Perceived weakness?

[atl]

One of my problems right now in terms of getting over my fears – ALS mainly, and secondarily, brain tutor – is this sensation of weakness I have. I have it in my right leg, and my right arm and especially my hand. It feels like to fingers are weak when I pick something up, or even just drying myself off after a shower. Like my fingers feel different and like they aren't getting enough strength.

But I am able to use my hand for everything normal, I can pick stuff up, I can button shirts, I can do it all, it just feels weak/strange/hollow/slow in a way. Oh and my typing on my right hand feels slower and less accurate, same with texting with my thumb, it feels slower than my left thumb.

As for my right leg, it feels like it doesn't move as well as my left leg. Like it's slower and weaker. But I do a pretty good workout on it and and I have played sports on it just fine. As far as I can tell is it's actually slow; it just feels like it.

I'm wondering if this sounds familiar to anyone on here. It's hard to fully put this stuff behind me when I still have these feelings. My doctor thinks it could be post viral syndrome, since I had a really nasty virus this summer that took me weeks and weeks to get over. She also thinks maybe with my hand that it is possible it's early carpel tunnel.

Thanks,
Joe

[emmegee]

Very familiar, I went through the exact same thing a year ago. It took me months to get over the paralyzing fear. I really "felt" weakness, cramps, etc in my left hand. It was not ALS. When we hyperfocus on something, we make normal body "feelings" more than they really are. I also thought carpal tunnel, disc disease, nerve compression, etc. Had nerve conduction tests and and EMG. All clear. I even wore those wrist support bandages. It all went away when I got my mind off of it.

ETA: I also have been diagnosed with post-viral syndrome. I have lots of nervous system issues, most pretty non-specific and non-debilitating.

[Nikolai]

"Perceived weakness" is one of the things I'm dealing with right now. I know what you are talking about.

Things *feel* weak, but when you strength-test them they're just fine. I get it in several places -- my right (dominant) arm predominantly, but also my legs. I may feel weak when I'm holding a book in front of me -- oh god I'm getting ALS I think -- but then I go and lift free weights and I have all my normal strength, and then some, probably because of the fear adrenaline. But get back into anxiety zone again and the perceived weakness comes back.

It's absolutely not ALS. That horrible thing is distinctive. It's relentless and progressive and you only get *real* weakness, like suddenly you can't move your hand at all. There are no ups and downs, only downs. And only 1 in 50,000 people get it. But something like one in three get physical symptoms of anxiety, which this probably is.

Nikolai

[atl]

Thank you both for your replies, it's really helpful to know that I am not going crazy over here, that I'm not the only one experiencing these things. And very good points about the perceived vs. clinical weakness.

Yeah I am afraid that if I go to my doctor a third time she'll want to do all these expensive tests on me the result of which will be normal and then I will be right where I started. So I've pretty much decided that until I have actual weakness, e.g., "doctor I cannot do this thing that I used to be able to do" going to the doctor probably won't do much good.

I guess the thing to do is to try and get my mind off it. I think I'm doing better on that front, but still a ways to go obviously. Or just go on about my day despite these sensations I am having.

I've been through this enough times with other conditions to know that my body is fully capable of producing sensations that feel real to me but in reality aren't anything clinical.

ATL