So I'll just attach the email I sent to the "second opinion website" from which I never got a response. It was written on Aug 29th
I have already scheduled an appointment on tomorrow, but should I cancel it and save $200?
Email:
Hi,I am a 20 year old male with no hisory of als in my family
for about two months now, I've been experiencing muscle jerks and twitches all over my body. They may be in my legs, they may be in my arm, basically everywhere. I also thought that I've had some problems with walking and/or keeping up the balance. And I had some mouth problems with sore throat, trouble with excessive/not enough of saliva and some swallowing problems too
So after about a month of those symptoms I went to my PCP, who said that since the twitches are generalized they are most likely benign and nothing to worry about. She also conducted a neurological exam when she asked me to touch my nose, to walk on my heels, on toes, push her hand and etc. She said I did great and she sees no problem with my reflexes.
Like a week before the visit and further after, the symptoms have decreased in freqency, the twitches have become more rare and the bulbar symptoms were gone, so as the balance issues were gone too
But now the twiches are back with a big freqency, I think I also have the balance problems back and I also have weird sensation in my hands, some kind of dullness, my hands and figers feel weird when I hold them together, when I hold objects and when I type on the computer, this feel comes and goes and right now for example I think im fine. I also have pulling sensation in my muscles, but this is maybe from me walking around a lot, not sure
I can't honestly tell if there is muscle thinning, my right calf seems bigger than the left one when I lay down, but I tried to measure them standing up, the difference is like 1 cm or less. I am also right footed. My left hand figers seem less "meaty" but the difference is not that big and maybe again just part of my normal body
And when it comes to seeing twitches, Im not sure, I can see the muscle jerks, when I get my figer jumping up, I can see it. Regular twitches, I either can't see them or I just can't catch them as they are far in my leg or shoulder.
Weakness, I can't also tell. I can do regular everyday things no problem, I can walk few miles, I can run and jump. But I'm not sure if I have weakness and if it is maybe precieved. They say that the ALS weakness is hard to miss,and if you do have one, you'll know that is is weakness. For me, I can't tell
So my question is, should I consider scheduling an appointment with an actual Neurologist and maybe consider looking for ALS or mutiple sclerosis? Or as my PCP said, this is probably mostly stress related?
Thank you
P.S. Now the situation is not much different. I've had a decrease period with twitches when they haven't bothered me for a while. Then they again increased with the big force. Now they are again on the low level since yesterday. They are also now mostly in the form of my joints jumping up all over the place. Could be foot, could be finger
Balance is mixed again, one time I feel really oddly weak in my legs, 2 hours later I'm fine. Today I felt good for the most part
Thanks