ALS fears - tell me it is nothing please

[Yul]

Hi guys, here I am back again after quite a long time without HA.

It started about a month ago when I developed tiny twitches, like buzzing in my thigh area. It mostly was in one area but in different muscles and occasionally I had them all over the body. No other symptoms at all but I was terrified it was ALS (I googled :blush:). It lasted about two weeks when I had a chance to talk to a nurse in my GP surgery and she assured that twitches without other symptoms are nothing. After that I stopped worrying and gradually all twitches disappeared.

For about two weeks I had no twitches at all until yesterday when after quite a long walk I felt tiny twitches / buzzing in one particular muscle in ankle area. It lasted for some hours and re-started in the afternoon today after I had my yoga and I am still twitching now, seems like it is getting more intense. This time it seems to be triggered by movement, I start twitching when I use the muscle. I am very scared and just can't think rationally. I know that ALS is about muscle weakness, not twitches, but it doesn't help.

Just to mention: I am 36yo healthy female, recently I had an extensive health assessments and all tests came back normal (it was before the twitches started so I didn't have a chance to ask a doctor).

Pleeease, someone, tell me if it sounds scary and I should see a doctor or it is me just panicking again? Thanks!

[cbornet]

I'm not a doctor obviously, but I know enough about ALS from my own research and fears, that I swear I could write a book on the disease. To ease your mind, this is NOT ALS. Remember, in ALS, the twitching comes far later on, after the muscles have already atrophied and are dying. Now, you would definitely know if that were happening, and you probably wouldn't even notice the twitches. And keep in mind, the weakness I'm talking about is not a "feeling" of weakness. Like my leg feels tired or burns a little. This is weakness like I can't turn the door handle, or I can't walk up the stairs. Clinically obvious weakness. There is a condition called BFS (benign fasciculation syndrome) which is very common and causes random twitches and even cramps over the whole body, or even just a couple areas. I'm sure you also know, anxiety is a huge cause of fasciculations and twitches. You are 36, healthy, and female. No ALS. Find a different illness to worry about :)

[RoseEve]

I couldn't agree more with Cb. I've had my own ALS fears and have done a lot of research as well. I get buzzing and twitching as well. It's good your muscle twitches after a workout it soothes the muscle it's like a little massage.