Hello,Let me introduce myself, i'm Alex a 38 old male from the Netherlands. My personal situation is that my wife has MS and we have 2 girls (4 year and 1.5 year), the youngest is still not sleeping well. I will mention that also suffer from hypochondria and had it good under control the last 5 years.Then came the moment in late august / early september that my right foot began to feel strange, i went to the doctor and he sent me to the neurologic. He examined me and orderd a MRI-scan, he want to see if i had also MS. The scan was clear and that was that, he told me nothing was wrong and i could go but my symptoms got a little worse (i feel a lot of tingling in my arms and legs). I also noticed some muscle weakness (arms and legs) but i can still do almost anything i want so it's more a feeling. A month ago the curtain has fallen for me, several symptoms together has triggerd me to think i had almost an AAA (backpain,stomachpain, cramp in my gastrocnemius muscle and a cold nose). After a visit with my doctor again, he want to reassure me and send me for an echo, which turned out to be normal (of course).But in the mean while i get more twiches in my legs + muscle pain and cramps, at this time I consulted Dr Google and freaked out finding information like ALS. After this I lost complete logical sense, then I found this site which gives my mind some rest. But recently I get another symptom which triggerd me again, my tongue is acting funny and i have diffulculty with swallowing (need some water to make it a little easier). The tip of the tongue feels odd and my mouth and tongue are dry and irritated (my wife says my breath smels like sh*t), this results in a different pronaunce as i can hear for myself (someone else doesn't hear any difference). When i look at my tongue is see a lot of twiches and of course i freaked out again about having ALS.I don't know what to believe anymore, i see a lot of the same symptoms in BFS which i have but the doctor or neurologic have not spoken about BFS. I noticed that when i start to freak out the twiches get worse, start all over my body from my left eardrum to my legs and also have quite some buzzing sensation accompanied with strange faque feelings and tinglings in hands and feets. Does ALS react the same way like BFS on stress?I've consulted the doctor again yesterday and thursday i can see a psychologist to handle my fear, and for 10 December i have an appointment with the neurologic again for a next checkup.Alex
Introducing Alex from Netherlands
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Hi Alex,as for me you represent one of the typical kinds of this community member, namely a) with previous history of health anxiety, b) with the realtive having MND, c) parent of 2 little kids one of which is usually a toddler or small baby (deprived sleep is obvious).please do not worry about your condition becasue of the fact your doctor did not mention BFS. My own neur did not know that condition and wrote 'benign myoclonia' as my diagnosis so I am pleased to have whatever starting with 'benign'.Cramps, buzzing, tingling, sensory issues, with unilateral preference - it is typical BFS picture. Tongue twitches are so frequently reported that they may not be considered something new or scary.Yes of course ALS people can have and mostly have severe stress reactions but unlike them we do not have major ALS symptomes like clinical weakness and deteriorated reflexes.hope this would help a bit 
regardsYulia
regardsYuliaThank you Yulia for the kind words.Yesterday something strange happend, after cramp has gone at the backside of my upper right leg the right feet feels normal again. I don't understand it myself but i think this isn't possible with ALS...The human body is a strange thing...Last night i used diazepam for sleeping better, what a relief a good night sleep 
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)Hello again,Almost 3 months further and time for an update, the odd feeling in my right leg is mostly gone but my left leg is taken it over. In the month december i've used Alprazolam to relieve the health anxiety and started with Lexapro for the long term, my twitches has reduced to a few a day (mostly random in my leggs). My left feet is now not the best part of my body, tingling / buzzing (cellphone like) and numbness feeling come and go. I've also noticed that both hands have some cramp but this not always there. The neurologic examined my condition again and send me for an EMG, my EMG wasn't great because my nerve conduction was slow. They now talking about polyneuropaty due to demye-linating of the nerve, this explanes my odd feeling in my leggs but is this the first sign of ALS. So far as i know sensible problems are not a sympton of ALS but i'm still worried about it. Next week i have a next appointment with the neurologic to review my bloodresults for possible causes for the polyneuropathy (fingers crossed).@Yulia, i've been using H-pump inhibitors sinds my early 20's (first Omeprazole, then Pantoprazole and now Esomeprazole).
Hi, I'm new to this board. I'm 21 male from the UK. It all started about 5 months ago when I was told I had a sinus infection, by 4 different doctor, I had severe brain fog and just dizzy and not feeling my self. A month went by I was a bit better but not 100%, I got given three weeks of antibiotics still no difference. A few weeks went by and twitching started behind my left knee and suddenly I got twitches all over, back, bum, calfs , feet . I looked online and though t *beep*. I went back to the docs who did a reflex check and said that's fine. The twitching has been going on for 3 or so months and I'm worried sick, the doc said it was anxiety and gave me venafaxine but the twitchin is still here, all over but more so in the legs and feet. It stops when moving and I sometimes get buzzing and a slight tingle. Almost feels like something under my skin but more recently aching calfs that come and go. I worry so much and I even watch my self walk encase I trip or stumble. Can anyone give some reassurance? Thank you , p.s blood test came back normal.
