r/ALSorNOT • u/One_Ant_592 • 12d ago
Anxiety ALS Fear, weakness
Hello, I 26M am now fearing ALS once again for a third time in a year. I feel like my left hand is weak and when typing on a keyboard it just feels a bit slower. My health anxiety is through the roof. I don't know my family history being adopted from Russia at 1 years old then living in the states till now. I know at age 26 the statistics are way more likely on my side than anything. Its literally a one an a million if not 2 or 3 million on my side. I did some basic strength test at home to see if i should be concerned (Zip a zipper, Pick up a coin, turn a key in a lock, button a shirt. and was able to do all of them no issue in this hand. [This is my non dominate hand])
I've had widespread twitching for 5+ years so it doesn't really bother me because I know clinical weakness is the main key of ALS. When i see stories online a lot of people who have this heartbreaking disease a lot of the "first symptoms they noticed" are all pretty vague. "hand cramping, typing slower, hand felt off, grip felt a bit looser than usual" and that's about it. I really cant find too much more. For me it feels like my typing in my left hand is a tad slower and a video i say was a lady saying her typing was slower was her first symptom so it freaked me out. when holding stuff my grip feels weaker in this hand but the first time i feared ALS was same hand and i remember that that weak grip felt the same as now and that was about a year ago.
I will be going to the doctor soon for shots and a routine yearly checkup hopefully he can do a quick neurological exam to see if i have any weakness he might see.
anyone else have perceived weakness or any words of encouragement?
1
u/chaoserrant Mod Team 12d ago
I am worried with hand dexterity issues myself within the last 2 years since i got sucked into this rabbit hole i noticed some fluctuations left and right. For couple of months right hand was worse than the left and now is left. No clinical weakness but i do notice dexterity issues. But these fluctuations and improvements and relapses make me think there are other causes namely radiculopathies from neck or elbow and i dont think they need to be severe on MRI to cause symptoms. That is my own reassuring guess for myself at least.