Twitching legs als?

[Amylou29]

Hi, I have just joined and would be very great full for some help, I've been having muscle twitching in my legs coming up to 3 months, I have it all over but mainly in my calves and thighs, it is pretty constant. For the last 3 wells or so my thighs have become very stiff and sore when walking, my left hand also feels funny but I'm not sure how, I've been doing all the strength tests and I'm not weak that I can notice, my thighs feel like they are constantly vibrating. I cough when I eat but I do have post nasal drip, I went to see my gp and he said he thinks its bfs and anxiety related, I a big worrier when it comes to my health, he ran blood work- all ok and doesn't think I need further testing, I am absolutely petrified I have als, any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you x

[twelveoclock]

I am no doctor but the twitching is very likely due to stress and worrying. I get twitches all the time in my legs, arms and face. The feeling in your left again might perhaps be due to your constant worrying. Stress can cause a lot of stuff to your body physically.

[Amylou29]

Thank you for your reply, do you get stiff, aching legs too?

[twelveoclock]

When I exercise, yes. I'm not very active but will do a little workout once every week and it always gives me achy and stiff legs.
Do you walk or run a lot? Maybe you just need rest. For ALS or MND I believe it becomes gradually impossible to use legs and muscles etc. You just have a constant discomfort right? so it's likely you're very tired.

[Speranza]

Hi, my Dad had MND and I am sure your symptoms sound more anxiety-related. Hugs to you. Gill xx

[purgatory]

Hi,

My Calf muscles are in constant twitch or medical term fasciculations and I have had the whole I have got ALS fear and that was near on 3 years and I am still going strong.

ALS/MND would present with twitching first anyway as the twitch would normal occur after the muscle has died already so long before that you would have had loss of muscle tone and wastage of the muscle and also many other symptoms.

I agree with everything said that the twitching is just another outlet of the anxiety and nothing to worry about. About the best thing to do is try putting it to the back of your mind.

[Amylou29]

Thank you all for your help, it is greatly appreciated x

[ElizabethJane]

Hi,

My Calf muscles are in constant twitch or medical term fasciculations and I have had the whole I have got ALS fear and that was near on 3 years and I am still going strong.

ALS/MND would present with twitching first anyway as the twitch would normal occur after the muscle has died already so long before that you would have had loss of muscle tone and wastage of the muscle and also many other symptoms.

I agree with everything said that the twitching is just another outlet of the anxiety and nothing to worry about. About the best thing to do is try putting it to the back of your mind.

Not sure that what you have written is correct. My Mum died of MND so I have personal experience of this. The most important thing here is that you find some way of focusing your thoughts rather than worrying about MND which you will stand about a 1 in 50 00 chance of getting. My mum did have muscle twitching in her legs but she could still use them for many months until they did not work anymore. MND is a group of illnesses diagnosis is difficult. Take care I'm sure you haven't got MND. EJ

[Amylou29]

Thank you for your reply and I am so sorry you have had first hand experience of it. The trouble with my situation is peolpe keep telling me it won't be mnd but the twitching and stiffness are both symptoms of it, if you don't minde asking, how was your mum diagnosed with mnd and how long did she have twitching legs before other symptoms? Thank you again for your help x

[Speranza]

Amy, I think if you read the forum you will find that twitching is incredibly common. I have had to deal with this fear as I get it occasionally - particularly a twitch in my arm which was exactly what Dad had - and he did die of MND.

However I can assure you that you will not miss other symptoms in people with MND, which as ElizabethJane says, is pretty rare. It's hard to describe, and I think not wise on here in any case, but there is no mistaking that something is going very wrong...

My dad had a beautifully peaceful death and I personally always think that is how I shall know if I get anything serious - he worried about his health all his life but he became totally serene when it was something serious. He gave me a wonderful example and reminded me that it is nothing to be feared. I am sure most of us on here are simply terrified of not existing any more, and so we try to second-guess illness by jumping out at it before it gets us, just as I used to jump out when playing Hide and Seek as a tiny girl, because I couldn't bear waiting to be found!

Concentrate on finding meaning in your life Amy, and see if that change of perspective helps you. xx

[purgatory]

Not sure that what you have written is correct. My Mum died of MND so I have personal experience of this. The most important thing here is that you find some way of focusing your thoughts rather than worrying about MND which you will stand about a 1 in 50 00 chance of getting. My mum did have muscle twitching in her legs but she could still use them for many months until they did not work anymore. MND is a group of illnesses diagnosis is difficult. Take care I'm sure you haven't got MND. EJ

Hello ElizabethJane

Very sorry to hear you mum died from MND.

