I spent four years, from September, 2018, believing I had ALS. I had fasciculations,, cramps, muscle twitching, and the clincher was Babinski's reflex, with the result I was 100% sure of it. Once I concluded that my symptoms were neurological, I decided I would make a list of all the neurological disorders I could think of and go through them on Wikipedia, looking for a list of symptoms that matched. I started with motor neuron disorder, keying that in to the search field.What came up on the screen was Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. There was a match on the symptoms I had experienced. I continued to observe the progression of my symptoms, and believed this was a normal progression for ALS. I did not consult a GP or a neurologist because the Wikipedia article stated that there is no cure and no treatment; the condition follows a normal progression and the patient dies in two to four years from diagnosis. I had read the Wikipedia article about Lou Gehrig, and noted that the cause of his condition was the blow he received to the head, by a baseball pitched to him, on April 23, 1933. I surmised that his decline started around the new year of 1939, and quickly became precipitous. This was 5 years and 8 months after the blow to the head. I had suffered a really severe blow to my head on February 27, 2017, and I started to notice symptoms at the start of 2018, so I was expecting a decline to start around October-November 2022, this being 5 years and 8 months after the blow to my head. But in September, the Oncologist who is managing my treatment with experimental cancer drugs (which, incidentally, has been very successful, demolishing the two malignancies identified in an earlier CT scan) referred me to the hospital's neurology department, and the neurologist did a nerve conductivity study and electromyography, and concluded that there is no evidence of ALS, but rather, some neuropathy, which has similar symptoms. It was quite a relief, because I had been thinking that it is a toss-up which will get me, the ALS or the cancer. It looks like neither will get me now, certainly not ALS.
@@HonorableHarbinger You are not correct. I did not have two symptoms, I had several, and these were a match for the list of symptoms in the Wikipedia article on ALS. So I had cause and effect: the very severe blow to my head on February 27, 2017, as with Lou Gehrig, and the symptoms matching those of ALS. Additionally, the progression of symptoms was in accordance with what I expected. Moreover, I noticed that on weekdays, when I was on duty at my job, which involved hard, physical work, the muscular effects of a hard day's work would cause the symptoms to be really active when I went to bed at night, but at the weekend, when I was not undertaking any strenuous activity, the symptoms would be barely active at all and little noticed. This was also in accordance with what I would have expected with ALS. What I learned once the neurologist had established that I did not have ALS but had 'some neuropathy' was that neuropathy has almost identical symptoms to ALS, so my mistaken conclusion that I had ALS was not unreasonable at all. The Wikipedia article on ALS did turn out to have a really significant deficiency: it noted that there is no test which can confirm the presence of ALS; that diagnosis is arrived at by tests which exclude other possible neurological conditions and asking the patient a series of questions and making the diagnosis based on the yes and no answers, then observing the progression of symptoms to ensure there has been no misdiagnosis. What the article neglected to mention was that there are tests which can rule out ALS. If I had known this. I would probably have consulted a neurologist much earlier, promptly, even.
I totally understand you, it's a horrible 100% deadly disease and it's normal to have fears. I let mine consume my life. Right now, I have a persistent twitching on my right shoulder for 2 weeks and still going and of course, I am frozen of fear. I am far worse at this obsession that you are. ANd I am very glad it turned out you don't have it. But I don't know how to deal with these fears.
@@biljam972 hi if you want to talk I’m Here I’m on the same Boat. Twitching and I’m noticing odd moments like weakness on my hands. It’s scary but maybe we are overthinking it
Hello everyone. You can learn more about ALS symptoms at www.youralsguide.com/early-als-symptoms. If you are concerned you might have ALS, or need support after your diagnosis, you can search for ALS clinics at www.youralsguide.com/als-clinics and support service organizations at www.youralsguide.com/support-services to connect with ALS neurologists and professionals near you. We also have a comprehensive Newly Diagnosed Guide at www.youralsguide.com/newly-diagnosed. Hope that helps! Please note that this video is for educational purposes only. Medical advice can only come from your treating physician.
So I was doing a carnivore diet for 3 years and my thumb started twitching on my left hand uncontrollably for hours 😢 and my first thought was ALS, I didn’t go to see a doctor but then I was thinking that I was probably mineral/ electrolyte deficient and I started introducing carbohydrate in my diet and the twitching went away after 3 weeks
I have the constant fear of having ALS, a few years ago i heard about als and i never forgot it and like 5 months back i heard on TV and out of a sudden i started feeling like my way of walking was wierd and then i started feeling the twitches that btw ive had my entire life, but not like this, because they started to get more noticable because even if it was just a little one i would feel it and freak out about it and immediatly think that is ALS. And in the past i had a lot of times when the same type of problem has happened but with different diseases like heart problems, hiv and even tumors, i would feel the minimal thing and freak about some serious illness straight away, sometimes even spending 10 minutes searching about them online. Since i started to have those twitches i cant do anything normally without checking if my hand muscles are fine, to the point when my hands would hurt because i pressured them close very hard to see if my grip was normal, i now talk alone more frequently to check if my speech is slurred or nasal and i cant help it. Im not joking even while writing this comment i feel one of my fingers getting stiff and ive checked it like 3 times already! And now, i still go to sleep with the fear of waking up the next day and seeing my grip lose strenght or my speech become nasal. Anyway i have my first psichology session next monday, hope it helps me because im done with this constant anxiety!
