strongly worried about ALS in my 19's

a positive sign of als is a loss of strength that DOES NOT go away, unable to turn car key, pick up large glass of water without difficulty, bad balance, ect

but i feel weakness in my atrophied leg,it's more than 1 month that its ther and not gone...
the dr told me atrophy is always after clinical weakness,its always seen in the emg and when emg is normal it means the atrophy is not related to mnd,or it may not be atrophy even...but i've seen most people diagnosed with als first have normal emg's how is this possible?
and do the doctor told them just to calm me down or are they true?

Gee whiz. What is it gonna take? You have a clean EMG. Your own brother is a doctor and he told you that you are fine. He should also have told you to get counselling or other medical attention for your anxiety. If you do not believe him, you are not going to believe us either. No matter what we say. So quite frankly, why are you bothering with questions? Do you want someone here to tell you have a terminal disease? It's not going to happen, so you may as well give it up now.

Please, don't bother posting that you will calm down. I know you won't.

You are abusing the goodness of the people here.

oh i'm really sorry,I didn't really want to bother you with my stupid questions,i'm sorry again and thank all of you,i appreciate the goodness of the people here and i don't want to abuse it...i won't post here anymore and bother you lovely people...thanks again and wish all of you peace

No most people do not have a normal EMG at first. Listen to your doctors.

Ok, dear. Here are some facts for you.

1. Almost everyone has one limb that is a smaller size than another is.
2. Weakness ALWAYS precedes atrophy--major weakness.
3. ALS at your age is almost unheard of. Nearly 1 in a million odds if not more. There are about a dozen people with als worldwide that are under 20.
4. CLEAN EMG and CLEAN Neuro clinical exam means there are no upper motor neuron issues (reflexes, clonus, spasticity) and LMN signs are ALWAYS in an EMG.

Yes, sometimes they misread a dirty EMG--and tell people it's something different. But no, a clean EMG in your limbs means there are NO LMN signs anywhere.

Stress while in college is quite common. You're doing more walking now, I'm assuming, to get to classes? Carrying large bags of books?

As for the throat issues--it's entirely possible you have something called gastric reflux--which can be easily treated with OTC medications.

If food was staying in your throat for 2 hours--you'd be a medical first. If food is coming back UP--that can be a stomach problem.

I doubt you need to change your field of study--but you certainly need to work on the major anxiety--but if you aren't going to believe anyone here or doctors--there is little we can do for you.

i wish you peace.

i want to thank all of you who tried to help me,which were very helpful,I did my emg s and all came back normal and waiting for wright's opinion on them,i find out that my right calf is smaller than my left calf for 0.4 inch,but the weakness is in my thigh wich doesn't have any atrophies so far,i don't know how is this possible...i'm sure my right calf was bigger in the past but again I don't know how is possible to have normal emg despite atrophy...an other confusing thing is that i noticed atrophy,weakness and swallowing difficulties at the same time,and think i have both bulbar and limb onset of the disease,and doctor told me it's impossible
anyway,i'm now so better,i can laugh,study,socialize and it's just because of your helps...I mean although i have worries but i don't pay alot attension at them,and in addition i went to psycho and get some medicines which seem to be helpful...
THANKS...THANKS...AND THANKS

Well that is great! I am so happy for you, it is time to get on with a normal healthy life. I hope you went out and celebrated. I want to wish you good luck in all that you do.

but again want you to pray for me,i'm still worried,and think have a disease,seeing that my friends even don't know what als is,what fasiculation is what atrophy is and how is weakness feeling bothers me...but I thank god that I'm happier now,it's enough for me...thanks vicki

so pleased for you

i'm sorry to bother again,but i have a very important question,today i walked for about 4 hours and my right leg started to become weak and stiff very soon,in less than 10 mins,specially in my thigh,it always has a kind of bad feeling while walking,ALWAYS...although my EMG NCV and MRI are all clean,my right calf is surely and noticabley smaller than my left one
i wanna ask how the als weakness starts?is this permenant stiffness and weakness usual with BFS?
or have you expirienced what i describe?

i'm sorry to bother again,but i have a very important question,today i walked for about 4 hours and my right leg started to become weak and stiff very soon,in less than 10 mins,specially in my thigh,it always has a kind of bad feeling while walking,ALWAYS...although my EMG NCV and MRI are all clean,my right calf is surely and noticabley smaller than my left one
i wanna ask how the als weakness starts?is this permenant stiffness and weakness usual with BFS?
or have you expirienced what i describe?

Read the post Wright just put up on the thread 2 days sinced being diag nosed. Its great and explains alot. Peace.

i'll read it...thanks but nothing will reassure me like the story of starting weakness in a PALS
you know,i'm really not in a good physical situaation,but everything is normal,neither me nor anyone knows whats wrong with me,they say it me be a sychosomathic process and knowing that als weakness doesn't starts like this will really help me

Pardon me! I lost two friends forever due to ALS in the last 24 hours. Your complaints are annoying. Get over yourself!

I usually try to be more compassionate, but not today. I'm tapped out and I am angry. At you.

Get a life. At least you have that choice. My dear friends had no choice. ALS got them in their prime.