medical student fears for als

[ai2009]

hi. i hope to share my experiences with the group so that perhaps, you  could help me deal with my situation. I am 26 years old and is in my 3rd year of medical education in the philippines. my symptoms have been bothering me for almost 2 years now and while i was able to shrug off my worries from time to time, my symptoms continue to bother me everyday; it's affecting my ability to focus in my studies.

First, here's a brief history:

-spontaneous twitching that began 2 years ago on 1 leg, but has now spread to all my body parts (neck, face, arms, chest, arms)
-twitching that occurs with "hard coughing" and stretching (is this a form of clonus/hyperreflexia?)
-slight weakness on my left arm (im a right handed person), i.e. it seems that my left arm would fatigue more easily than the right when im holding a book to my face as im reading in my bed, or when im shampooing my hair
-my left arm and leg appear (and on actual measurements, mga 1  to 1 1/2 inch differencea) to be thinner than those in the left. Im not sure if this can be viewed as atrophy because, grossly, the difference is not that much but on the account of my other symptoms, i believe this to be significant
-jerking of the arms and legs that would occur as i begin to doze off to sleep
-funny sensation on the throat (as if it's constricting)

I have tried to approach my condition the most rational way i know. I have consulted ny neurologist-psychiatrist professors several times and underwent an ecg and an emg once 2 years ago. As these yielded normal results, they told me not to worry and instead prescribed me with clonazepam and fluoxetine which i took for 2 months. Then, i was convinced that may be this is all psychological or that was just stressed out and so i discontinued my medications (as they are just added expense, and they are not that cheap) and resolved instead to instead be optimistic and just ignore the twitches and to move on with life. However, the symptoms never really left.

As my knowledge in neurology/psychiatry increased, i grew more and more convinced that i have a serious illness. I have always been done well in school, worked hard to get decent grades but now, I'm starting to question the point in all this "labouring" when i may not get to be a doctor after all. You see, i am not from a very rich family, and my parents, being ordinary employees themselves, could barely afford my ceiling high tuition.They have high hopes for me and my siblings and it pains me so much that i may not have the chance to "give back"  to them, and provide them with the comfortable life that they deserve.
This april, im about enter clerkship in the university hospital but honestly, i dont see the point in continuing. I love studying medicine and cant wait to finally become a doctor (it's been my biggest dream) but im in a limbo,, not sure about what my next steps wopuld be.

i know that this certainly sounds like als but i want to learn about your opinion and personal experiences with this disease. thank you

aileen

[M752]

You are almost a doctor so you should try to understand that ALS is about weakness.  If you have been having these symptoms for 2 whole years and you do not have profound weakness, I seriously doubt you have ALS.  I think you shoudl not worry, be calm, move forward with yoru life.  I do think anxiety can cause crazy crazy crazy thing to your body.  I thought I had ALS or MS.  I was convinced because I had very real symptoms.  I treated my anxiety with anti-depressant and the symptoms went away.  You are also very young and statistically very unlikely to have ALS.  I do not think this is what you have from the research I have done.  Tests would show something.  IF you do have atrophy, there would be weakness.  Weakness is first, then potential atrophy and facisculations not the other way around.  I would like someone who actual has ALS to confirm, but I am pretty confident in my statements above.

Take care and let this worry go
M

[larrysdaughter]

Keep living life, dont give up!