i have the same thing, my grip loses all its strength after a few seconds and sometimes it doesnt even feel like i have the energy to put my hands in to a fist at all but sometimes it goes away
Please look up iron overload and ALS, the dark side of antioxidants, and the dark side of vitamin D supplements; also look up frequent strenuous exercise and ALS. No matter the supplement fashion (there's always a "miracle" *something* "those-who-claim-know-these-things" are telling us to take in high doses), ALL supplements and ALL oils should be used *sparingly;* also, look out for ANY side effects because once the damage is done it's often impossible to reverse it. A family member started taking vitamin e oil and developed a strange tremor in his hand - a sure sign for him to stop taking it!
i can relate to the overthinking part and immediately wondering if i have the worst possible illness or disease when there’s the slightest change in my body. i’m currently going through something as we speak. hence why i’m commenting on your post about such a video . 😅
@@isaacevans5893 We should tread with caution when it comes to supplements and oils; both should be used sparingly: fat-soluble vitamins can lurk in the body wreaking havoc!
@@isaacevans5893 The dangers of something as seemingly innocuous as cod liver oil: "I experienced iron overload (excessively high ferritin levels) after taking Cod Liver Oil (Vitacost brand) for several months. I have an acquaintance who experienced the exact same problem (different brand), with skyrocketing ferritin levels after taking Cod Liver Oil. After discontinuing use, both of us returned to normal iron/ferritin levels within 1 month. High iron levels can lead to deadly bacterial infections. We both were hospitalized with bacterial infections (separate occasions) during our time on Cod Liver Oil. Looking back now it all makes sense. A case study needs to be presented regarding the danger of Cod Liver Oil on iron overload. Do NOT rely on iron serum levels to determine your total iron status. Mine were normal several times, even when my ferritin was abnormal. Doctors will only check iron serum, unless you specifically request ferritin. You MUST test ferritin levels if you are taking Cod Liver Oil. I suspect it is related to the high levels of pre-formed vitamin A found in Cod Liver Oil. Please add to this post if you have experienced something similar as I want to find more possible cases so we can raise awareness as to the potential iron overload dangers of Cod Liver Oil." E. Hane
Hi I am very concerned that I have ALS. I have tongue fascinations, tongue atrophy, muscle atrophy, leg fasculations, slurred speech, walking difficulties, swallowing difficulties, breathing difficulties, muscle tremor, thumb Muscle atrophy, and am walking with spasticity in my right leg more than my left leg. All tests for muscular dystrophy, systemic problems, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal damage, auto immune problems, and osteoarthritis have come back clear. Am due to see a neurologist in a month. Am absolutely devastated because things are looking really bad at the moment. Symptoms started properly around a year ago.
These are the symptoms I’m having and the road I’m on as well. I have to wait to see the neurologist because I’m having a hysterectomy and possible bowel resection and ureter stents next week.
For the last 7 years, I've been experiencing health anxiety about different diseases. Recently, I feel like I'm having trouble speaking, but no one around me, including my wife, notices anything different. I'm convinced I have ALS and have started showing symptoms. Seven months ago, I thought I had a brain tumor and got an MRI, which was normal. I keep searching online about ALS and now genuinely feel I have it. I've had similar anxieties about other diseases over the years and have seen many doctors with normal reports. I'm 40 years old and from India. What should I do? Please help me.
I have huge health anxiety. I started feeling muscle weakness about a week ago and fasciculations (although I’ve been having them for years) . I am currently taking antidepressants because I had big depression episode a few months ago and I read somewhere that depression could be an early sign of ALS. My speech is okay, and I have no problem eating, but I am so self-conscious at this point that I am always paranoid if I notice a small change. I also have ADHD, which makes me a very clumsy person overall, so that overlaps with my fear of ALS.
I’m literally going through the exact same thing. I’ve had so many symptoms , so many tests. All came back clean. I have ADHD and rlly bad health anxiety. I’m scared idk what to do.
Health anxiety and als symptoms go right hand I'm hand. It's the coup de gras of health anxiety. Your body makes it real. And even if something else concerns you later, and you forget about it, and your symptoms pretty much go away, they can come right back in that endless loop later on. It's a real bitch.
@@hw5091 even i am having health anx. Few days back i developed feeling of weakness in my left side n twitching in whole body. I am so so scared right now😭. Pls tell what to do
@@hw5091 that’s kinda dumb if you think anxiety causes ALS… there’s no known cause for this disease other than genetic purposes. They go hand in hand but correlation isn’t causation.
