Als fears back

[Dominick 36]

I’ve been dealing with health anxiety on and off for at least 20 years so i do know I have a propensity to obsess, over analyze when it comes to symptoms.  I dealt specifically with als fears that started about three years ago when I noticed muscle fasciculations all over my body combined with perceived weakness in my arms.  I was able to overcome the fear after a trip to a neuro who did basic strength and reflex tests and said I was fine.  I’m three years into fascics and though they have slowed they are still there all over including ones that seems to occur right after movement of limbs.  My pincher grasp in both hands now feels weak.  I feel pain and muscle burn from over use when I’m doing fairly basic things like shaving, carving with a knife or even clipping nails.  I can still do these things but my hands appear to tire and need rest before I can resume.  I’m also having Terrible back pain that I think is either occurring because of rigid tight hamstrings or is causing them because I have hamstring tightness all the time. I recently have consipation like stools all the time though I’m going daily.  I can’t walk even a mile without debilitating back pain and pain in ankles and shins.  I have to rest before I can proceed. I’m back to panicking about als in such an extreme way.  It’s preventing me from living again and I don’t know what to do.

[Ironman 41]

For walking, you need good shoes with enough cushioning.  You may not be wearing the right shoes or may need inserts for cushioning.

If you are worried about your hands, try doing daily exercises with your hands.  Building endurance might help curb some of the fears.

If the neurospecialist said you are fine, then you would need to remember that something isn't just going to happen all of a sudden and you get it.  Stuff like ALS is progressive and not instantaneous.

[MARC 335]

Try to remember ALS is an extremely rare disease with only 5,000 new cases each year. Cancer and heart disease total over a million, so there is really no comparison. I remember once asking my doctor about a carcinoid tumor and he said I have a better chance of getting struck by lightning. 

[Dominick 36]

Im really having trouble this go around.  My jaw tires when I eat certain things, l like a salad or nuts where I get muscle burning like you feel with overuse in the jaw. I already described that I get the same thing with my hands when doing things like carving, shaving etc.  It certainly feels like muscle weakness to me though with rest and restart I can still perform the tasks.  Body wide pulsing and fasics combined with these other symptoms just seem like too much not to be ALS.

[Ironman 41]

There's more to ALS than that, though.  You're able to walk, you aren't drooling, you can swallow, you can raise your feet, etc.

Muscle weakness can be anything, including being tired!