Left Leg Weakness: My Story

[71126westy]

My story so far....I started feeling weak in my left leg in the quad, very subtle weakness in January last year. It came and went until around September when on holiday I felt it constantly. It didn't stop me doing things and I could still run and stuff.
The feeling remained and felt a bit worse around December 2006. It felt tired when I played football and stuff. Then suddenly my right leg started feeling weak, but at the same time I didn't notice the weakness in my left leg anymore, unless I was running hard.
Sometimes I can run fine, like if I'm running for a bus, and the other day at my parents house for dinner, possibly because I was thinking of other things, I was running up and down stairs two steps at a time.
I went to the doctor about my leg a few months ago and she found no clinical weakness and said that any fears I had over ALS were unfounded as I'd have twitching as well, and it would look like a bag of worms under the skin. The funny thing is within days of her saying this I started twitching in my right calf. This comes and goes but is there most of the time in the daytime. My right calf twitches all the time, the left a little bit.
The thing is though that there is no real weakness, I can still sprint, stand on toes etc. Also the twitching isn't there when I first wake up.

Anyway, my main question is with my thighs. Is it true that ALS progresses from limb-to-limb and so if it started in my thigh the weakness would not suddenly tail off and then show up in my right leg? As I say, my left leg still feels pretty strong and solid after a year of the weak feelings, I can still play football, sprint for the bus etc.
I've heard that ALS starts in one limb and then moves on to the next, leaving wasted muscles in its path

I'm still paranoid about ALS and sometimes panic really badly, just looking for reassurance. Sorry if this message is a bit rambling!

Thanks

Tom

 

[LisaQ.]

Hi Tom,
Your question is sort of irrelevant, because, as you've said, you don't HAVE weakness.

It only counts when there is true, clinical weakness, and since a neuro has determined you are not weak, then it doesn't matter worth a fig how **S progresses.

But you are correct, it usually chooses a limb, starts distally, and progresses that way, but there is no hard-fast rule for how the weakness will evolve from one person to the other.

Take comfort in knowing that you merely have a case of classic bfs, perceived weakness only, and that you have absolutely no reason to believe otherwise.

Blessings,
Sue

 

[71126westy]

Thanks Sue,

I guess I still find it hard to believe that I don't have weakness as usually , pretty much every day, it feels like either one of my legs will give way, and they feel fatigued a lot, but then when I need to sprint or jump I can still do it.
I suppose that's a good sign, that after 6 months of having the weak feeling all the time it hasn't really progressed at all, and has kind of felt better for short periods of time.

I do suffer from health anxiety (am currently doing CBT), so I guess the weak feeling could be caused by over sensitivity of physical symptoms and possibly sometimes muscle tension caused by anxiety. The other thing is that I've noticed my right thigh muscle has strained a few times recently but I guess that could be due to the muscle tension - tense muscles strain easier I've been told.

 

[LisaQ.]

Hi Tom,
When I was at my weakest, I could barely walk, and had to actually stop working for a few weeks because I couldn't drive my car. I just didn't trust my legs to work to squeeze the brake pedal. Even still, I occasionally feel that "giving way" sensation in my legs or knees.

In my case, all of my neuro evals did not show clinical weakness, but you couldn't have convinced ME that I wasn't weak. I felt pretty darn weak. I had to help myself out of a chair with my hands and take stairs very slowly. Still no clinical weakness.

So, I know all-too well what you are feeling, my friend. But if you CAN sprint, feed yourself, get dressed, etc, you are not weak. Even if if it feels like you can't do those things, it is still only weakness if a neuro determines it to be so, and yours hasn't.

So, you're good to go. No worries. Over time, you will begin to feel more "normal" days, and this perceived weakness will not be such a bother. Just keep up your regular activities. It really helps you not to get deconditioned. Remember, even healthy muscle needs regular exercise to function optimally.

Blessings,
Sue