Gotta Love The Internet (ALS)

[jbar871]

About four weeks ago i started getting this little twitch in my thumb which I ignored. Later I suddenly became ill. At first I thought it was because I may have overdosed on allergy medication (two 24hr-claritin and a benadryll----not on purpose)

So the day after that I had to leave early from work with a headache and some weird sensations in the top of my head. Sometimes I would feel sick after exercise and my tolerance was much lower. I figured "ok I really pay attention to my meds". But weeks after I suddenly was fatigued and tired quickly and could not work up until now. I saw a doc because I also had found a tick on me and asked to check for lyme (he told me it would be too soon to check and I had no visible rash). SO after a couple of weeks of fatigue I saw another doc and I got blood drawn.

Although my fatigue went away while I've been waiting for my blood results I've been surfing the net....which was a huge mistake. It was first triggered by watching an episode of Scrubs that had a young woman with ALS. Being the big yankee fan I am I had to check what are the symptoms of Lou Gehrig's disease. Oh joy, I had symptoms matching ALS. My greatest fear could now be a reality! (full body paralysis yay)

So ever since I read stuff about ALS my anxiety has been off the wall...so much so that I had to get drunk to fall asleep. I can honestly say that was my first time ever being drunk. I understand it's extremely unlikely that a 18 year old would have ALS. I understand that my anxiety could cause me to notice anything going on with my body. And I know my symptoms look more like something else but no matter how much I want to believe its something else I keep fixating on ALS. No matter how good I begin to feel I can't listen to reason.

Symptoms
-Weak knees
-Fluctuating pulse/blood pressure (pulse normally is at 56 and BP is around 119/56---recently 75 pulse 137/61 BP)
-Twitching (mostly left hand and foot)
-Heavier Breathing
-Right Hand stiffness
-Dull Ache in thigh
-Becoming tired quicker
-Note- I've stopped all allergy medication since becoming sick

My fatigue is gone and the sickness from exercise is gone. Any input that is greatly appreciated, I feel like I'm losing my mind and a self inflicted death sentence. I've lost tons of sleep just because I'm so stressed. If I had to go to school it would look like I've been doing drugs everyday. It's been a week since I had the blood test done and I still have yet to see them.

By the way, I'm am NOT making light of this beast of a disease. I'm shocked there is no effective treatment and I'm amazed by people who have not given up. I've made a personal commitment to at least help donate when I get some money.

--Jess

[joycekatherine]

More than likely, you have just got yourself in a tiz, and catastrophic thoughts are taking over, and all of us have watched something on tv, about an illness, and just knew for sure we had it!!  That said, you should always listen to your body, many times your body will tell you when something is not quite right and sometimes it's something that can be easily brushed off as nothing.  Michael J Fox's first symptom of Parkinson's, was a twitch, can't remember where, and he was way too young to even dream what it turned out to be.  All of your symptoms could be stress and anxiety driven, but, I would most definitely speak to the doctor about what is going on...have you had a full blood panel done recently??  It would be a good idea...does any chronic illness run in your family??  Diabetes, etc.?  Do you suffer from any mental illness, like OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety??  Take all your fears to your doctor and let him/her help you figure this whole thing out, OK?  Please come back and let me know how you are doing and how your tests come out!  In the meantime, try to relax, you can make yourself sick from the stress! ;) joyce

[uk2]

i have to say when i take any cold medicine,decongestant or allery medicine i get heart pulpertations and headaches my body does not like these medicines was your blood pressure high while taking these medicines?  know you have stopped them now, are you under any exam pressure or collage course work stress can cause alot of these things you mention. how long have these symptoms been going on?

sam

[joycekatherine]

If allergy meds make your blood pressure go up and your heart palpitate, try Coricidin (SP), it is for people who have those problems.

[catzz]

Coricidin can also CAUSE palpitations!!  Advisable to check with your dr first if you tend to experience palpitations with cold/flu meds.  

To All:  I think members need to exercise caution if recommending OTC meds to eachother.

[uk2]

Thank you for the advise i've not heard of that i am uk based and aware that our medcines are slightly different, at the moment i dont need any decongestant and i tend to use a steroid spray when i do need it.

sam

[joycekatherine]

It was obvious that the member had already bought several OTC allergy meds, I take coricidin  myself, due to having PVC's and arythmias of the heart, coricidin was recommended to me by my cardiologist... :)