Was scared of ALS now MS

[4bready]

So you hurt your back in the gym and now you have some tingling in your leg. How do you jump from what is most likely a disc issue to ALS? Ohhh right...

Perhaps reading THIS will help.


Positive thoughts

I hear you...I know it sounds bananas...but I started with what I thought was face muscles getting weak a few weeks ago and thins got better, then arms. The tingling in quad muscles and slight numbness won't stop even thought I have no pain. Logic tells me yes I hurt ,my back. But my brain says "see its all in line with ALS". Sadly, my brain says the sticky about "why you don't have ALS" doesn't mention numbness/tingling so therefore it must mean I do have it...I know it sounds silly. Its embarrassing and it upsets me.

[Fishmanpa]

I hear you...I know it sounds bananas...but I started with what I thought was face muscles getting weak a few weeks ago and thins got better, then arms. The tingling in quad muscles and slight numbness won't stop even thought I have no pain. Logic tells me yes I hurt ,my back. But my brain says "see its all in line with ALS". Sadly, my brain says the sticky about "why you don't have ALS" doesn't mention numbness/tingling so therefore it must mean I do have it...I know it sounds silly. Its embarrassing and it upsets me.

Respectfully, it is bananas but your reply recognizes that. The sticky says ALS is about failure not feeling. You're describing feelings. The issue is getting the irrational thoughts to stop. Words on a screen won't do that. Getting real life help and accountability to do the hard work to heal is paramount. You work out. In order to achieve results you have to go to the gym regularly. Apply that same practice to your brain. You need exercises and regular mental workouts to change your thoughts. Seek out a professional to help set up regime that will help you tame the dragon.

Positive thoughts

[SQ]

This is SQ, want to reply to 4Bready, I understand what you are describing. I understand your concerns and to be concerned is normal.

I have things that I am experiencing right now that scare me to death, that is why I joined. I have had tests done also and so far things are normal? So what does that mean?

I read what Fishmanpa had to say, actually on several different peoples concerns, and he seems like a voice of reason. Seems like it rings true for me to hear what he says to others and apply those things to my own thoughts.

I myself have NEVER had any neurological, Depression or anxiety issues in my life... until I realized something is wrong with my body! I have been feeling that something has been wrong for a while now.... Guess what, I was right.

Finally I am starting to figure out what is wrong. I am understanding “I believe” the pain of depression and anxiety? I am no Doc. But I can tell you this. “My legs feel the same as you describe”. I have what I would describe as internal small waves of electrical current I feel inside. The doc prescribed me an anxiety med. I took it and when I took it, it erased those feelings of the electrical waves? Do I understand it? No I do not, but I’m learning that whatever has triggered these things, I need to talk myself through it.

Yes, I’m still concerned, but reading things from others on the forum like, Fishmanpa, it helps me understand more about what is happening. That is I’m struggling within, or what is going on in my life is manifesting itself by way of symptoms of what I feel. Again do I understand it? No I do not! But I do understand that more work for me is needed other than reading things about symptoms.

I to have kids, it’s a rough battle to get through, but we must. We must for our own families!

Consider this: “if our families lose us to a serious illness, can we change that”? No, we cannot. But consider what my sweet wife said to me”if we lose you because you give up on yourself or destroy your own life worrying about some kind of illness, than we lost you all the same”. Then we discussed this: I cannot have control over the first, but I can have control over the second sanerio.

Please understand I am struggling also, I’m only mentioning things and steps that are helping me climb out of the deep dark hole of despair.

I hope I have not overstepped any boundaries, as I’m trying to get better myself.

SQ

[4bready]

This is SQ, want to reply to 4Bready, I understand what you are describing. I understand your concerns and to be concerned is normal.

I have things that I am experiencing right now that scare me to death, that is why I joined. I have had tests done also and so far things are normal? So what does that mean?

I read what Fishmanpa had to say, actually on several different peoples concerns, and he seems like a voice of reason. Seems like it rings true for me to hear what he says to others and apply those things to my own thoughts.

I myself have NEVER had any neurological, Depression or anxiety issues in my life... until I realized something is wrong with my body! I have been feeling that something has been wrong for a while now.... Guess what, I was right.

Finally I am starting to figure out what is wrong. I am understanding “I believe” the pain of depression and anxiety? I am no Doc. But I can tell you this. “My legs feel the same as you describe”. I have what I would describe as internal small waves of electrical current I feel inside. The doc prescribed me an anxiety med. I took it and when I took it, it erased those feelings of the electrical waves? Do I understand it? No I do not, but I’m learning that whatever has triggered these things, I need to talk myself through it.

