New member with some questions
 

Well I am a 23 year old male and I have been having real bad muscle spasms, cramps in my legs sometimes arms. The spasms feel like they are fluttering; like when you hold a ballon at the end and let air out a little at a time. I also notice when I am writing my forearm and hand get tired and cramp up at times and my hand will shake. There are also stinging type cramps in my jaw and neck some days. My ankles and places where there seems to be a lot of muscles/tendons feel and sound like they are popping/tearing when I move; like if I rotate my ankles and wrist in a circular motion or when I flex I hear a grinding/crackling noise and feel it
I am also real tired a lot lately, especially when I walk;my thighs, calves and knees feel as if I just walked 5 miles, sometimes its painful not sharp pain but a dull pain; like a 5 out of 10.
I have also realized that my muscles seem to be shrinking; but my strength as far as I can tell has not been affected that much. I have lost about 22 pounds; without changing diet and cant tell if its fat loss or muscle.
I go in for an EEG Feb. 9. Would this exam show abnormal nerve activity?
I had a blood test done a few weeks ago and got the results the tests are
Vitamin b12 306
folate 15.6
TSH 1.29
Renin 0.6
serum aldosterone 4.9
I think they were checking for some sign of Peripheral Neuroapthy...
Does ALS have any effect on blood tests?
What are the muscle symptoms of ALS? Can it effect all the limbs within 3months? All this started in my legs around that time and in both legs at the same time, not just one then the other.....any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

http://static.flickr.com/53/149792784_03b8717fa8_o.gif

you need to goto an ALS clinic and let them check you to.
it takes time to get a dx.

Would I need a referal or could I just go there and ask?

here is the link to the als association look there To locate all the affiliates in your area, search first by state then by zip code. get the email and ask them.
http://www.alsa.org/

sorry i cant help you more. after a neuro dx me i went to 2 different clinics for a 2 and 3rd dx. lots of test and emg's.

but most of all go have fun now.

Thanks Bobby
:)

als is very rare for your age.
 

Magnus, before you start thinking AlS, for the time being you should wait on tests results. There are many things that could be causing your problems. Have you had a tick bite or a pervious injury. Als is very rare for your age so I would suggest that you wait and let the doctors take more tests before you think AlS. Good luck and God Bless.

I havent had a tick bite nor injury...still worried
ATM they are testing to see if I am having seizures. The muscle cramp and spasms are painful and irritating
Is ALS really that rare in younger adults? I have heard of people dying from it even younger than me...

out of 838 pals at plm there are 19 under the age of 30.

Magnus, ALS is pretty rare for someone your age. From what I could count there were only four cases in the ALs/Mnd registry that were near your age. It is hard not to be worried when something goes wrong with your body and symptoms can actually become worse with anxiety. Thinking about ALS would worry anyone and that is why I am suggesting that you wait for all of your test results to come in.

The only test I am getting is an EEG which is to see if my reasons for changes in consciouness at times. My insurance is not that good and I fear my doctor does not want to give me tests to see what the problem is.

I did not see the part about your changes in consciouness. Does it happen often?

A few times I have just spaced out and blacked out once. They have done an ultra souind on my heart which was negative for abnormalities and I am wearing a heartrack for 4 weeks to see if I have arythmias. But nothing so far as testing my nerves or muscles...
I had to actually set up with an other doctor to get the EEG scheduled for Tomorrow morning, she is the one who wants to test for seizures my PCP is to worried about it being my heart

It sounds like you are on the right track. When you talk to your doctor tomorrow tell her your concerns. Best of luck

Thanks Okla

yes good luck hope they find something they can fix.

My feeling is that you are unlikely to have A.L.S. because your symptoms do not match the syndrome. It does sound like there is something wrong - an important A.L.S. test is an EMG, which is similar to an EEG: both measure neurological activity - the EMG measures this activity at the neuro-muscular junction, whereas the EEG tries to measure the activity in the brain itself. I am not a medical expert and have no idea what your symptoms could add up to; I know something about A.L.S. and your age and symptoms strongly imply that A.L.S. is extremely unlikely - its not very likely in most cases in any event: out of 300 million people there are about 5,000 'diagnoses' each year - usually of people who are a lot closer to fifty or sixty years old. A.L.S. is not so much a diagnosis as it is the result of the elimination of all other known_ possibilities and verification that the symptoms are the same. I hope you find out what is wrong and obtain effective treatment.

that's an unusual way to leave a message^. . . . . hmmmmm, now the message is gone, is that normal?

magnus: my understanding is that usually the early symptoms are discovery of diminished fine motor control, feet not raising or decreased speaking ability. The conditions usually persist and then gradually worsen. You mentioned sensory perception issues in some of your posts and that is usually an indication that something else is wrong. I wouldn't know what . . . some of your symptoms do occur in A. L. S. though - I understand that cramping and twitching can also be a sign of an insufficiency in potassium or an unusual amount of stress.

I was just curious to know what the symptoms were for ALS.
I thought muscle twitching and cramping were common in the disease.
My muscles in my legs seem to be wasting and fatigue really easy; like just walking a few mintues. I also started getting bad cramps in my right foot; right in the middle where the arch is.
The results of my EEG should be in some time this week or next. Should I ask the doctor to order one of those EMGs?
Latley I am jsut so very tired and the spasms do not stop

Happy Valentines Day all
:hug:

General health conditions and rare disorders
 

Magnus, How long have you had this condition? What did your doctor say about your concerns about ALS?
Do a forum jump and go to General Health conditions and rare disorders. You might get more responses. You can find the menue at the bottom of the page when you log in. Take care.

The muscle spasms, cramps and fatigue started about 3 months ago with a lot of weight loss
I havent been to the doctor yet. Have a Follow up on Monday to find out the results on my EEG. Im going to tell her how the spasms and cramps are getting worse and push to have an EMG done hopefully as I am on HMO...