Please let me know where to take my sister-in-law for a second opinion in Miami Florida? Her symptoms started after Covid at the beginning of the pandemic and but can’t provide it, because they weren’t testing at the time. Thank you 😊
Hi Clara, we're sorry that this process has been challenging. You can search for ALS clinics in Florida in our ALS Clinics Directory at www.youralsguide.com/als-clinics-directory. We hope that helps!
@@AdamL_18 really? Like, I've been having fasciculations on my left hand for the past 2 months, and I think it appeared only this year after COVID in January
Since my father diagnosed with MND bulbar onset (ALS) I am continuously scared of having ALS too. i am having fear and anxiety. Sometimes my hands are weak and have mild twiching in some parts of the body. Do i have ALS??
I heard it’s hereditary in only a small minority. Unless others in your wider family have had it, I’d say you’re fine. Nothing to worry about. Probably just nerves.
My brother died from als in 2004. I have muscle 'twitches', but I have no fear. I believdle those may be somewhat normal if not frequent or consistent.
To ease your mind there are many many reasons your muscles twitch. Other less deadly diseases can cause twitching like MS, MG, Lupus, Lyme, Parkinson’s, PLS, NMO, MSA, tumors, cysts, or just plain old anxiety. I wouldn’t worry too much unless you start losing your balance and get weaker or something or lose muscle.
Is a referral required to see a neurologist or can you sign into your insurance to make an appointment without a referral? Worst comes to worse Are you willing to pay an out of pocket cost to have a neurologist consult?
@Mr. Mr. You dont have ALS...i went through the same thing. I started twitching then swore I had bulbar cuz I developed weird throat symptoms. I spent too much time on google!! Anxiety, lack of sleep and constant worry will do a number on you. I had a clean barium swallow, nerve conduction, emg, spinal MRIs, blood work, brain MRIs...i did it to myself...
Same. I get twitches, hypnic jerks, I feel like my knee is going to pop out. Legs sometime feels like it folds while walking, but I don't feel weakness perse. And after seeing the bulbar onsets my mind has been playing tricks on me thinking I might me crying when yawning or laughing uncontrollably while chuckling a bit
Hello. Just saw your vid. Obviously you have a lot of experience talking to ppl and discussing symptoms. I just want to ask you directly, is muscle loss a strong indication of als ? I have muscle loss from elbow and along the forearm. Strength seems to be rapid loss. I do have twitching but not in the area of muscle loss, on other parts of arm. I have had non stop twitching whole body since oct 2019. My gp said as recently as two weeks ago, I don't have als. U will probably tell me to contact a neurologist, but frankly I would panic as I have depression and massive anxiety since oct 2019. I did have a spinal tumor T6 ( lymphoma ) about 20 yrs ago. I seem to have some type of post trauma from that event. Simply, what other probabilities can muscle loss occur without having a disease. All my basic blood work is good, liver, kidneys, cholesterol etc. Google is the worse option to look for answers. I thought I would ask u.
Look up ALS and iron overload. Iron overload seems to lead to innumerable problems in people who are not iron deficient. It might be wise to eat a wide range of the food one enjoys and steer clear of supplements, especially iron supplements.
@@macclift9956 I've seen three doctors and said I dont have als. Constant twitching whole body for 22 months now. I do have body jerking any where at anytime when body is relaxed. I do believe the dr's and I am doing well mentally. I must have a benign condition.
@@craigk2644 there are probably more than 50 diseases or even not deseases just sympoms you coul have but not have Als,Muscle twiching ,weakness,pain,spasms,cramps,un wanted moves,everything pretty much is in almost every desease,not really but ,you can have 10 symptoms and not to be als its just isnt,all kinds of neuropathy ,fibromyalgy,etc etc..
My legs have been weak and shaky for 4 months now. Some days not as bad but it's still there. I have been basically bed bound by me fear. I take my kids to school but I sit and worry all day. The weakness isn't getting better. It's not exactly clinical weakness but it's there everyday. Is this ALS?
The fear itself is debilitating. I feel like every nerve ending in body vibrates...and my balance sucks. I'm afraid of falling so I hardly venture other than restroom. Just know, I experience this crap all day. Even keeps me up at night. And worry...shit, I get it, believe me!
Can the muscle weakness come and go? Meaning can you feel good in the morning after a good nights sleep only to have the muscle weakness increase as the day goes on? Or is it constant?
Not if you have als, then it is constant. It's impossible to feel strong one day and weak the next and so fourth when you have als. If you would of had als then the twitching would be constant.
