mrpet
Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2015
- Messages
- 23
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- Oregon
- City
- Portland
I'll spare you most of the details, but twitching started in late November 2015. Started in left calf but rapidly progressed to all over (more in lower body though). Twitching has pretty steadily gotten worse over two years - more new twitches have come than old twitches have gone.
I'm 42. I have diagnosed stenosis in cervical spine (that's the only spinal area they MRI'd a year ago) and we have a family history of osteoarthritis.
Since early August 2017 I noticed my left leg (esp quads) was feeling weak - eg feels harder to get up stairs on that leg, left thigh twitches more than right thigh. Also, the left leg just feels "weird" too - not painful, just sort of discomfort (almost a "tired" feeling), especially when sitting, like in a car or at a desk. The "weird/tired" feeling is less when I'm lying down.
No other subjective or objective weakness.
Strength testing since then to now has shown that the left leg can do a single unilateral leg extension (quad isolation machine) about 5-15lbs less than right leg (130lbs vs 140lbs plus or minus). Left quad is physically sore for 1-2 days longer than right quad after gym routine. I can do pretty much the same weights on the left quads for the last 6 months.
This difference between left and right quad has stayed pretty constant (it goes up and down but has never broken out of this range) over the last 6.5 months.
Interestingly, my left leg is actually a little stronger when doing leg presses (which use the glutes as well as the quads). Odd given left has weaker quads..?
In the last week I have been getting a lot of tongue fascs throughout the day, I know when they're happening as my tongue goes tingly and I can see them in the mirror, though they're very fine. No issues with slurring/drinking/eating.
So I'm 2 years (26 months to be precise, who's counting??) post symptom onset. Constant feeling of weakness in left leg for 6+ months, but no significant change in objective testing at gym.
I know better than to ask if I have ALS, so...
MY QUESTION: If my left leg really is clinically weak from ALS, would I reasonably expect it to have deteriorated further in the (almost) 7 months since I first noted the weakness (Aug-2017), OR, is it very possible that a weak muscle doesn't get any noticeably weaker within 6-7 months?
Also - tongue fasciculations...
Thank you so much,
MrP.
I'm 42. I have diagnosed stenosis in cervical spine (that's the only spinal area they MRI'd a year ago) and we have a family history of osteoarthritis.
Since early August 2017 I noticed my left leg (esp quads) was feeling weak - eg feels harder to get up stairs on that leg, left thigh twitches more than right thigh. Also, the left leg just feels "weird" too - not painful, just sort of discomfort (almost a "tired" feeling), especially when sitting, like in a car or at a desk. The "weird/tired" feeling is less when I'm lying down.
No other subjective or objective weakness.
Strength testing since then to now has shown that the left leg can do a single unilateral leg extension (quad isolation machine) about 5-15lbs less than right leg (130lbs vs 140lbs plus or minus). Left quad is physically sore for 1-2 days longer than right quad after gym routine. I can do pretty much the same weights on the left quads for the last 6 months.
This difference between left and right quad has stayed pretty constant (it goes up and down but has never broken out of this range) over the last 6.5 months.
Interestingly, my left leg is actually a little stronger when doing leg presses (which use the glutes as well as the quads). Odd given left has weaker quads..?
In the last week I have been getting a lot of tongue fascs throughout the day, I know when they're happening as my tongue goes tingly and I can see them in the mirror, though they're very fine. No issues with slurring/drinking/eating.
So I'm 2 years (26 months to be precise, who's counting??) post symptom onset. Constant feeling of weakness in left leg for 6+ months, but no significant change in objective testing at gym.
I know better than to ask if I have ALS, so...
MY QUESTION: If my left leg really is clinically weak from ALS, would I reasonably expect it to have deteriorated further in the (almost) 7 months since I first noted the weakness (Aug-2017), OR, is it very possible that a weak muscle doesn't get any noticeably weaker within 6-7 months?
Also - tongue fasciculations...
Thank you so much,
MrP.
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