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Thread: ALS fear - struggling

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
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    115

    ALS fear - struggling

    Hi guys

    I'm new here, although have suffered quite badly with health anxiety for nearly 4 years. I've diagnosed myself with all sorts but the newest thing is ALS or MND.

    A few weeks ago I noticed tingling in my hands and initially thought it was because of the colder weather. However since then I've experienced a sort of pain in my fingers and palm. Twitches all over, a heavy feeling in my forearm and almost like it's internally vibrating if I hold something.

    I've also had very minor cramps in my right hand and forearm and what I believe looks like muscle atrophy in my right hand when compared to my left.

    I'd be so grateful if anyone could help calm me down, I can't shake the feeling that this time I really have a terrible, terminal disease.

    Kind regards

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    24,667

    Re: ALS fear - struggling

    Please read THIS...

    Positive thoughts
    __________________
    "Eat. Drink. Enjoy the work you do. Be thankful for the blessings God gives you in this life. Live, love and seek out the things that bring your heart joy. The rest is meaningless... Like chasing the wind." King Solomon

    The best help is the help you give yourself! http://cbt4panic.org/

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
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    115

    Re: ALS fear - struggling

    Hi Fishman

    Thank you loads for your reply. I've seen you're a very reassuring presence on this forum.

    I did see that post actually. However, I've still managed to convince myself I've got ALS. I just hate how much control this is having.

    Has anybody else with this fear experienced heaviness in their forearm? Is there anyway strength can be tested at home that would point away from ALS?

    Sorry about this. I've lost a lot of sleep freaking out about the possibility I only have a couple of years left, erghhh.

    Thanks again

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    24,667

    Re: ALS fear - struggling

    Again... perhaps you need to read this part over and over... Everything you speak of is about feeling....

    Clinical Weakness—ALS is about failing, not feeling.

    ALS is about failure—falling down, being unable to stand on your toes, being unable to button your shirt, being unable to lift your hand, etc. It is not about these things becoming more difficult. It is about these things being impossible… no matter how hard you try. If you can do normal things, but it is more difficult, you do not have ALS. If you used to be able to do 100 curls and now one arm can only do 50; that is not ALS. If you used to run 2 miles and now you can only run 1; that is not ALS. If you used to run 2 miles and now you can’t lift up one of your feet, you may have clinical weakness.
    It really does happen that something stops working all of a sudden. It is generally one muscle so it will not be a whole limb but the movement done by that muscle is suddenly gone. An example is a calf raise. It won't happen. Think of it like your wifi signal. You are surfing the net, then signal is lost and you can't do anything online no matter how hard you try or how long you wait for a page to load. This is what happens to a muscle in beginning ALS it has lost the signal from the nervous system that tells it to work

    Positive thoughts
    __________________
    "Eat. Drink. Enjoy the work you do. Be thankful for the blessings God gives you in this life. Live, love and seek out the things that bring your heart joy. The rest is meaningless... Like chasing the wind." King Solomon

    The best help is the help you give yourself! http://cbt4panic.org/

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
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    115

    Re: ALS fear - struggling

    Thanks again Fishman.

    I try and hold onto this piece of information as reassurance that I may not have ALS. However, I have read of stories where people have only experienced cramps or gradual weakness which has me concerned.

    Sorry, I don't mean to sound negative, I'm just hating how much this is affecting me right now. I wish I could escape this hell hole.

  6. #6
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    Aug 2013
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    24,667

    Re: ALS fear - struggling

    You don't have ALS but I do hope you feel better soon.

    FMP
    __________________
    "Eat. Drink. Enjoy the work you do. Be thankful for the blessings God gives you in this life. Live, love and seek out the things that bring your heart joy. The rest is meaningless... Like chasing the wind." King Solomon

    The best help is the help you give yourself! http://cbt4panic.org/

  7. #7
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    Mar 2016
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    Re: ALS fear - struggling

    Quote Originally Posted by Worried_91 View Post
    Thanks again Fishman.

    I try and hold onto this piece of information as reassurance that I may not have ALS. However, I have read of stories where people have only experienced cramps or gradual weakness which has me concerned.
    Your HA mind will not hold onto what Fish has told you. You will have forgotten that altogether in a few days (or even hours)

    There will always be stories like this, some first hand, some second or third hand but you don't know if they are true and even if they are - you don't have all the facts.

    I wish I could escape this hell hole.
    You can escape, but you need to first understand that it's you who is keeping you in this hell hole.
    __________________
    A thought is harmless unless we believe it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
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    Re: ALS fear - struggling

    This is very true, thank you Nora.

    Just wondering, I've been having odd sensations in my left arm. If it were als how long would it take to go from one arm to another?

  9. #9
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    Re: ALS fear - struggling

    You don't have ALS so you don't need to wonder about these things.

    Are you getting any help for the HA?
    __________________
    Nicola

    “Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live.” - Natalie Babbitt

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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
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    115

    Re: ALS fear - struggling

    I'm experience what feels like nerve pain in my left arm, it's so frustrating!

    I am taking citalopram 20mg. I was seeing a therapist but my HA had calmed a lot buy now its in high gear

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