@@maple9502 hello,I had brachial neurititis 20 months ago and still got wrist drop on my left hand...since this happened to me I have been living in constant fear that I might have als too...on top of that I have carpal tunnel in both hands for years now(beena photographer so prob a vocational injury)..however my hand feels cramped when im drying my hair with hair drier or mixing the dough etc..and in my parson turner affected hand there is a weakness at night in shoulder area...do you think I have als? im so scared just thinking about it..yet it might just be the result of PT syndrome from ages ago still lingering about...the weakness in armdissapears in daytime its only for a moment after I wake up and not every night.
@@meeka3312 Well first off your weakness is inconsistent so that is not really something to be worried about. And your other health problems seem like seperate issues not related to als. Most likely they are related to your inconsistent weakness which isn’t an als symptom. You are worried about als because you feel weakness from other conditons, not from als. Stop worring and stop googling
@@maple9502 i cant thank you enough for your answer💜 the paranoia sets in and dnt leave until one gets slap around the face! You did just that(in the nicest possible way!).
Should I be worried? I’m 21 with tons of muscle twitches from my foot to my thigh on both legs 24/7. No weakness or atrophy that I can see.. this has been on going for a month.
ALS = UMN ans LMN Emg detects LMN issues Clinical assessment detects UMN issues ALS is more likely to start with LMN that an emg would detect. Twitching is LMN sign, so if u have it while emg is clean = no ALS.
I've had two EMG 6 months apart with little change. The Doctor said no ALS showed up. I'm having muscle twitching muscle weakness upper and lower and my right leg is starting to deteriorate in muscle tone. Cramps in the left hand and tightness and stiffness in the legs. The doctor says he doesn't know but it's getting worse. I'm also having troubles with my vision at times. Where can I go to get better treatment? Thanks
Hi Joel, you can search for ALS clinics across the United States in our clinics directory: www.youralsguide.com/als-clinics-directory. You will find additional information and guidance on our Early Symptoms page (www.youralsguide.com/early-als-symptoms-newly) and Diagnosis page (www.youralsguide.com/als-diagnosis-newly). We hope that helps.
@@YourALSGuide It says page not found :( this has been the most frustrating 11 months of my life. You just can't get any help. Three neurologist five doctors Two emgs a complete blood work and my leg is shrinking more each day. I'm getting weaker daily and even the page to help you access help doesn't work. I just don't understand. Thanks anyways.
@@sabrinam.3576 I know that is a common sign of bfs that you don’t have to worry about. I have the exact same thing and it’s harmless. Do not worry it’s only bfs. If you can still use your muscles you do not have als
I had a muscle twitch start in my right thigh and it’s spread to basically my entire body. I lift as well and my lifts have not decreased on volume. Is this als?
It’s not als trust me until u have weakness or atrophy u shouldn’t be worried but I would still keep an eye on it but don’t freak out I have als and mine started with twitching a year or 2 before I got weakness but majority of time it’s weakness then twitching and majority of time it’s just bfs with twitching don’t freak out to much guys for ur own sanity I went down that rabbit hole it does nothing
@@jacksonhineckin110 can I ask how old you are? That's an unusual progression for sure and that it started years ago is also unusual. I'm guessing yours is very slow moving?
@@jacksonhineckin110 hii, hope you are doing well. I am having a lot of twitching past 2 months plus tingling sensation in my whole left side. Really scared for this. Pls help out
I spent four years, from September, 2018, believing I had ALS. I had fasciculations,, cramps, muscle twitching, and the clincher was Babinski's reflex, with the result I was 100% sure of it. Once I concluded that my symptoms were neurological, I decided I would make a list of all the neurological disorders I could think of and go through them on Wikipedia, looking for a list of symptoms that matched. I started with motor neuron disorder, keying that in to the search field.What came up on the screen was Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. There was a match on the symptoms I had experienced. I continued to observe the progression of my symptoms, and believed this was a normal progression for ALS. I did not consult a GP or a neurologist because the Wikipedia article stated that there is no cure and no treatment; the condition follows a normal progression and the patient dies in two to four years from diagnosis. I had read the Wikipedia article about Lou Gehrig, and noted that the cause of his condition was the blow he received to the head, by a baseball pitched to him, on April 23, 1933. I surmised that his decline started around the new year of 1939, and quickly became precipitous. This was 5 years and 8 months after the blow to the head. I had suffered a really severe blow to my head on February 27, 2017, and I started to notice symptoms at the start of 2018, so I was expecting a decline to start around October-November 2022, this being 5 years and 8 months after the blow to my head. But in September, the Oncologist who is managing my treatment with experimental cancer drugs (which, incidentally, has been very successful, demolishing the two malignancies identified in an earlier CT scan) referred me to the hospital's neurology department, and the neurologist did a nerve conductivity study and electromyography, and concluded that there is no evidence of ALS, but rather, some neuropathy, which has similar symptoms. It was quite a relief, because I had been thinking that it is a toss-up which will get me, the ALS or the cancer. It looks like neither will get me now, certainly not ALS.
