weird feeling in left leg - anyone??

[colls22]

Everyone knows my biggest fear.....* LS. So I'm not even going to go into why I am of course worried that this could be it, just like everything else.

The feeling I'm having in the left leg isn't necessarily what I would describe as a "tired" feeling, more like a tension band is wrapped around my thigh. If that makes any sense. Not really sore, or strained, kind of full and achy/awkward.

I'm hoping this isn't the beginning of weakness!

Being logical, the only thoughts I had otherwise were that it could somehow be related to some lower back pain I've been experiencing, or something going on with the hip flexor.

OR, for anyone who twitches like I do, I had a couple of big thumpers in the left quad the other day. I'm wondering whether they've simply left the muscle a little irritated/inflamed?

[msgb98]

It could be a result of trigger points. Trigger points can and do refer pain to locations other than where the actual pain is. You could have also pulled something. It could be a result of posture and sitting. It can also come up as a result of foot issues such as plantar fasciitis. But since I am not a doctor I suggest you ask your doctor or his/her nurse .

[sixpack]

Just a quick couple of questions.   I am not trying to be mean or snarky.  I am trying to figure out how long it will take for you to really see that what ailing you isn't ALS.


how long do you think will it take for the ALS that you believe you have to start REALLY impacting you physically?  How long do you think it will take for your family and friends to take this seriously---I mean that they, too, will know something is very wrong?  Or maybe, more importantly, doctors?  Will it take a few more days or weeks or months.....  I mean it can't be years because the majority of people, once symptomatic, life expectancy is 2-5yrs.  Correct me if I am wrong but you were pretty sure you had ALS a year or two ago right?  Then you didn't believe you did and now, in the last couple of months, your fear has been reignited?

[Catesykes]

Hey, I'm a 31 year old female with the same fear as you right now. I've recently developed severe HA. I've had all sorts of random aches and pains, various odd symptoms and lots of twitching. this really freaks me out. I've had a brain MRI as i was sooo scared of MS and as that was clear I've moved onto 'other scenarios'. I've read sooo many stories and scared myself so much. I keep testing my strength. I never thought I'd be like this. The logical side of my brain knows this is anxiety but my illogical lives in total fear. I'm sure the odd sensation in your thigh will pass. As do most odd sensations. I wish I could take my own advice!! I constantly feel wired and cannot calm down. I'd love to know how to.

[colls22]

Sixpack - I hear you. And yes, the fear went away and was re-ignited.

Catey - you got it. Basically any strange sensation I feel that I can remotely correlate to...it...I do. This makes for hyper vigilance and completely going crazy. Sorry to hear you're going through it too. The body can do some strange, strange things. Especially when you're all wired up. Twitches, jolts, weird feelings, sweating, palps, you name it.

[MTBR]

Left leg...yes! But left arm even moreso. Had perceived weakness/tingling/twitching in my left arm for 2 weeks or so. It's gone away but the twitching still remains in my leg. Here's the funny thing the other day my doc asked me if I had it in both legs. I said "well, it's about 70/30---much more in the left leg. I immediately started to obsess about why my right leg wasn't twitching/jerking nearly as much as my left.....must be a sign that something is wrong! 2 days later the right leg is twitchin' and jerkin' more than the left....WHAT THE DEUCE IS GOING ON!!!!!

If I could figure out how to harness the amount of electricity that my brain produces generating these ridicoulous sensations, I truly believe I could power up the ENTIRE DAW-GONE STATE....Gees!

MTBR

[Allochka]

Wow, anxiety switches on some weirdness in my left leg too! It feels tight, or tingles, or just feels weird when I'm stressed out. When it first happened I thought MS, but later I noticed it happens immediately after greater stresses. So I know it is just anxiety now, just like your leg. Sixpack ir correct - you have no reasn to worry about ALS during 2 years! This illness is a quick killer, you can't have it for 2 years and just get some weirdness in leg.
If you monitor your leg, most probably you will notice that it feels great when you are distracted, or relaxed after glass or wine, etc. And vice versa - the more you concentrate on this feeling - the more intense it gets. Hopefully it will be enough proof for you that it's just anxiety.

[sixpack]

Sixpack - I hear you. And yes, the fear went away and was re-ignited.
 

Okay so you recognize this is a FEAR and not ALS.  The two can't be more different.  Thus,  recognizing it as a fear and/or anxiety, what are you ready to do to deal with the issue you actually have?