Your right about the twitching and still being able to use the muscle but I never said that the muscle would be unable to be used I said before that you would notice muscle wastage (atrophy) and loss of muscle tone.
Also I did say that the twitching would normally happen after the muscle had died, so in some cases it can happen before.

And yes MND is very hard to diagnose and is normal dianosed by ruling out all other possibilities first.

And yes anxiety is a strange beast and present many a different symptom and it find many an outlet.

And my twitching is caused by something called Benign Fasciculation Syndrome.

And anything I have said is hopefully only to allay the fears of the OP and I have only spoken of what I have learnt from speaking to suffers of mnd/als and I have only relayed what I have been told and learnt from my own months of hell worried that I had MND.

It was a time in my life that I would never wish upon anyone as it was very soul destorying and the toll it took upon my mind was to an extent that still haunts me to today.

So sorry if anything I said was taken out of context it was not meant to be.

[Amylou29]

Thank you all for your help, I may go back to the drs or I may try to put it t the back of my mind but I'm finding that very hard at the moment, thanks again x

[missleelee6982]

I thought I had ALS or MND as I had tingling in my right leg after a episode is sciatica x then I googled and guess what came up x well then I felt twitching in my legs and back and arms and belly x I finally went to the doctors to be told it was my sciatica x and no way could it be ALS x but I still worry and this was only yesterday x it's mind over matter with I am dealing with now x I'm not going to google no more x the more you think about symptoms the more you feel them x we do this to our selfs x I was doing strength tests the lot x even my doctor said my strength was normal x this morning I have woken up with a new attitude x ALS and MND is such a very rare thing x I'm 30 and in my age group it is something like 1 in 500 000 if not more x last month I was worried about brain tumours had all the symptoms of that x my doctor told me to google knife and see the results x it will always come up with the worst thing x and people on the Internet are not doctors x my doctor said if he could ban it he would as people come to see him with things all the time as they have googled x

[Amylou29]

Thanks for the reply, I went to see my GP yesterday but it wasn't too helpful, he's going to have a think about what to do ( if anything ) I asked about als and he said unlikely but I see from your post your dr told you no way was it that so I'm a little worried about that

[purgatory]

Hi Amylou29

Your Dr is most probably a little worried about what to tell you as a suppose he/she is wondering if maybe them telling you nothing is wrong may not calm your fears. Like it was for me my doctor never said no way to me, instead they sent me to a neurologist and I had a quick 20 min check up with them and then sent off with a clean bill of health.

So maybe your doctor will consult with a other practice member because you are suffering from health anxiety so you will get the best answer from the right person.


Can I ask a few questions... With your twitching you you get any pains? Do you get pins and needles? Also are your twitches only on the calf muscles or have they spread to other parts of the body like the arm chest or hands like missleelee6982 is.

Amylou if your doctor was worried at all about your twitches they would have ordered tests their and then.
Try not to worry.

I still have my letter from 2 years ago giving me a clear bill of health and I will find it and pm you what it says maybe it will help you as it was from a neurologist.. Remember we are all different and have different symptoms but not all of them come to anything.

Also forgot to ask your age as don't forget the younger you are the lower the chance is you could have mnd.

[Amylou29]

Thank you so much that's very Kind of you, I'm 26, my twitching is mainly in my calves and thighs, I get places where it stays for days and then goes and then comes back to the same place, I get it constantly in my legs, it does hurt, some times aches and some times it's quite painful like a cramp. I twitch other places like my arms, eyes, tounge etc but its always in my legs x

[purgatory]

Hi well lets address a few things

Your age is on your side mnd mainly effects people over 50
Also mnd effects mostly effects one muscle group at a time and spreads put from that place, twitching in random places over the body does normally point away from mnd.

Also pain is not indicative of mnd as pain is a sensory problem and mnd effects the muscle

I will say this is what I have been told by sufferers of mnd and some people do get different onset symptoms (I no doctor or expert on anything this is just what I have been told).

Now you say cramping pain, well we spoke about BFS before the is a version of BFS that I if I remember correct involves cramping and again it is a harmless condition.

All your symptoms to me point to Anxiety induced BFS and I'm sure your doctor will say the same.
As most doctors have never heard of BFS so your doctor is most probably a little stumped by it.

Please if you have any questions of need support contact me.. and that goes for anyone.

[Amylou29]

Thank you for your time and advice,I guess I'll have to wait and see what he says, it would be great to read your letter, thanks again