ALS worries.....still!!

[alix123]

So I have been having all sorts of crazy feelings and for the past few months I have convinced myself I have ALS. I feel little twitches in my muscles and my calf muscles hurt when I tense them, also I have started to feel that when I do jobs such as make the bed it makes my arms hurt and feel a bit heavy and I almost can't finish the job.
I went to the GP about a cyst but mentioned the ALS while I was there, he told me to stick out my tongue so I did and he said I didn't have ALS based on that. He told me to see a different GP regarding the cyst, so at my next appointment I asked the second GP about the ALS, he didn't even test me in any way just told me it was unlikely I had it, not being funny but it's unlikely anyone has it but people do.
I'm feeling really frustrated, it's like no one wants to listen to what I think is rong they just see on my file I have anxiety issues and just put everything down to that grrrrr
I have a psychological assessment on Monday (my 4th one) so can't wait to hear what is suggested this time, I just don't know what to do, I'm annoying all my family telling them I have ALS, I'm looking on ALS forums at peoples symptoms to compare but it's not detailled enough to compare and people that suffer with it progress at different rates and have differing symptoms which is making me more sure I have it, I'm just so fed up and I'm bringing down everyone around me, just want to cry :weep:

[mel78]

Hey Alix, I know what you mean about bringing down the people around you. I was on a weekend away with my wife and kids and completely ruined it with my ALS worries. Its very difficult to get any sympathy from the people around you as they are convinced that you are imagining it and should just "cop on." I guess that is why a forum like this is so useful. I am also feeling the little twitches in my muscles - among other symptoms. The rational me knows that this is probably just anxiety but of course that does not help - I truly believe I have a horrible and fatal illness.

This page http://www.neurology24.com/lou-gehrigs-disease.htm did help me to rationalise my fears somewhat - I worked out that that on average one person in Ireland under 38 is diagnosed with ALS every SIXTY SEVEN YEARS. Of course I could be that one person in 67 years.

You know you have anxiety. You know that you worry about your health and fixate on symptoms. Health Anxiety often creates the symptoms that you worry about (which is not to say that they symptoms are not real). You will be ok.