Worrying Again
 

Hey All,

I am sorry to post again, but I am looking for some reassurance. I appreciate any help you can provide!

My symptoms have been going on for over 3 months now. I had a clean neuro exam and EMG that was performed November 9th. My neuro and GP say anxiety is playing a role in my muscle twitching and perceived weakness. My neuro dx'd me with Benign Fasiculations on Nov. 9th.

My worries are still about ALS. Should I be worrying, or can I trust the results of my EMG. With a clean needle exam, my neuro said to work on my anxiety (I am taking Lexapro now) and to forget about ALS. I had my legs, arms, back, stomach, chest and tongue tested during the exam.

All nerve roots showed no problems. Since my symptoms were present on November 9th, wouldn't the EMG have showed signs of ALS...if my symptoms were related.

Thanks,

Tony

Tony,

I have been a member of internet forums for 6 years.

I am a muscle twitcher, so I did a lot of reading and posting in the Neuromuscular forum where all the twitchers hung out. I can tell you that in 6 years I have seen literally hundreds of people with muscle twitches (fasiculations) who have posted about fears, expecially ALS fears.

But in 6 years and hundreds of people who twitch I have never seen a twitcher get diagnosed with ALS.

I have seen twitchers get diagnosed with anxiety, BFS, autoimmune problems, thyroid problems, lyme disease, other infections, mitochondrial diseases, endocrine/adrenal problems, etc... I have seen a wide array of people who twitch who go on to get diagnosed with a wide array of things - but NEVER did anyone get diagnosed with ALS.

I twitch. Everyday. At one point or another, every single muscle has twitched. I have had muscle twitches in places and I didn't even know there were muscles there until they twitched :eek:

I have ben twitching everyday for over 6 years. I don't have ALS. I have anxiety, fibromyalgia and undifferentiated connective tissue disease and a few other things that are minor (I will give you the whole list if you want)... I don't have ALS. I don't have any worries about ALS. My doctors do nto suspect ALS.

I twitch. It's annoying. When it first started 6+ years ago it was scary and creepy and weird. Now I barely notice when my muscles twitch everyday. I got used to it, like you get used to wearing a new pair of shoes - at some point the new shoes stop hurting your feet and at some point the muscle twitches stop causing fear and worry.

Try to relax. Try to trust your doctors. Try to ignore and forget the twitches. Try to live your life to the fullest everyday. Take baby steps if you have to - but at least give it a try.... trust me, it's worth it :)

Take care,
Liz

I agree with Liz. Anxiety is a real disorder. It can cause all of your symptoms. And what is worse is that it causes you to be even more upset with being ill. Try to trust your doctors and do your best to get your life back. :)

Tony,

I just gave myself a blast from the past by going to the aboutBFS.com forus and searching for my old posts.

I found one that I posted in 2002 about my twitches
http://nextination.com/aboutbfs/foru...=220&highlight=

At that time, I had been twitching mildly for a few years, but they had recently gotten much worse and made me really freak out for a while... anyway, read my old post, then search for my other posts on aboutBFS.com... for me, it is amazing to see how far I have come since then.

Back then, I was scared of the twitches, had no idea what the cause was, I had been diagnosed with bipolar because I was having mood swings because of the fear/panic and because of the waxing and waning of my symptoms causing mood swings (thankfully, the psych doc realized the bipolar diagnosis was an error, but it took a few years for that to get sorted out)... basically I was a mess - and it was my own fear that landed me in that mess, and the only way I got out of it was to put the fear aside, do my research, listen to and trust my doctors, and live my life to it's fullest each and every day.

I hope that helps,
Liz

I already diagnosed you with ALS! What more do you want???

Sorry Dave. I am just worring again.

My anxiety is slowly getting under control.

Sorry to bother...

Tony

sorry...
 

Sorry to all on the forum. I will do my best to leave the forum and quit bothering everyone. I do appreciate everyones efforts to calm my fears, and wish everyone well.

My anxiety is ruling my life...and it needs to stop. I don't have ALS, because my doctors say so...that is what I need to keep telling myself.

God Bless,

Tony

(((Tony))) In the spirit of this Christmas Season, may you find peace.

Tony,

At the risk of repeating myself. As you have seen yourself, all the reassurances in the world from us will help you not a whit with allaying your anxiety. You need to help yourself by seeking counseling not seeking the opinions of medical doctors, PALS or laymen.

Merry Yuletide

John