PLEASE ANSWER THIS. I THINK I HAVE ALS!!!

Keep in mind I'm only 17.  About three months ago on spring break I started to feel very tired.  My legs were very sore, and my body was very fatigued.  After that my body started to tingle all over.  Everything began to go numb.  At the same time I experienced muscle twitching all over my body.  Now it seems to be more localized to the left side of my body.  This was about a month after this all started.  After this I began to fear als.  Now I'm afraid I have muscle wasting in my right hand.  I have a visible dent, but my chiropractor said that without a doubt my muscle is only inflamed and appears to be atrophied.  I don't really have any "objective" weakness that als is known for.  Although my left side does feel like it tires more quickly than my right and at times more weak.  I am not making that fact up.

Could this be ALS at such a young age?

What else could it be?

HELP ME, I'M REALLY SCARED!

[alsadvocate]

Go to a Neuro. Maybe fibromyalgia

http://www.fmnetnews.com/basics-symptoms.php


Your are so young. Please don't dwell on ALS. Go to your MD and they can point you in the right direction. My brother has ALS. You don't want it!


Lorie

[brit109]

Thanks for your support.  It means a lot.  I know statistically that als is very very very rare at my age, and it is most likely something that is very treatable.  I'm very sorry to hear that your brother has als.  I can only imagine what it is like to go through something like that.

Thanks,
Briton

[jotillotson]

Honey I thought I had it 100% my mother had it i was even thinking which nursing home I would go into or how to end my life before it got so bad.  I had the tests - negative for sure (they can tell you now straight away ) small electric shocks test the muscles. then I had an MRI also negative for everything Lorie could be right it could be Fyromyalgia, but doctors seem to be reluctant to diagnose this as they say it is a designer disease.
The point is you can not diagnose yourself and the more you worry the more you get the symptoms, Go to your doctor and ask for referrals to everything, Blood Tests -Neurosurgens etc.  And try not to get too upset in the mean time I know it is hard.  One doesn't think that someone your age can be stressed but of course you can - and my doctor told me that stress can do some very nasty things.
I wish you all the very best but you must stop worrying about things that may never happen. Best Wishes Jo Jo.

[brit109]

Thanks to all of you.  I'm not struggling with it as much.  I find as I trust in God more, my mind is put at ease.  The power of prayer is immense.

[jotillotson]

Brit go to the site on BFS and read the article writen by a doctor who thought he had ALS and all the symptoms and signs,  I think if this came up on google instead of ALS a lot of us would not be worried sick when we have the twitches and other symptoms it is called "Benign" for the reason that it is "not."   but mimicks the symptoms of ALS.
The one thing it said that I wished I had read in the beginning is that ALS is not present in a relaxed muscle.
good luck

[brit109]

Thank you, this really helped.  

[moe53]

"The one thing it said that I wished I had read in the beginning is that ALS is not present in a relaxed muscle".
what do u mean by saying that, and could you please tell me the website your talking about

thanks

[brit109]

Ok, now my neck feels very weak, the left side of my mouth is drooping on the left side, and my left leg feels very unstable.

Thanks,
Briton

[moe53]

I am 15 and I am scared of ALS too and i have been experiencing a little awkwardness when  i walk like my left isn't walking properly, and i checked on a website and it said that was a symptom. Also i am getting twitches in my thigh and they come and go. Do  u relate to any of this. I think you should go to the doctor just to rule everything out anxiety can trigger anything for example if you keep worrying about getting weaker,, then anxiety will cause u to get weaker. There is perceived weakness ( caused by anxiety and other things) and clinical weakness( caused by muscle problems), if you go to a weight room and you lift normally get out of bed u then MIGHT experiencing clinical weakness,  This is just from what i have been reading. Anyways i wish u goodluck and i hope u can maybe help me thanks.
mohit