@@HonorableHarbinger You are not correct. I did not have two symptoms, I had several, and these were a match for the list of symptoms in the Wikipedia article on ALS. So I had cause and effect: the very severe blow to my head on February 27, 2017, as with Lou Gehrig, and the symptoms matching those of ALS. Additionally, the progression of symptoms was in accordance with what I expected. Moreover, I noticed that on weekdays, when I was on duty at my job, which involved hard, physical work, the muscular effects of a hard day's work would cause the symptoms to be really active when I went to bed at night, but at the weekend, when I was not undertaking any strenuous activity, the symptoms would be barely active at all and little noticed. This was also in accordance with what I would have expected with ALS.
What I learned once the neurologist had established that I did not have ALS but had 'some neuropathy' was that neuropathy has almost identical symptoms to ALS, so my mistaken conclusion that I had ALS was not unreasonable at all.
The Wikipedia article on ALS did turn out to have a really significant deficiency: it noted that there is no test which can confirm the presence of ALS; that diagnosis is arrived at by tests which exclude other possible neurological conditions and asking the patient a series of questions and making the diagnosis based on the yes and no answers, then observing the progression of symptoms to ensure there has been no misdiagnosis.
What the article neglected to mention was that there are tests which can rule out ALS.
If I had known this. I would probably have consulted a neurologist much earlier, promptly, even.
@@saveyourbacon6164 Check out Functional Neurological Disorder / Conversion Disorder.
I totally understand you, it's a horrible 100% deadly disease and it's normal to have fears. I let mine consume my life. Right now, I have a persistent twitching on my right shoulder for 2 weeks and still going and of course, I am frozen of fear. I am far worse at this obsession that you are. ANd I am very glad it turned out you don't have it. But I don't know how to deal with these fears.
@@biljam972 hi if you want to talk I’m
Here I’m on the same
Boat. Twitching and I’m noticing odd moments like weakness on my hands. It’s scary but maybe we are overthinking it
@@saveyourbacon6164the only kind of neuropathy that mimics ALS is MMN. It's a very very bad condition also. I hope you don't have it!
Hello everyone. You can learn more about ALS symptoms at www.youralsguide.com/early-als-symptoms. If you are concerned you might have ALS, or need support after your diagnosis, you can search for ALS clinics at www.youralsguide.com/als-clinics and support service organizations at www.youralsguide.com/support-services to connect with ALS neurologists and professionals near you. We also have a comprehensive Newly Diagnosed Guide at www.youralsguide.com/newly-diagnosed. Hope that helps!
Please note that this video is for educational purposes only. Medical advice can only come from your treating physician.
So I was doing a carnivore diet for 3 years and my thumb started twitching on my left hand uncontrollably for hours 😢 and my first thought was ALS, I didn’t go to see a doctor but then I was thinking that I was probably mineral/ electrolyte deficient and I started introducing carbohydrate in my diet and the twitching went away after 3 weeks
I have the constant fear of having ALS, a few years ago i heard about als and i never forgot it and like 5 months back i heard on TV and out of a sudden i started feeling like my way of walking was wierd and then i started feeling the twitches that btw ive had my entire life, but not like this, because they started to get more noticable because even if it was just a little one i would feel it and freak out about it and immediatly think that is ALS. And in the past i had a lot of times when the same type of problem has happened but with different diseases like heart problems, hiv and even tumors, i would feel the minimal thing and freak about some serious illness straight away, sometimes even spending 10 minutes searching about them online. Since i started to have those twitches i cant do anything normally without checking if my hand muscles are fine, to the point when my hands would hurt because i pressured them close very hard to see if my grip was normal, i now talk alone more frequently to check if my speech is slurred or nasal and i cant help it. Im not joking even while writing this comment i feel one of my fingers getting stiff and ive checked it like 3 times already! And now, i still go to sleep with the fear of waking up the next day and seeing my grip lose strenght or my speech become nasal. Anyway i have my first psichology session next monday, hope it helps me because im done with this constant anxiety!
i have the same thing, my grip loses all its strength after a few seconds and sometimes it doesnt even feel like i have the energy to put my hands in to a fist at all but sometimes it goes away
Please look up iron overload and ALS, the dark side of antioxidants, and the dark side of vitamin D supplements; also look up frequent strenuous exercise and ALS. No matter the supplement fashion (there's always a "miracle" *something* "those-who-claim-know-these-things" are telling us to take in high doses), ALL supplements and ALL oils should be used *sparingly;* also, look out for ANY side effects because once the damage is done it's often impossible to reverse it. A family member started taking vitamin e oil and developed a strange tremor in his hand - a sure sign for him to stop taking it!
i can relate to the overthinking part and immediately wondering if i have the worst possible illness or disease when there’s the slightest change in my body. i’m currently going through something as we speak. hence why i’m commenting on your post about such a video . 😅
@@isaacevans5893 We should tread with caution when it comes to supplements and oils; both should be used sparingly: fat-soluble vitamins can lurk in the body wreaking havoc!
