muscle twitches: HELPPP

[lilire]

Im currently in an ALS fear.
It all started two and a half months ago with body wide pins and needles and I dont know why I started to think I had ALS.
Then, the twitches, that are body wide too and tend to be a big POP!
Im terrified I have that awful disease, but I know given my age is highly unlikely (19yo, female)
I just want my life back. This is consuming me.
I went to a neurologist that told me my reflexes were normal and brushed the twitches off due to stress. But I am twitching since january!
I twitch in my arms, legs, eyes and even in my head.
Also I think I have percevied weakness in one leg and one arm

[ServerError]

Neurologists don't miss ALS.

Your symptoms are not remotely indicative of ALS. ALS is about weakness, not twitching or pins and needles. And when I say weakness, I don't mean "perceived weakness", which again, is not indicative of ALS. I mean the absolutely failure of a body part.

I've been experiencing full body twitches for over a year now. Sometimes I get the craziest spasms. It's caused by stress and anxiety. You're 19 years old. I suggest you try to get some therapy for your anxiety because this is no way for a young person to have to live.

[MrFreakout]

Hi I had this same thing for months and of course was terrified of it being ALS.. I even started to feel weakness after I discovered that was a symptom. Muscles twitched on their own everywhere and I was convinced I had something terrible doctors were missing. In the end it turned out I had a magnesium deficiency (even though blood tests did not indicate this!) and I started taking 1000mg of magnesium daily. In three days all the twitches stopped and three years later anytime I forget my magnesium they start up again so I know it was that. Worth a try anyway it can't hurt! Just don't take more than 1500mg a day absolute max or your bowels will let you know about it

[Ben1989]

It's unheard of of ALS attacking all of the body at once, which is what you're implying with your twitches. ALS sufferers actually wish that google would get rid of twitches being a 'symptom' of ALS as it is not. All sufferers stories which I've read say twitching comes after the weakness and being diagnosed. Twitching is more of an outcome of ALS, not a symptom. Some sufferers don't get even get twitches.

I also have perceived weakness, have since January. I ended up having an EMG because the weakness (perceived) was that strong. I had a clean EMG. I still have perceived weakness in my arm and leg to this day. A bit of me still thinks I have ALS but I have to tell myself I'm being ridiculous as it is an extremely rare disease

You do not have ALS

[lilire]

Thanks for your answers.
I just cant take it anymore! I am always thinking of it, I just want my normal life back.
Im just terrified to go back to the neurologist and get an emg, because Im scared of the result.
How do you deal with it?

[Ben1989]

The rule of thumb is, people who think they have ALS don't (with perceived weakness etc).

Get yourself to the neuro, so you know for sure (you'll find that you're fine).

Twitching in your arms, legs, eyes and even in my head would indicate all these areas have 'weakness' which is so unlikely it's not even worth concentrating on.

I twitch, ask how many people twitch on this forum.

Go to a neuro to check your arm and leg, you'll be fine. An EMG is pretty much the 'holy grail' of measurement for ALS

[ServerError]

As I said in my first post, you deal with it by getting some help with your anxiety if you're not already doing so. Then you put in some work and start challenging your irrational thoughts.

You're crippled by the fear of ALS, not ALS itself. I had a brief flirtation with ALS fear myself last year. My therapist helped me see that what I was really scared of was the fact nobody could tell me I was 100% certain to never get it. He was right. It's the lack of certainty that gets us, and ALS is a particularly terrifying prospect. But you have to start bringing some rationality to it - the vast majority of people never get it. I don't even know anyone who has it or passed from it. It's rare - especially in the young. Twitching, however, is common to all humans, as are feelings of weakness from time to time. They don't mean anything.

Also, I disagree you should see a neurologist. You've already seen one and received a diagnosis. Any further reassurance-seeking seems unlikely to help. You need to start dealing with the problem you do have, which is anxiety.