ALS Scare: My Saviour

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JohnnyRocket

Well-known member
I went thru the big ALS scare maybe 3 years ago due to muscle twitches. This board was my savior. At that time I also went to see a neuro who gave me blood tests, an EMG, and MRI of my head. Everything was clean. I still have the twitching pretty much all over my body just as I had before, in fact I don’t hardly notice it. Just 2 days ago I had a cramp in the arch of my right foot, and it is still quite active. It does not appear to be random as I seem to cause it when I exert my foot in certain ways. It doesn’t seem to cramp at rest but much of the time I feel a slight pain as if it is getting ready to cramp. Although, I have had an occasional cramp in my hand in the past, this is the first symptom of this kind for me. Looking back, I also have occasional numbness in the same foot. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
 
This happens to me quite frequently and also to others - see edado's post from ? last week. Matter of fact, at this moment, I have one in my left arch that starts at my heal; and this morning walking to work from the car I got two 'warnings' as I call them in my calves. Sometimes if I just stop what I'm doing, focus on relaxing the muscles in that area, it will go away. Maybe the muscles are just tired? It's nothing to freak about but I would try not to stress the area that is giving you that "slight pain" warning: make a deal - give it a break and maybe it'll give you a break and not spasm. ;)
 
I have to admit that I am getting mildly freaked out. That past 4 times I got up to walk around the office I needed to stop or break stride due to cramping in my right foot for a few to several seconds.This is definitely new to me.
 
And freaking out is not going to help it. Peripheral nerve hyperexcitability - the term the brits give it - is a bit more descriptive than BFS or CFS (as I was diagnosed). Pnhe says something about the common element and reminds us that it's not a disease that has a defined cause and effect. We were diagnosed by similar symptoms which means we may have different activators, catalysts, causes and our nervous systems may be affected in different ways depending on various stimuli (cold, hot, muscle activity, food intake, stress levels, infections, so on). We also may unknowingly irritate our disorder and cause a shift in symptoms which seems to occur quite frequently for people here at the forum. Mine vascillate a lot and every once in a while I get a new one - it's not uncommon and to be expected unless you are well medicated. If you choose to not control the symptoms with medications then you find ways to level it out for yourself as many do after a while. Think about it.
 
Well, I considered the fact that I didn't over extert my foot or strain it which is causing the cramps, but the only activity I've done really is riding a bike and hitting balls at the driving range. I'm past my old fears of ALS, but I seem to remember cramping being a symptom of MS (if my memory serves me) so that is what is on my mind atm. My foot doesn't seem to cramp unless I am using it when walking, standing, shifting weight, etc. When doing those activities it will react with a momentary cramp (few seconds) and it seems to occur to some extent virtually every time I get up and walk around.
 
I was checked out about 3 years ago with MRI and EMG and was clear, and only had a rare cramping in my hand during that time. Mainly, I was checked out because of muscle twictching all over my body, which I still have and that has been consistent. ONly in the past 3 days have I had this foot cramp (right foot). I have had foot problems and wear and orthodic arch support sometimes, but I've had that for about 4 years and have never had cramping. I'm sure there are many things that could be causing it I guess, but of course I only focus on the worse of the possible causes.
 
i have been dx'd with bfs and previously was dx'd with a neuroma in my foot-- i also wear orthotics-- doc is wondering if i have cfs and is doing bloodwork to see if i do-- ( this is the cramp syndrome that IS detectable with a blood test due to an antibody)-- anyway, i get these crampy feelings in my shin and then my foot will cramp-- toes move sometimes-- and sometimes just want to grab my foot due to pain-- has not happened for awhile but it does.... hmmm
 

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