@@isaacevans5893 The dangers of something as seemingly innocuous as cod liver oil: "I experienced iron overload (excessively high ferritin levels) after taking Cod Liver Oil (Vitacost brand) for several months. I have an acquaintance who experienced the exact same problem (different brand), with skyrocketing ferritin levels after taking Cod Liver Oil. After discontinuing use, both of us returned to normal iron/ferritin levels within 1 month. High iron levels can lead to deadly bacterial infections. We both were hospitalized with bacterial infections (separate occasions) during our time on Cod Liver Oil. Looking back now it all makes sense.
A case study needs to be presented regarding the danger of Cod Liver Oil on iron overload. Do NOT rely on iron serum levels to determine your total iron status. Mine were normal several times, even when my ferritin was abnormal. Doctors will only check iron serum, unless you specifically request ferritin. You MUST test ferritin levels if you are taking Cod Liver Oil. I suspect it is related to the high levels of pre-formed vitamin A found in Cod Liver Oil.
Please add to this post if you have experienced something similar as I want to find more possible cases so we can raise awareness as to the potential iron overload dangers of Cod Liver Oil." E. Hane
Hi I am very concerned that I have ALS. I have tongue fascinations, tongue atrophy, muscle atrophy, leg fasculations, slurred speech, walking difficulties, swallowing difficulties, breathing difficulties, muscle tremor, thumb Muscle atrophy, and am walking with spasticity in my right leg more than my left leg. All tests for muscular dystrophy, systemic problems, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal damage, auto immune problems, and osteoarthritis have come back clear. Am due to see a neurologist in a month. Am absolutely devastated because things are looking really bad at the moment. Symptoms started properly around a year ago.
I'm praying for you Kirstie. I hope He can bring you peace
Updates?
These are the symptoms I’m having and the road I’m on as well. I have to wait to see the neurologist because I’m having a hysterectomy and possible bowel resection and ureter stents next week.
Have you looked into mast cell activation?
Any update???
For the last 7 years, I've been experiencing health anxiety about different diseases. Recently, I feel like I'm having trouble speaking, but no one around me, including my wife, notices anything different. I'm convinced I have ALS and have started showing symptoms. Seven months ago, I thought I had a brain tumor and got an MRI, which was normal. I keep searching online about ALS and now genuinely feel I have it. I've had similar anxieties about other diseases over the years and have seen many doctors with normal reports. I'm 40 years old and from India. What should I do? Please help me.
Hello. Here is an organization in India: alslifemanagement.weebly.com/about-us.html
It’s bloody awful watching my friend die from this very quickly within 4 months
how long had he had it prior to passing?
I'm so sorry.
I have huge health anxiety. I started feeling muscle weakness about a week ago and fasciculations (although I’ve been having them for years) . I am currently taking antidepressants because I had big depression episode a few months ago and I read somewhere that depression could be an early sign of ALS. My speech is okay, and I have no problem eating, but I am so self-conscious at this point that I am always paranoid if I notice a small change. I also have ADHD, which makes me a very clumsy person overall, so that overlaps with my fear of ALS.
I’m literally going through the exact same thing. I’ve had so many symptoms , so many tests. All came back clean. I have ADHD and rlly bad health anxiety. I’m scared idk what to do.
Health anxiety and als symptoms go right hand I'm hand. It's the coup de gras of health anxiety. Your body makes it real. And even if something else concerns you later, and you forget about it, and your symptoms pretty much go away, they can come right back in that endless loop later on. It's a real bitch.
@@hw5091 even i am having health anx. Few days back i developed feeling of weakness in my left side n twitching in whole body. I am so so scared right now😭. Pls tell what to do
Going through the same thing here. It’s exhausting
@@hw5091 that’s kinda dumb if you think anxiety causes ALS… there’s no known cause for this disease other than genetic purposes.
They go hand in hand but correlation isn’t causation.
Please let me know where to take my sister-in-law for a second opinion in Miami Florida? Her symptoms started after Covid at the beginning of the pandemic and but can’t provide it, because they weren’t testing at the time. Thank you 😊
Hi Clara, we're sorry that this process has been challenging. You can search for ALS clinics in Florida in our ALS Clinics Directory at www.youralsguide.com/als-clinics-directory. We hope that helps!
@@YourALSGuide Thank you 😊
If symptoms are twitching, it is extrenly likely that covid triggered benign fasciculation syndrome.
@@AdamL_18 really? Like, I've been having fasciculations on my left hand for the past 2 months, and I think it appeared only this year after COVID in January
@@AdamL_18how do you know
Thank you 😊
Scared of Als is more oppressive than scared of cancer and COVID-19.
because it' 100% deadly and you can have perfectly healthy life and still get it. No one knows what causes it. That is most scary!
