They both look exactly the same as each other.
I cant decide if my phenar muscles look normal. Its my first post but i'll try and send some pics. My back of my hand looks like an old man. I am quite thin so ive never had fat hands but im sure my finger guiders look more prominent and seem to have more loose skin than i remember on top I still have a lump of muscle between my thumb and forefinger but i cant decide if its decreasing. Both hands have exactly same amount of loose skin, prominent guiders and same amount of thenar muscle.
Ive read the sticky thread about symptoms and it stating about failing not feeling which has me confused. I can do everything but it starts to hurt after a number of seconds due to the repetition. If im vacuuming i change hands after a minute of so as i start to cramp. I do also think that i am not as strong as i was in my arms but ive not done any exercise for years and im getting older so put it down to that. Its the reetition rather than full not being able to do it.
My thighs still feel a little weak and my knees still hurt. Im wondering if my thighs are not strong enough to hold my knees in place.
A few weeks ago i got a pain in my ankle. It hurts to walk on it. I can walk but i get a pain directly below the outer ankle. Its not got worst but atill there.
I feel like my arms and legs have pins and needles all over, not numbness just feel fluttery without twitching. I dont know if this is anxiety.
After getting my xray for my knee back and before i had hand pains the gp has arranged for an mri on my thighs and knees and an emg.
This is with a rheumatologist not a neurologist.
I am so scared this is als. If i have weakness and maybe atrophy plus all the thigh problems its looking likely. I have 2 daughters, a wonderful wife and a mortgage and dont want to die.
In the 4 months since i noticed my hand and finger cramping i dont seem to have got any worse in terms of weakness but im unsure if my muscles look the same as
i didnt take any photographs before so nothing to guide.
Does this sound like als. I know i have worrying symptoms.
Photographs attached