Also ALS Fears at 19

[Worrygirl32]

I have been on one other anxiety forum, and I constantly see ALS as a concern. To be honest I don't know much about ALS and I'm glad I don't because that would be one more thing I would worry about. I know easier said than done, but you have to stop googling. Leave it up to your doctor. They went to school for years! Not a couple hours on google. The mind is a powerful thing and sometimes people who have anxiety may present symptoms that they have been googling, only because we are so hypersensitive to everythiiiiing. Plus your 19 and I am assuming fairly healthy. Don't worry your days away, accept the anxiety for what it is. You have to make a decision today, is the anxiety going to win today or are you going to win? I wish you the best, and I hope you can find some peace. If you're spiritual pray because I know that will surely help you relax.

[Fishmanpa]

I only lurk there.....I have a psychologist and he has been helping a little. Hoping it gets better with time I guess

Do everything in your power not to even lurk or research this. You know enough at this point to be dangerous to yourself

I'm glad to see you're getting help. Make sure you let your psych know that you've been lurking on the ALS forum as well as posting on an anxiety forum. He/She needs to know to help you break self-destructive habits. Therapy is hard work but you will get better if you work hard at it.

Positive thoughts

[Josh1234]

Lips aren't affected in ALS, nor are many parts of the face. Get on medication, as nothing else is helping you.

[jojo2316]

All I can say is YES!! I read about bulbar onset ALS then immediately developed swallowing difficulties (which were totally real!), then I read that usually speech is the first symptom (not swallowing) and BAM! I feel like my speech is slurred and nasal and I keep tripping over words..:. Everyone else says I sound just the same, but I don't think I do and I keep recording myself doing tongue twisters. It's awful. I feel your pain.

[FreakOutQueen]

I've been going through awful ALS fears as well. Luckily, if everyone on here who complained of twitching had ALS, it would not be considered a rare rare rare disease 1/100,000 = .0001% chance. My story is as follows and I'm sure many of you can relate. I have been suffering from crippling anxiety for the past 6 months or so, developed an eye twitch...googled (big mistake) saw ALS and suddenly was twitching in my butt, arms, stomach, thighs, calves and feet...basically everywhere...all of a sudden. So I got more nervous, and twitches got worse. Took the weekend to relax and recharge and found the twitches getting slightly better but not completely gone. Also noticed some tightness and stiffness in my calves which I think is from tensing my muscles, but also an ALS symptom? (Might be wrong). Today, I have felt a few twitches and they are now mostly centered in my calves...start perceiving muscle atrophy...tailspin again...sound familiar? This is why I say the power of our minds is insane. My goal this week is to ignore the twitches and see if they continue to lessen because I can't get in to see a neurologist until September. This rabbit hole is one of the worst I've been down, but I am comforted in knowing I am not alone.

[vincy]

I've been going through awful ALS fears as well. Luckily, if everyone on here who complained of twitching had ALS, it would not be considered a rare rare rare disease 1/100,000 = .0001% chance. My story is as follows and I'm sure many of you can relate. I have been suffering from crippling anxiety for the past 6 months or so, developed an eye twitch...googled (big mistake) saw ALS and suddenly was twitching in my butt, arms, stomach, thighs, calves and feet...basically everywhere...all of a sudden. So I got more nervous, and twitches got worse. Took the weekend to relax and recharge and found the twitches getting slightly better but not completely gone. Also noticed some tightness and stiffness in my calves which I think is from tensing my muscles, but also an ALS symptom? (Might be wrong). Today, I have felt a few twitches and they are now mostly centered in my calves...start perceiving muscle atrophy...tailspin again...sound familiar? This is why I say the power of our minds is insane. My goal this week is to ignore the twitches and see if they continue to lessen because I can't get in to see a neurologist until September. This rabbit hole is one of the worst I've been down, but I am comforted in knowing I am not alone.

Yeah. This ALS rabbithole sucks ass.

I saw my primary care dr today and told him about my feeling of not being able to talk properly. Tongue feeling off. Jaw clenching. Shortness of breath. Told him I've been struggling with this for ~5 months now, and he retook my CPK blood test and prescribed me zoloft (sad about taking zoloft. hopefully wont be on it for more than a few months, but definitely feel like i need it as of now)

I still worry, but I am getting better. I have my follow up with my neuro on Wednesday to talk about EMG and CPK retest.

Anyone who has more experience with it, after he did the EMG that day he said it was perfectly normal. I dont have to worry about him hitting me with anything unexpected when I see him do I? I am imagining that we'll just be discussing the CPK retest and my calf injury. But perhaps someone knows better than me. If he said the EMG was normal the day he took it, is it normal?