Just look at the bright side at least it’s not cjd or rabies or Ebola. There is always a worse disease out there to worry about. Lol
I have split hand index. Can you help me?
Since my father diagnosed with MND bulbar onset (ALS) I am continuously scared of having ALS too. i am having fear and anxiety. Sometimes my hands are weak and have mild twiching in some parts of the body. Do i have ALS??
I heard it’s hereditary in only a small minority. Unless others in your wider family have had it, I’d say you’re fine. Nothing to worry about. Probably just nerves.
My mother die for ELA. I feel the same but we must to live with this like people who Lost relatives for another diseases.
My mother had ALS she died when she was 31 yrs old I'm scared 😱
My brother died from als in 2004. I have muscle 'twitches', but I have no fear. I believdle those may be somewhat normal if not frequent or consistent.
I have frequent, I'm worried.
To ease your mind there are many many reasons your muscles twitch. Other less deadly diseases can cause twitching like MS, MG, Lupus, Lyme, Parkinson’s, PLS, NMO, MSA, tumors, cysts, or just plain old anxiety. I wouldn’t worry too much unless you start losing your balance and get weaker or something or lose muscle.
👍@@briansilva4165
i have seen two doctors and they refuse to let me see a neurologist.
Is a referral required to see a neurologist or can you sign into your insurance to make an appointment without a referral? Worst comes to worse Are you willing to pay an out of pocket cost to have a neurologist consult?
@Mr. Mr. You dont have ALS...i went through the same thing. I started twitching then swore I had bulbar cuz I developed weird throat symptoms. I spent too much time on google!! Anxiety, lack of sleep and constant worry will do a number on you. I had a clean barium swallow, nerve conduction, emg, spinal MRIs, blood work, brain MRIs...i did it to myself...
@Mr. Mr. Understand completely...i posted a video about what i went through on RUclips. Check it out...im sure you can relate...
Same. I get twitches, hypnic jerks, I feel like my knee is going to pop out. Legs sometime feels like it folds while walking, but I don't feel weakness perse. And after seeing the bulbar onsets my mind has been playing tricks on me thinking I might me crying when yawning or laughing uncontrollably while chuckling a bit
Hello. Just saw your vid. Obviously you have a lot of experience talking to ppl and discussing symptoms. I just want to ask you directly, is muscle loss a strong indication of als ? I have muscle loss from elbow and along the forearm. Strength seems to be rapid loss. I do have twitching but not in the area of muscle loss, on other parts of arm. I have had non stop twitching whole body since oct 2019. My gp said as recently as two weeks ago, I don't have als. U will probably tell me to contact a neurologist, but frankly I would panic as I have depression and massive anxiety since oct 2019. I did have a spinal tumor T6 ( lymphoma ) about 20 yrs ago. I seem to have some type of post trauma from that event. Simply, what other probabilities can muscle loss occur without having a disease. All my basic blood work is good, liver, kidneys, cholesterol etc. Google is the worse option to look for answers. I thought I would ask u.
How you feeling now
Look up ALS and iron overload. Iron overload seems to lead to innumerable problems in people who are not iron deficient. It might be wise to eat a wide range of the food one enjoys and steer clear of supplements, especially iron supplements.
@@macclift9956 I've seen three doctors and said I dont have als. Constant twitching whole body for 22 months now. I do have body jerking any where at anytime when body is relaxed. I do believe the dr's and I am doing well mentally. I must have a benign condition.
@@craigk2644 there are probably more than 50 diseases or even not deseases just sympoms you coul have but not have Als,Muscle twiching ,weakness,pain,spasms,cramps,un wanted moves,everything pretty much is in almost every desease,not really but ,you can have 10 symptoms and not to be als its just isnt,all kinds of neuropathy ,fibromyalgy,etc etc..
Have you found an answer yet?
My legs have been weak and shaky for 4 months now. Some days not as bad but it's still there. I have been basically bed bound by me fear. I take my kids to school but I sit and worry all day. The weakness isn't getting better. It's not exactly clinical weakness but it's there everyday. Is this ALS?
I understand exactly what your experiencing
The fear itself is debilitating. I feel like every nerve ending in body vibrates...and my balance sucks. I'm afraid of falling so I hardly venture other than restroom. Just know, I experience this crap all day. Even keeps me up at night. And worry...shit, I get it, believe me!
So how you do now ? Have you seen a doctor? Are the symptoms got worse?
@@khalafalshammari7553 I had an MRI and the muscle tests and they were normal
I just lost a friend within 4 months of 4 months of diagnosis of ALS
Can the muscle weakness come and go? Meaning can you feel good in the morning after a good nights sleep only to have the muscle weakness increase as the day goes on? Or is it constant?
Not if you have als, then it is constant. It's impossible to feel strong one day and weak the next and so fourth when you have als. If you would of had als then the twitching would be constant.
You are looking for symptoms that is why ur scared. Nothing about what you just said points to als.
