24 and So Scared I Have ALS

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hi All,

I am 24 years old and male, I have been in good health all my life without anxiety until the last 3 months. It all started with a flu back in December that gave me brain fog that has persisted all this time. I was vigilant with my doctors, I went to Urgent Care, the emergency room twice, saw my PCP twice, a gastro twice, and even a Urologist twice. I got an MRI that came back normal. That's when it started. A close friend of mine made a silly comment and thought they were joking "oh well hopefully it's not ALS" within minutes I had googled it and knew every symptom that I could face. I had never considered it before that moment, but then, all of a sudden, my left arm felt heavier, my left hand did not seem right to me, it's cold, tingles sometimes, then I started noticing right calf twitches, then the next day it was right foot twitches. I saw a neurologist 2 days ago and he was confident I did not have ALS. I wanted an EMG to make absolutely sure, but he did not  see the point. I could walk on my heels, I could walk on my tip toes, I could swallow, I could talk, I can touch my fingers to my thumbs, I can lift my legs, and I can raise my arms over my head.Before the brain fog, I was in what I would call a very stressful time in my life with law school on the horizon, the LSAT, a difficult relationship, and working 50-70 hour weeks.

I am not irrational (well maybe), I look at that, and I am thinking "anxiety." I guess one of my questions is, let's say this weird feeling in my arm I am having, does that become clinical weakness? I should mention too that anxiety is completely new to me, I have never been an anxious person until now. I am just nervous that I'll be walking later today and my leg will give out and then I'll be really troubled.

Should also mention I worked out two days ago after having gone without running for like a week. I pushed myself to a 7:45 mile, then did bench press, lateral pulldowns, tricep extensions, and bicep exercises...so maybe that's why the twitching? 

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Posted

    Post viral syndrome?
    • Posted

      That has not really been mentioned by my doctors, they do once and while say "well it can take 6-8 weeks to get over the flu" but I am getting towards that time now and I've always been one to be healthier quicker...it is a bad flu season though

    • Posted

      When I had it took me months to get over it. Then it was called Yuppie Flu:-)

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