Hi Charlie,When you read BFS in a nutshell (), you know that fear it's self is causing you to twitch all over. De positive thing is that what you fear (ALS) isn't randomly but begins at one point in your body and moves on from that part. You mentioned brain fog / dizzy but that isn't a symptom of ALS, you said your bloodtest came out good but did they test youre B12? Because severe sinitus / brain fog / dizzy / not feeling youre self / twitches / musclepain / cramps / trip and stumble etc. are also symptoms of B12 deficiency. I didn't mentioned it in my above post but my B12 level was 195 in december, this is above the minimum level of 150 but low enough to have severe B12 deficiency symptoms. So i started to use B12 supplements (5000mcg methylcobalamine melt tablets) and magnesium citrate 200mg with positive results.But the key word is try to relax, easier said than done, but the fear it self is the fuel to start all your twitches...
Now 6 months further and time for another update, de bloodwork was good (only a lower ACE which was less then 10) so nothing to worry about that.The months passed quickly and my condition is getting better, in my left foot a few toes still are little numbness and my right knee is not feeling great but overal it's ok. In my search for answers i found a possible explaination in the fact that i have a lot off dental amalgams, i went to my dentist and told him of my concern about these amalgams. In the month june i had 3 appointments with the dentist tor replace the 13 amalgams for something less harmfull, he did this with the necessary precaution (a rubberdam + cleanup suction ).The fear of ALS is still present but much less than last year when i had a little nervous brakedown...
Your swallowing issues are most likely caused by the dryness of your mouth and so is the difference in pronounciation. In order to produce the sounds correctly, the lips needs to lubricated. Try to whistle with your lips dry I dont think there is anything alarming in your case, it sounds like many of us here.Docen
I dont think there is anything alarming in your case, it sounds like many of us here.DocenHi Docen,You're probably right, the only sad thing is that i was doing really fine until last week... The combination of tongue issues (during the night i press my tongue hard against the roof of my mouth and do severe gnashing) and a odd feeling in 2 toes in my left foot (numbness) + a buzzing feeling underneath my left foot is triggering me to think the worst... 
I even had some random twitching in my limbs.The fact that the dutch ALS-foundation is having a huge campaign to collect money for research, the whole town is hanging full with posters, isn't helping either.I try too convince myself that is it nothing bad, but it is not easy. The good thing is that my condition isn't getting worse (and even is getting better) since last year and if i should have ALS the situation probably was getting worse without a doubt.Alex
I even had some random twitching in my limbs.The fact that the dutch ALS-foundation is having a huge campaign to collect money for research, the whole town is hanging full with posters, isn't helping either.I try too convince myself that is it nothing bad, but it is not easy. The good thing is that my condition isn't getting worse (and even is getting better) since last year and if i should have ALS the situation probably was getting worse without a doubt.AlexHello, again....It stays difficult to not think the worst, my left feet symptoms are the same and my right knee and upperlegg are now not feeling great too. My knee feels like is wants to click (sometimes your knee or ankle needs to make a click sound by rotating it so the odd feeling goes away) and the upperlegg is stiff, this combination allows me to think that i'm not able to walk good and don't have enough strength. But i still can walk / walk stairs with a child in my arms / cycle to work with normal speed. So what must i think of this? Probably nothing but it is not easy...It is another weak period for me, maybe the change of weather triggerd it.Alex
Hello again,And again a new period of weakness, i have managed to accept a part of the twitches but the last month my left hand began to feel bad. A few months ago when i was riding my bike a get a lot of pain below my pink when i was using the clutch, from there the left fingers started to tingle a little bit but the past few weeks my hand is stiff and tingles a lot + there is a nice twitch near my ellebow (it looks that my little muscle shows a heartbeat) and my biceps feels strange and have pain. At the and of the day my whole arm is feeling bad. So you'lle can guess the fear for ALS is back again.I was reading on a dutch forum that ALS can start with tingling / numbness / twitching but i don't know if this is true, if i read BFS in a nutshell it always comes with real weakness and that isn't the case with me. I can still lift my children and more of those things but still the fear for ALS is high. After a good noight sleep the symptons are almost gone (just feel a bit stiff) but when the day progresses the symptons are getting worse. Whaaa why can't i get rid off this fear!!!
Because this fear is a symptom of disorder itself - a mood disorder.which of course should be treated if you wish to get rid of it.mood disorders may get in a kind of remission by thermselves with a time, but the rate of recovery is so slow and the danger to get a relapse for virtually any disturbing stumulus is so high and it is so debilitating to live in the mood disorder... that my advice is always to seek psychological and/or pharmacological help. I was trying both ways in y life - patient waiting for self-remedy and intense therapy, and must say meds and self-consciouness work faster and better 
))
))Hi Yulia,Thank you for your kind advise and fast response, I have taken the route you descripe. I went to a psycholigic health centre to get hold on my "bad" thoughts, and i followed a mind fullness training to accept my physical shortcomings. The most terrifying stays that i can see a twitch near the inside of my ellebow and not feel it really twitch + the strange feeling in my left arm, that triggers me to think the worst and i can't help it...I have taken for 1,5 years escitolapram with combinatian of psycholigic treatment with for my feeling no result...
