Left sided 'weakness'

[Westy75]

For the last few weeks I've noticed a feeling of weakness in my left leg and arm. My leg feels shaky like it can't support my weight, it just feels weird. I keep testing it to see if it's getting weaker, ditto for the arm. They don't seem to be weaker when i test them, i.e. lifting things, but when I go for a run my left leg starts to tire quicker and both my arm and leg get achy and unsteady. Also the left side of my face often feels weird.
I've suffered from health anxiety for many years now and am worried that this is a symptom of ALS or something similar.

Has anyone else had anything like this before?

I've been on here before to look for reassurance when the left side of my face felt weird, but now it's the leg and arm I'm getting really worried.

Thanks

Tom

[manmoor]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the pm I'm here if you wanna chat. Never feel alone we are all here for each other.

Take Care

Mandyxx

[katies]

Hi

You poor thing, I have suffered with this for over 18 months now. Had every test under the sun as thought I had had a stroke, MS, brian tumour - the lot !!! Every test comes back negative. Can only put it down to anxiety yet I get it even when I'm not anxious.

Good luck

KatieS

[jackie]

i have this alot, i have been told it is a type of harmless neuralgia caused and made worse by anxiety and stress. it is a horrible sensation

jackie

[Darren76]

get exactly the same thing, but just in my left shoulder and arm......sometimes i deal withj it OK, and others i am scared witless of a heart attack. havin a CT scan at the end of this month as the end of a series of tests that have all come back negative.....
i feel for ya, but best thing to do is exercise it lightly and make sure you dont sit/lie in bad positions as that doesnt help at all

[Sheik N Shimmy]

I've had the left arm 'weakness' and it went when I started to relax again. I noticed at the time that if I was picking up the phone with my left hand that sometimes I had to concentrate or I'd miss the phone and grab something else [Oops!]

It's all fine now except if I'm feeling stressed out when it returns a bit.

E

Keep On Keepin On

[Jo3016]

I have left sided weakness too - my arm and leg. They can ache a lot too. When I went to a chiropractor, she said that my left side was a lot tenser than my right side. Thus, the muscle tension causes fatigue on that side and can also contribute towards the pain.

Are you right handed? I beleive that it has affected my left side more because that side is naturally weaker than my right - might explain why a lot of people get left sided weakness rather than right.

Jo xx

[Westy75]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm actually left handed but the weird thing is that my right arm and leg are actually slightly more muscled, my right bicep has always been bigger than my left. My mum who's also left handed also has more muscle in her right-arm than her left so maybe it's genetic. Added to this weirdness is the fact that although my right limbs have more muscle, my left side is actually stronger so lord knows what that means.

Anyway regardless of a physical explanation it is reassuring that other people have experienced something similar (although obviously not great for any of us!).
I suppose focussing and worrying about certain limbs can cause muscle tension in those limbs which can mess up blood flow etc and cause feelings of weakness/aching?

Tom

[milly54]

Hi I have had odd sensations down my left hand side on and off for over 10 years. seen gp and neurologist. i feel ill and unsteady and anxious but all tests are negative. its reassurring to hear others heve similar problems as I really was stargting to believe i am the onl one in the world!!

[david h]

hi all - just found this website and this particular thread and wish to share my current experiences. A year ago (nov 07) i started getting very mild pain but more a niggling sensation behid my left knee cap and just below it. I would massage it but to no avail. This sensation stayed with me for a while and then became more distinct. Didnt appear better or worse during exercise. Then six months ago i noticed that my leg felt a lot weaker and that my balance didnt seem right. Getting up at 3am to put the cat out, the simple act of rushing out of bed meant that i would be very unsteady on my feet typically banging into things. I now find a year later that i had a consistent discomfort in my left knee, sharp pains radiating from it and when walking, my left heel becomes sore. I wopuld describe my left leg as shaky and weak and now i have the same sensations in my left arm. Holding my two year old son above my head, i always feel that my left arm will go anytime. I now wake up with a weak sensation on my left and during this time my eyesight has deterioated as well so on the whole a right bundle of laughs. Been to doctor who has put a lot of this down to stress (faor enough job is crazy) but the symptoms of weakness and pain are increasing so now referred to a neurologist and quite scared. Welcome any advice and thanks for reading my novel !