Yes, I’m still concerned, but reading things from others on the forum like, Fishmanpa, it helps me understand more about what is happening. That is I’m struggling within, or what is going on in my life is manifesting itself by way of symptoms of what I feel. Again do I understand it? No I do not! But I do understand that more work for me is needed other than reading things about symptoms.

I to have kids, it’s a rough battle to get through, but we must. We must for our own families!

Consider this: “if our families lose us to a serious illness, can we change that”? No, we cannot. But consider what my sweet wife said to me”if we lose you because you give up on yourself or destroy your own life worrying about some kind of illness, than we lost you all the same”. Then we discussed this: I cannot have control over the first, but I can have control over the second sanerio.

Please understand I am struggling also, I’m only mentioning things and steps that are helping me climb out of the deep dark hole of despair.

I hope I have not overstepped any boundaries, as I’m trying to get better myself.

SQ

thanks for this...I just feel its a constant cycle. Finally felt better with face/arms feeling odd...and now for about three days I feel "off--balance at times throughout the day" its a weird feeling, its almost like I am going to fall to my right." My bring says there is no way its anxiety and that is must be MS or even a tumor...its exhausting. I hope I can get out of this loop :(

[SQ]

This is SQ. Yes it is exhausting, I read on some other forums where some people were missing out on the greatest times of their lives because they were worried about an illness. (That was me also).

I am still having a boat load of symptoms and things that I can’t figure out, but little by little, I’m working through it. It’s scary man, it really is. I understand it, I went on a trip with my kids, convinced I wouldn’t be around for another one and would have crying spells, pretending to be happy when I wanted to cry out loud! But keeping it from my kids was exhausting for me!! It was a mess for me!!

But I do understand, and you are not alone!! Hang in there for you and those kids and your partner!! They all need you!! Yes it’s not easy, but here is one thing to give you hope.

If it was ALS, the progression would manifest itself faster than just the symptoms you are describing. But then like me we say in our minds”well, maybe it’s MS because some of the symptoms come and go”?

Well my friend, that was my thoughts. But I’m working through all of it. As I have, my energy is starting to come back, and I’m not exhausted walking up a few stairs like I used to be? But a lot of it is anxiety.

Like when someone says,”hey, I HAVE LICE””. What happens? You immediately start itching and think you can feel them in your hair. It’s kind of like that! I read symptoms of my fears, and start to feel them! Then I freak out!! But I’m working through it, it’s just a long road when it was as bad as I had it (anxiety that is)!

So I understand, no judgment here, because I been there and am slowly working my way out.

Thank you to all those who speak reason, it truly helps.

[4bready]

Im adding to this thread I started. I apologize if not. SO I have the occasional ALS fear flare up. Long story short about two months ago I hurt back and had numbness in surface portion of left quad (upper part). Slowly feeling is coming back. My muscles have always been slightly smaller on left leg bc of two ACL surgeries. Ive been getting this feeling in small area of upper quad like a small spasm or maybe a twitch its kind of odd. its like a faint squeeze an release. It happens throughout day. IS that what people mean by twitching and fascilations (sp)? I could be wrong but I think I read that ALS almost never starts in proximal muscled it starts in distal muscles, feet/hands...Is this accurate? Thanks

[gillebro]

Im adding to this thread I started. I apologize if not. SO I have the occasional ALS fear flare up. Long story short about two months ago I hurt back and had numbness in surface portion of left quad (upper part). Slowly feeling is coming back. My muscles have always been slightly smaller on left leg bc of two ACL surgeries. Ive been getting this feeling in small area of upper quad like a small spasm or maybe a twitch its kind of odd. its like a faint squeeze an release. It happens throughout day. IS that what people mean by twitching and fascilations (sp)? I could be wrong but I think I read that ALS almost never starts in proximal muscled it starts in distal muscles, feet/hands...Is this accurate? Thanks

Heya,

That sort of twitching sensation isn't an initial symptom of ALS. Remember, ALS is about failing, not feeling. So the fact that you're feeling these sensations points away from it.

Your symptoms sound like part of the normal recovery process from your injury. Also, as an anxiety sufferer, twitching and numbness and all that sort of stuff is common. Your body is in a constant fight or fight response when you're anxious, and that causes all the blood and energy to direct itself to more "essential" places, like the legs and other muscles, where the fighting or flying can happen. That messing up of the normal equilibrium causes all sorts of weird and often terrifying sensations. I recommend you look up physical symptoms of anxiety sometime. The list is a mile long.

Don't feel bad if this isn't reassuring. I say all this, but I have ALS freak outs all the time. I'm in the middle of one at the moment (more a 'I could get it in the future' freak out, but the two are somewhat related). I find that often the best course of action is to be bombarded with reassuring information until some of it sticks.