[colls22]

I think the difficult thing, Sixpack, is that we have to accept that with HA, our body will feel many, many strange things. And our minds will amplify those feelings. Which, to be honest, is very, very scary. At the time you're feeling these things ( ie a twitch in that exact muscle you're worried about) it's really, really hard to say "everything's fine".

[ahrimoniac]

I'll tell you something, quickly. Two weeks ago I was convinced I had MS. I read up about it, saw leg weakness. Then my leg started going weak, and oh my word did I get frightened. MRI came back clean. I was told fairly categorically that I did not have MS.

I still have a funny leg, but it comes and goes. If it was weakening, it would STAY weak. It wouldn't go. It wouldn't move.

I need to remember that and so do you - someone much cleverer than me on here says 'anxiety is a liar' and that's so bloody true.

Stay strong.

[colls22]

Very wise words.

I may have mentioned this previously, I think I did, but for any twitchers, do you find that if you're worried about a specific area, BAM, the twitches go right there??

[MTBR]

Colls22, I just posted this earlier in the thread:

I immediately started to obsess about why my right leg wasn't twitching/jerking nearly as much as my left.....must be a sign that something is wrong! 2 days later the right leg is twitchin' and jerkin' more than the left

[colls22]

So, I guess that's a yes! Thanks.

I'm working really hard to listen to the doctors and get past my left shoulder ALS fear, but I have to say, every time I feel a twitch there (and they keep happening!), I semi flip out.

[MTBR]

but I have to say, every time I feel a twitch there I semi flip out

Take solace in knowing...you ain't alone!!!

MTBR

[sixpack]

I think the difficult thing, Sixpack, is that we have to accept that with HA, our body will feel many, many strange things. And our minds will amplify those feelings. Which, to be honest, is very, very scary. At the time you're feeling these things ( ie a twitch in that exact muscle you're worried about) it's really, really hard to say "everything's fine".

maybe it is hard and of course it is scary. it doesn't mean that you indulge it.  I went through my MS to ALS fear then back to MS again... you know what got me out of ALS?  the psychiatrist literally laughed at me when I mentioned it.  Wow, do you think that was mean?  Well it did wake me up to know that I was being absolutely foolish thinking I had ALS. 

the thing with ALS is this, especially with you, is that this fear comes and goes.... and you are not learning that it is the anxiety at the core and not the disease.  Rationally you know ALS wouldn't behave how your anxiety is telling you it is.  therefore, the only logical thing to conclude it that yes you are having x, y & z but it can't possibly be ALS because ALS doesn't act that particular way.   you can't hold out or up the idea that, "yes I know it is irrational but my mind won't let me let it go, therefore i can do nothing about it"

 AND not because I think you have any neuro nasty..... BUT MS would be the more likely disease to come and go.  Have you asked yourself why you are latching onto a disease that cannot possibly behave the way you are experiencing things and not MS that can and does come and go especially early on? 

maybe that is a scary question for me to ask you, but, personally, I think you need a bit of logical, straightforward questions that you should answer---at least for yourself.  As I see it, All you are doing is excusing why it is okay for you to feel this way.  you can't get better mired with this line of thinking. If you continue indulging the ALS fear, you not only hurt yourself but your loved ones too.

And don't think for ONE second that I haven't thought like you.  I have.  At some point I got truly fed up with my beating myself up, ticking my husband off, not being there for my kids, and giving my joy, MY joy away to anxiety by induging in the fantastical disease that had ZERO evidence of being real. 

I have YET to see one shread of evidence that you have ALS or any neuro nasty.  All I've seen is a person chasing herself around a tree and getting herself mighty dizzy. 

[sixpack]

i am going to ask the questions I asked you earlier today....

answer them for yourself.  you don't have to answer on here.  BUT you should answer them.   Being truly honest with yourself, you should try to figure out how you could have ALS after you answer these questions.

 

Just a quick couple of questions.   I am not trying to be mean or snarky.  I am trying to figure out how long it will take for you to really see that what ailing you isn't ALS.


how long do you think will it take for the ALS that you believe you have to start REALLY impacting you physically?  How long do you think it will take for your family and friends to take this seriously---I mean that they, too, will know something is very wrong?  Or maybe, more importantly, doctors?  Will it take a few more days or weeks or months.....  I mean it can't be years because the majority of people, once symptomatic, life expectancy is 2-5yrs.  Correct me if I am wrong but you were pretty sure you had ALS a year or two ago right?  Then you didn't believe you did and now, in the last couple of months, your fear has been reignited?