Welcome to Twitchers - A.I. Fear?

[jeffthered]

Hi guys - and Happy New Year, my fellow twitchers.I'm pretty new on this site, so I do have a lot of questions regarding twitching, pain, nerve-pains etc.After reading a lot of posts here, the thing that strikes me is, that almost everyone is scared to death about A..I fully understand this since a diagnose is more a less a death sentence. However - the probability of actually getting it, is almost zero. Of course some people DO get it, but again – it's almost a mathematical impossibility.I myself am scared *beep* about my symptoms, that (after having seen Dr. Google) are textbook MS symptoms: Twitching, buzzing, pains, 'sensation-disturbances' (don't know the english word), dizziness, anxiety, fatigue etc. etc. You name it - I've got i. And - since MS and ALS symptoms have a lot in common, twitching for instance, I would be (and am) much more worried about MS, that won't actually kill you - just make the rest of your life a living hell. In Denmark there is a saying amongst neurologists: "You won't die FROM MS - you'll die WITH it. Amen!My symptoms started late 2008: Buzzing, humming, cold/warm rushes in my hands. Later on came the twitching, pains, nerve-pains etc. I paid for a neurological examination in february 2009, had my brains MR-scanned in february 2009, had another neurogical examination also in february 2009, had en EMG- and a SEP-test performed in the summer of 2009 along with another neurological examination, had blood-tests in the summer, had a new neurogical examination last week and am scheduled for a new examination on january 12th - this time with the leading expert in MS here in Denmark. I pay for that myself.All previous test and diagnoses have been negative, but they fail to give my peace of mind. I don't know why. Perhaps because none of the doctors have been able to give me any form of explanation to my symptoms. I am currently on Gabapentin, but it don't seem to do any good. It's also pretty expensive, so I plan to get off them again.I hoped that the negative EMG and SEP would bring me some kind of reassurance, but they didn't. I keep telling myself that they reason why they are negative is because I'm in an early state, where my *beep* up brain, spine and nerves don't show any signs of damage … yet. That it's just a matter of time. Strange, that I want to be the one to say: "Told you so". I suggested to one of the neurologists, that I should have a test of my spinal fluid to look for oglonical bands, which can be a sign of MS. He said it would be shear madness to do an invasive procedure when all clinical tests were normal. I hear him, but I keep telling myself that it could get me some kind of peace of mind. But - I thought that as well with the EMG and SEP … Then again - thanks to Google, I do get more and more anxious, because it doesn't take long to find out, that a lot of MS patients have normal MR-scans, blood-samples, EMGs, SEPs etc. etc. So how can you get any peace of mind here? I can't stand it - I'm freakin' out.Please don't get me wrong - I don't mean to think less of your ALS-fear. I share them too - but as far as I know, getting MS is much more likely than getting ALS. It's a mathematical fact.Best regards,Peter

 

[CautiousExplorer]

Welcome,Allot of us here had sensory symptoms.I've personally experienced the odd sensation that a ice cube is constantly in the palm of my hand.At the moment, i have the feeling like my left foot is in a bucket of warm water, that comes and goes.Allot of us here have odd pains aswell, some even to the point of becoming really disabling and we have to take meds to reduce the pains.You are very right about some people diagnosted with MS got allot of clean tests early on.. however, chances of you belonging to that group is about 10/100. Sometimes, lesions can be found in the spinal cord and not in the brain, which is the place they usually will take a MRI of. It's unusual.. but it happens. Some people with MS also have myokymia, which are the same kind of twitches seen in BFS. The only difference is WHAT causes them.You should think about it this way : 90% of the people who run into the neurologist's office get the everyday normal sensations like pins and needles or something like that. They start to google from that point on and they all think they have MS, while the people who really have MS usually have had allot of vague symptoms over the years that indirectly point towards MS. These include overal fatigue.. ALL THE TIME, headaches, etc. The real diagnosis usually comes when they get allot of typical MS symptoms like weakness, charlie horse cramps, and optic neuritis. Anxiety also has allot of the symptoms listed you mentioned above. You should focus on that first before you even think of MS. All you can ever do is wait for some typical MS symptoms (not the sensory symptoms like i explained above ).. or else, they will just think its in your head since all the tests are clean.Happy 2010!

 

[CautiousExplorer]

Note : The difference between MS / ALS twitches is that ALS twitches are caused by muscles disconnected from the nerves / brain, so they ripple until they disappear forever. Therefore, twitching without any weakness = no ALS. MS twitches are caused by demylation. BFS or PNH can be due to anything like viruses, stress, anxiety, auto-immune reactions, etc. Sensory symptoms are VERY normal with BFS.

 

[jeffthered]

hi,Yeah, but why shouldn't I be having demylation? And now, the twitches/myokymia is an evidence of just that?To my knowledge - MS symptoms vary from person to person depending on which nerves taht are effected. Obviously this can be different from person to person.I have an appointment with a leading MS-neurologist on tuesday. I'm dying (!) to hear his oppinion. Unfortunately it'll set me back around 450 USD ...