View Full Version : ALS Fears!! I have read the pinned thread
Hey everyone:
The past 2.5 months have been pure hell. I went to a chiropractor and he told me I have hyperreflexia, and my ankle is weak and my toes are twitching as well and it all started as cold toes at first, and I can’t exercise with all the pain around my knees. Anyway, now I learn hyperreflexia is a sign of ALS, and I have had all the twitching etc... I have felt weakness like I cannot hold a coffee cup do long. I have a friend trying to get me into a neurologist as soon as possible. I am just terrified my right foot is going to drop because my toe muscles twitch big time when I try to hold the foot up while it is resting on the ground. Someone please help!! I am totally freaked out!!
Dont freak out! Can you tiptoe? ALS is really rare, almost as rare as my current 'Brain Eating Amoeba' freaking out I'm having as I have a headache and used a Neti Pot last week ... I think we are both fine ;) Try standing on your tiptoes and tell me how you go!
---------- Post added at 05:47 ---------- Previous post was at 05:45 ----------
PS: I have been twitching on and off for about 2 years now ... the neurologist said it's not a sign of ALS or he's never had anyone come in with twitching and been diagnosed.
Dont freak out! Can you tiptoe? ALS is really rare, almost as rare as my current 'Brain Eating Amoeba' freaking out I'm having as I have a headache and used a Neti Pot last week ... I think we are both fine ;) Try standing on your tiptoes and tell me how you go!
---------- Post added at 05:47 ---------- Previous post was at 05:45 ----------
PS: I have been twitching on and off for about 2 years now ... the neurologist said it's not a sign of ALS or he's never had anyone come in with twitching and been diagnosed.
Hey! I can stand on my tiptoes although it is a lot harder on that foot/leg. I can’t balance well on that foot...
If you can stand on your tiptoes then it's fine, I find I can stand on my left much longer than my right, but if you can walk on your tiptoes, or balance then as a general rule it's ok - that's the test my neurologist did with me anyway ;) I also had to balance on one toe for 10 seconds - that was hard and took me several goes!
If you can stand on your tiptoes then it's fine, I find I can stand on my left much longer than my right, but if you can walk on your tiptoes, or balance then as a general rule it's ok - that's the test my neurologist did with me anyway ;) I also had to balance on one toe for 10 seconds - that was hard and took me several goes!
One toe?!! I don’t even think that is possible for me!! LOL
no sorry not one toe! ha ha sorry! One foot!!!!! :)
Quite frankly I wouldn't ever trust a chiropractor's diagnosis if it hasn't been confirmed by a medical doctor, especially if it isn't directly about the alignment of your vertebrae. This distrust isn't stemming from my HA like typical HA doctor mistrust. This is coming from me who went to a chiropractor for several years. There are some good ones but most of them are quacks that will tell you anything to get you to keep visiting them. I knew one that claimed chiro could cure the common cold!!!
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Okay, I'll help you with you als fears. Since my fear of ALS I learned a lot about it. I even looked after a man with ALS.
I believe als is tick bite related and caused by untreated babesia virus. If you never was bit by a tick, don't worry about als.
Hyperreflexia is a sign of anxiety and in als it's not one of the first symptoms. The very first symptom is clinical weakness.
I am being referred to a neurologist! I feel weakness in my legs and arms now. My right foot constantly twitches and shakes when it is not in use. My doctor that I saw said I have hyperreflexia. Is there anyone here who has had any of this? I feel like my thumbs are wanting to twitch now and the palms of my hands feel tingly. This has been going on 2.5 months and I think everything has spread to my hands now and the feet are continuing to deteriorate. I'm a 33 year old female with such a great future, but right now I'm so miserable! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, I feel your pain I have also been stuck in this rabbit hole of the fear of als for 2 months. I was similar to yourself... I had a twitchy foot and a sore foot which I was perceiving as 'weak'. Then the twitching started elsewhere and I went in to a panic
However on a plus I have started to feel much better these last 2 days... instead of fueling the fire I have decided to treat my anxiety rather than go Google crazy. I have had some therapy: CBT and hypnotherapy and have been very distracted in work. These last 2 days I have noticed a lot less twitching. I am sure you will be hyper awae of your twitching when you're googling away or say thinking about it. As you well know the issue with being anxious is that we ofte n feel and worry about twinges and twitches that should go unnoticed as we are so hyperaware. This has been the case with me... a brush on my skin frok my trousers was making me panic. Try to keep active and busy and see if that helps. I'm also a young female so don't forget the odds are well in our favour for all this being anxiety and perceived weakness.
