Its been a year of ALS anxiety and I am finally getting better.

[Scotttt]

It has officially been a year since I began to deal with ALS anxiety induced by twitches. I have been twitching for longer, though I am not sure how long. I have finally began to get the upper hand on the fear. I still twitch. Somedays a lot, somedays hardly at all. My reaction to them has began to change, they no longer make me think the worst. Sometimes I still get scared of a new twitch or a hot spot, but no where near what it used to be.

My advice to all those struggling with twitches/ALS fear:

1. Go see your GP and let them know what is going on. Explain your anxiety and ALS fear. Then trust what they say. Do not ask for and EMG or neuron appointment unless they recommend it. Don't go borrowing trouble.

2. DO NOT GOOGLE, GO TO ALS SITES. Just don't.

3. Do your best to stay off forums. I havent logged on to this forum for a month to two and it has really helped. This place was amazing when I was going through the thick of it, but it keeps the fear alive and creates dependency during recovery.

4. Be active. Exercise is great for anxiety and also to prove that you do not have a debilitating disease.

5. Don't be afraid of meds or therapy. They have both helped me a ton

6. The bottom line is that twitches, no matter how many or what they look or feel like or where they are, without weakness are of a benign origin.

Best of luck.

[melfish]

Great post, thank you :)

May I ask what meds have helped with the anxiety? My HA is really bad right now, and I am constantly checking (websites, body parts) and having repetitive thoughts.

Thanks again

[Scotttt]

celexa

[melfish]

Cheers. I've just reblocked the ALS forums. See if I can stay off it this time ...

[Scotttt]

Good. That is the absolute worst site for you to visit.

[nj]

Als anxiety is a bitch to deal with. I'm going on 17 years of twitching and I still get freaked out by it from time to time.

I haven't had ALS anxiety in years until recently, thanks to a hotspot twitch on my foot for the last few weeks. That was new to me. I've never had one spot like that go on for so long.

Good advice! Thanks for sharing what helped you. I've found time is really the best help for this.

[Jett81013]

Congratulations. I only hope to get where you are soon. I have been twitching for almost 2 months which originally was accompanied by back pain, and thought i had cancer or a dvt....i barely noticed the twitches but everything went away EXCEPT these damn twitches!

I had them all over my body which apparently point towards benign but now has been concentrated on both legs below the knee...kinda the same locations too. And more so on my left ankle...it's driving me mad and sent me into a depression.

I still have ativan (generic) from my original panic attack in August...i am debating taking one because all i keep thinking about is dying in 2 years and leaving my daughter and husband alone UGH

[Elliejane44]

thanks for posting this. I just started with twitching last week and was getting so worried about it.
I find when I am busy I don't notice is as much. It worse trying to get to sleep at night. I also get body jerks as well. Like many others mine is all over my body and random places.
Seems a common HA worry