worriermama
16-06-17, 21:38
I've been twitching since I was in my late teens. I worried about it a lot when it first started, then read about BFS and assumed it was that. Eventually forgot about it and it improved a lot. I still go through periods where I twitch more, especially when stressed.
Fast forward to the present day... I'm coming off of a really stressful couple of months. Had coxsackievirus I caught from my preschooler and was really sick with that for about a month. Then I started getting more migraines/visual disturbances and dizziness and became convinced I had a brain tumor. During this time I also started twitching again. I ended up with an MRI of my brain which was clear. I also had a normal clinical neuro exam (reflexes etc.).
Well. A couple days after the MRI, when I realized I was still twitching, I started thinking about ALS. Then I started worrying about muscle weakness. Now for the past week my right arm has been feeling fatigued and heavy, from my shoulder down into my forearm. I am not having any problems with my right hand except a bit of trigger finger in my pinky (it pops when I bend it).
I realize that I'm seeking reassurance... and that that's not the best way to cope... but I have two small children and I'm in survival mode.
I guess my question is, if I had ALS to the point where I was twitching all over, would something have shown up on my neuro exam four weeks ago?
And the feeling in my arm can't be clinical weakness, right? I am able to do bicep curls and overhead presses with 12lb weights and I am a very petite woman. I just have this annoying burning tired feeling in that arm when I'm using it.
If my arm were messed up from ALS, wouldn't my hand have to be even worse, because doesn't it start in the hands and spread up the limb?
If I'm honest, the arm stuff started after I started worrying about weakness.
I can also admit that when I get anxious/panicky I can actually feel the twitches start firing off all over my body. Literally all over, from my face down to my toes. When the adrenaline starts pumping, the twitching increases noticeably.
I realize how this all sounds. But I am having such a hard time with it. I had a really stressful few months, as I mentioned. My dad had a melanoma removed and we've been dealing with a lot of run of the mill life stress/upheaval. So I'm not feeling particularly fortified against my HA.
Any veterans of the ALS fear.... I welcome your thoughts.
Thank you!
Editing to add -- my LEFT index finger was twitching up a storm months ago and has since settled down... That hand and arm are fine now. But I find myself worrying that the OLD twitching was benign but this NEW twitching is different/bad.
Fast forward to the present day... I'm coming off of a really stressful couple of months. Had coxsackievirus I caught from my preschooler and was really sick with that for about a month. Then I started getting more migraines/visual disturbances and dizziness and became convinced I had a brain tumor. During this time I also started twitching again. I ended up with an MRI of my brain which was clear. I also had a normal clinical neuro exam (reflexes etc.).
Well. A couple days after the MRI, when I realized I was still twitching, I started thinking about ALS. Then I started worrying about muscle weakness. Now for the past week my right arm has been feeling fatigued and heavy, from my shoulder down into my forearm. I am not having any problems with my right hand except a bit of trigger finger in my pinky (it pops when I bend it).
I realize that I'm seeking reassurance... and that that's not the best way to cope... but I have two small children and I'm in survival mode.
I guess my question is, if I had ALS to the point where I was twitching all over, would something have shown up on my neuro exam four weeks ago?
And the feeling in my arm can't be clinical weakness, right? I am able to do bicep curls and overhead presses with 12lb weights and I am a very petite woman. I just have this annoying burning tired feeling in that arm when I'm using it.
If my arm were messed up from ALS, wouldn't my hand have to be even worse, because doesn't it start in the hands and spread up the limb?
If I'm honest, the arm stuff started after I started worrying about weakness.
I can also admit that when I get anxious/panicky I can actually feel the twitches start firing off all over my body. Literally all over, from my face down to my toes. When the adrenaline starts pumping, the twitching increases noticeably.
I realize how this all sounds. But I am having such a hard time with it. I had a really stressful few months, as I mentioned. My dad had a melanoma removed and we've been dealing with a lot of run of the mill life stress/upheaval. So I'm not feeling particularly fortified against my HA.
Any veterans of the ALS fear.... I welcome your thoughts.
Thank you!
Editing to add -- my LEFT index finger was twitching up a storm months ago and has since settled down... That hand and arm are fine now. But I find myself worrying that the OLD twitching was benign but this NEW twitching is different/bad.