Hey! I can stand on my tiptoes although it is a lot harder on that foot/leg. I can’t balance well on that foot...
Then you don't have ALS. (period!)
Positive thoughts
Hey, I feel your pain I have also been stuck in this rabbit hole of the fear of als for 2 months. I was similar to yourself... I had a twitchy foot and a sore foot which I was perceiving as 'weak'. Then the twitching started elsewhere and I went in to a panic
However on a plus I have started to feel much better these last 2 days... instead of fueling the fire I have decided to treat my anxiety rather than go Google crazy. I have had some therapy: CBT and hypnotherapy and have been very distracted in work. These last 2 days I have noticed a lot less twitching. I am sure you will be hyper awae of your twitching when you're googling away or say thinking about it. As you well know the issue with being anxious is that we ofte n feel and worry about twinges and twitches that should go unnoticed as we are so hyperaware. This has been the case with me... a brush on my skin frok my trousers was making me panic. Try to keep active and busy and see if that helps. I'm also a young female so don't forget the odds are well in our favour for all this being anxiety and perceived weakness.
Hi Smashy: Have you felt like your hands aren't allowing you to type as well or your biceps are weaker, etc...? It has happened literally over the past 2 months. Fearing the neuro appointment. Could the hyperreflexia really be caused by all the anxiety?
I'm currently trying a new drug as well as an "add on." I am hoping it will kick in soon to help quell some of the OCD tendencies that I already have.
---------- Post added at 14:59 ---------- Previous post was at 14:57 ----------
Then you don't have ALS. (period!)
Positive thoughts
I agree with you (logically) - I just wonder how we account for the people who said they noticed "gradual" weakness, etc...? And now, I've had a real doctor confirm my hyperreflexia, so that is part of the problem here.
Yes sometimes my hands feel somewhat 'clumsy' and I was worried about this initially but I noticed how intermittent this was and you may notice it is more so when you are particularly anxious. If it was something serious it would be very persistent. Think about all the tasks you do subconsciously and how you didn't have this 'weakness.
I also found reassurance that my symptoms came so suddenly and snowballed til i had them all.... another classic anxiety.
Anxiety can definitely cause the feeling of weakness and achy muscles as I've always suffered with this.
About the drugs I have also been put on sertraline which heightened my anxiety initially and intensified symptoms including adding more symptoms... I.e. side effects.
It really helps talking about the anxiety though as my therapist says that talking out loud can make you realise that your rational brain knows the truth but your emotional brain is the one that's tripping causing the anxiety... So true for me.
Hypo or hyperreflexia? Either way the cause of this can be due to many more reasons... not just als.
Yes sometimes my hands feel somewhat 'clumsy' and I was worried about this initially but I noticed how intermittent this was and you may notice it is more so when you are particularly anxious. If it was something serious it would be very persistent. Think about all the tasks you do subconsciously and how you didn't have this 'weakness.
I also found reassurance that my symptoms came so suddenly and snowballed til i had them all.... another classic anxiety.
Anxiety can definitely cause the feeling of weakness and achy muscles as I've always suffered with this.
About the drugs I have also been put on sertraline which heightened my anxiety initially and intensified symptoms including adding more symptoms... I.e. side effects.
It really helps talking about the anxiety though as my therapist says that talking out loud can make you realise that your rational brain knows the truth but your emotional brain is the one that's tripping causing the anxiety... So true for me.
Hypo or hyperreflexia? Either way the cause of this can be due to many more reasons... not just als.
Hyper - and I can't even exercise right now because I just end up twitching all the time after exertion and calves hurt more, etc...
Hyper isnt caused by als from what i understand. Als would cause hypo?
Twitching after exertion is common. This has literally just happened to me... picked up something really heavy and bicep started twitching away. I also get sore calf muscles etc. I think another cause of this pain is that I am very tense when i sleep.
I'm no expert but it seems we are having the same concerns. I'm slowly coming out the other side... I'm hoping you do too soon... :) x
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