Petrified I have ALS - Please Help

[Mac7823]

Hi All,

I am really scared that I have ALS..

I am a 31 year old male. About 2 years ago I developed leg cramp left side with widespread twitching. I went to see a Neuro who diagnosed me with BFS. I was able to shake the ALS thought until a couple of weeks ago as I developed a bad cramp in left foot along with the dreaded leg cramp and twitching and buzzing. I am also now getting left arm cramps especially in forearm and hand.

My left arm is dominate and it feels to be getting a bit weaker. It's very sore when lifting shopping bags etc compared to right and that never was the case. I can still walk on my heels and toes etc.

Do you guys think this sounds like ALS? My work has suffered as I am googling ALS stories and symptoms all day. I sit in the washroom at night crying so my wife doesnt see me.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

Cheers

[Serenity1990]

After two years of symptoms? I don't know an awful lot about ALS, but from the BFS board where everyone's irrationally terrified about ALS the response is generally if you'd had it for that sort of time your be seriously disabled and disfigured by now. If you've seen a neuro I really wouldn't worry in the slightest about that one, one neurologist who wrote something for that site said he can usually tell if someone has ALS or not from the moment they walk into the room. If your exam at the neuro was fine (apart from the brisk reflexes often seen in BFS) I really would forget about that one.

I also have BFS. Cramping is one of the major symptoms, though luckily not one that affects me much personally. I've never heard of cramping as an ALS symptom but like I say I don't know an awful lot about that disease as it just doesn't affect me.

[Mac7823]

Cheers Serenity

My one and only fear it seems! I could walk into a doctors office tomorrow and hear you have ________ and need emergency surgery and I would say OK but do I have MND...

[Serenity1990]

I know what you mean, I'm the same with my fear! Welcome to the world of HA. :D

This thread is great for BFS sufferers. :)

http://www.aboutbfs.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=16549

[Lilly13]

Hi Mac,

I empathize with you! Stop reading things online about ALS! I still need to do that, I developed cramping EVERYWHERE - directly after my twitching began. I had been having pain in my fingers and wrists and hands for a long time though. However, I don't fail to do anything so I take this as a good sign.

Have you had an EMG? That could put your mind at ease....I am awaiting my neuro appointment - this fear is not fun!

I'm not much help as I have not been cleared of ALS, but I think we should take some reassurance in firstly the fact that we are young, secondly, the fact that there are SOOO many people on this site with twitching and cramping - this leads me to believe that this is an anxiety symptom

Best of luck to you, you will get through this!

Best,

Lilly

[popejoan]

There was an ALS patient named Tim Lafolette, he died in two years, he was completely paralyzed by the end of first year and lived on ventilator without any body movements for another year.

In two years you would not be talking, walking, even breathing on your own. You are fine.