@@maple9502 hello,I had brachial neurititis 20 months ago and still got wrist drop on my left hand...since this happened to me I have been living in constant fear that I might have als too...on top of that I have carpal tunnel in both hands for years now(beena photographer so prob a vocational injury)..however my hand feels cramped when im drying my hair with hair drier or mixing the dough etc..and in my parson turner affected hand there is a weakness at night in shoulder area...do you think I have als? im so scared just thinking about it..yet it might just be the result of PT syndrome from ages ago still lingering about...the weakness in armdissapears in daytime its only for a moment after I wake up and not every night.
@@meeka3312 Well first off your weakness is inconsistent so that is not really something to be worried about. And your other health problems seem like seperate issues not related to als. Most likely they are related to your inconsistent weakness which isn’t an als symptom. You are worried about als because you feel weakness from other conditons, not from als. Stop worring and stop googling
@@maple9502 i cant thank you enough for your answer💜 the paranoia sets in and dnt leave until one gets slap around the face! You did just that(in the nicest possible way!).
Should I be worried? I’m 21 with tons of muscle twitches from my foot to my thigh on both legs 24/7. No weakness or atrophy that I can see.. this has been on going for a month.
Do you expierence other als symptoms? Do you have stress or anxiety?
@@topacybits3576 1.)No
2.) yes i have health anxiety
You have bfs, look it up it is nothing to worry about. do not think about it and just live your life.
Ive had it for about 2 years now. I do get anxiety. But no muscle loss.
@@FootFC_Editz Are you scared that you have ALS?
is it possible to have a normal emg and still have Als?
No. How do you feel now ?
@@HonorableHarbinger so we can have normal emgs and still ALS? I am just asking ? Isn’t als about weakness ?
ALS = UMN ans LMN
Emg detects LMN issues
Clinical assessment detects UMN issues
ALS is more likely to start with LMN that an emg would detect. Twitching is LMN sign, so if u have it while emg is clean = no ALS.
Whats LMN my friend...i had an EMG and it was ok but still all symptoms..? It is possible that the EMG was taken to early in the proces ?? @HoHos19
I've had two EMG 6 months apart with little change. The Doctor said no ALS showed up. I'm having muscle twitching muscle weakness upper and lower and my right leg is starting to deteriorate in muscle tone. Cramps in the left hand and tightness and stiffness in the legs. The doctor says he doesn't know but it's getting worse. I'm also having troubles with my vision at times. Where can I go to get better treatment? Thanks
Hi Joel, you can search for ALS clinics across the United States in our clinics directory: www.youralsguide.com/als-clinics-directory. You will find additional information and guidance on our Early Symptoms page (www.youralsguide.com/early-als-symptoms-newly) and Diagnosis page (www.youralsguide.com/als-diagnosis-newly). We hope that helps.
Magnesium, Calcium, and Sodium defiencies can cause these symptoms. Also caffeine and alcohol should be cut for you.
@@YourALSGuide It says page not found :( this has been the most frustrating 11 months of my life. You just can't get any help. Three neurologist five doctors Two emgs a complete blood work and my leg is shrinking more each day. I'm getting weaker daily and even the page to help you access help doesn't work. I just don't understand. Thanks anyways.
It could be ms
@@fademan I check into the Mayo Clinic tomorrow. Hopefully get some answers soon.
Hello
Oh yes
@sabrina.3576 how are you?
@@MozertNery my twitching is not going
@@sabrinam.3576 but you have more symptoms? Or only twitch in your years?
I have twitching it begin in November 2017 is this ALS
twitching is not the first sign of als. You have bfs look it up and you will feel calm again. It is nothing to worry about.
@@maple9502 Hi my not stop
@@sabrinam.3576 If you have had twitching since 2017 and nothing else you don’t have als. Do not worry don’t think about it.
@@maple9502 its mostly in my calfs yes it begin in November 2017
@@sabrinam.3576 I know that is a common sign of bfs that you don’t have to worry about. I have the exact same thing and it’s harmless. Do not worry it’s only bfs. If you can still use your muscles you do not have als
Hello
I had a muscle twitch start in my right thigh and it’s spread to basically my entire body. I lift as well and my lifts have not decreased on volume. Is this als?
Same
It’s not als trust me until u have weakness or atrophy u shouldn’t be worried but I would still keep an eye on it but don’t freak out I have als and mine started with twitching a year or 2 before I got weakness but majority of time it’s weakness then twitching and majority of time it’s just bfs with twitching don’t freak out to much guys for ur own sanity I went down that rabbit hole it does nothing
Same!!
@@jacksonhineckin110 can I ask how old you are? That's an unusual progression for sure and that it started years ago is also unusual. I'm guessing yours is very slow moving?
@@jacksonhineckin110 hii, hope you are doing well. I am having a lot of twitching past 2 months plus tingling sensation in my whole left side. Really scared for this. Pls help out