OK good result is that in 1,5 year you are still physically fit, despite on trembling, twitching etc. As we all can see, ALS does not wait 1.5 years to make its destructive job. I had seen some documentary recently on the sports tv and I was again stunned by the fact how fast ALS turns strong man into a wheelchair patient (practically in a year or so).So good news are you do not fit clinical picture.If mindfulness training does not help you to be free of fears, it just means you may try any other method.GAD and obsesive diseases are with us once and forever. it is like diabetes. So not only you should expect 'not having fears any more' (this is unrealistic) but also be alert and every time you find yourself in fears again, consider what was changed. it is like diabetic who makes his daily blood test and finds high sugar - he or she must ask herself or himself - what had happened? too much of apples? too much of pasta? a piece of bread? no workout today? missed insulin shot or urea pill? expired drugs in my pen? a flu? - and take proper measures.We are absolutely the same, just the answers are partly different. Bad sleep. Infection. Too much of beer few days ago. New assignment on the job. A task we have to do but are reluctant to perform. Etc. etc. Everything which causes tension or inconvenience may result in twitches and in fear of twtches. Look. Search. Think. Do not forget it is a chronic condition. take fear as a symptom, not as a fear itself.Wish you a good resolution of coursehugsYulia
I've been twitching for 1.5 years too and I understand how the fear can get a hold of you. Gracely I just want to say you really are an angel on these forums, always answering people going through a tough time. I try not to visit to often but every time I do your giving out great advice. Thx a lot for what you do.
Hi Yulia,Thanks for your kind response, you are absolutely right. My condition is slighty worse than 1,5 years ago, so i don't fit the clinical picture of ALS. The one thing that bothers me is that you read a lot about how hard it is to diagnose ALS and that it kan take up to 2 à 3 years, i don't know that this is actually truth?When i read your message it calmed me down a little bit and started to realise that i have much pressure on my shoulders mentally and the past few weeks also physically (remove a tree of your back garden isn't easy). I read the next message of Dual_CoRed, and started to get wet eyes... You`re indeed a little angel...
not so little my friend, not so little as I wish well over 80 kilos ))well usually 2 to 3 years are in case when there is not clear clinical picture I think. I mean, there should be something bad with the person in order to keep in in the doctors floow-up, something initially sinister enough. But our fellows, all three who got this awful diagnosis, were not only diagnosed within one year after starting complaining for something wrong, but essentially got either evident losses or enough fine symptomes to become clear ALS patients despite they were not pralysed yet.It is always suspicious when doctros say someting like well, maybe yes or maybe not, you have half of the picture let's see if you add something in next 6 month... but if you have consistently normal neuro exam and no EMG troubles, then there is no reason to think you may be that long term undiagnosed victim.surely tree removal could give you a hell of pain for few weeks. hugsYulia
well over 80 kilos ))well usually 2 to 3 years are in case when there is not clear clinical picture I think. I mean, there should be something bad with the person in order to keep in in the doctors floow-up, something initially sinister enough. But our fellows, all three who got this awful diagnosis, were not only diagnosed within one year after starting complaining for something wrong, but essentially got either evident losses or enough fine symptomes to become clear ALS patients despite they were not pralysed yet.It is always suspicious when doctros say someting like well, maybe yes or maybe not, you have half of the picture let's see if you add something in next 6 month... but if you have consistently normal neuro exam and no EMG troubles, then there is no reason to think you may be that long term undiagnosed victim.surely tree removal could give you a hell of pain for few weeks. hugsYuliaHello Yulia,Despite youre physical weight, you'lle still be a little angel ) I've been reading more on this forum and the topic "The "FALSE" association between ALS and "twitching" gave me also the confirmation for my miss interpretation about twitching. The only sad thing to worrie about is that my EMG of january 2014 wasn't entire good, it showes that my nerve conduction is slower than usual. They couldn't explain this and called it maybe Poly-Neuropathy because they where not sure about the reason for this. So that is why I still having doubts about my condition. The neurologist was sure it wasn't ALS so i think it's time to believe him in stead of doubt him...
) I've been reading more on this forum and the topic "The "FALSE" association between ALS and "twitching" gave me also the confirmation for my miss interpretation about twitching. The only sad thing to worrie about is that my EMG of january 2014 wasn't entire good, it showes that my nerve conduction is slower than usual. They couldn't explain this and called it maybe Poly-Neuropathy because they where not sure about the reason for this. So that is why I still having doubts about my condition. The neurologist was sure it wasn't ALS so i think it's time to believe him in stead of doubt him...