Moonmark
Distinguished member
- Joined
- May 6, 2009
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Hi, everyone--
I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. I have yet another question. I was visiting my family yesterday for the holiday and my sister took out some pics that were taken a few weeks ago at another event. I noticed that in all the pics where I am smiling, that my smile has become slightly lopsided on the lower lip. the lower lip on the right side does not pull back in the same way as the other side, giving my overall smile a slightly "lopsided" appearance. I was somewhat aware of this, but I guess I was startled to see how noticeable it was in all the pics.
this is the area of my face where I have had the most persistent twitching. this is also the side of my face where I have had some saliva seep out of the corner. very slight, but enough to cause a small infection there a few months ago.
I have only noticed this smile thing recently, but I did mention the saliva issue to the neuro in Sept. he said I did not have tongue fasciculations and tried prying my lips apart with his fingers and said my "lip seal" seems pretty good. not sure what to make of this. I am due to go back in Dec.
does anyone recall having any early mild lip weakness which affected your smile and caused some seepage, before you had any slurring or anything.
my stats: negative EMG on two legs and one arm in June. brisk reflexes of 3-plus. symptoms of off- and on- twitching, off- and on- excess saliva, muscle weakness, and some off- and on- muscle pain, for 8 months or so. a few recent episodes of coughing/choking on liquids, a chronic daily cough, especially after eating. weird episode of muscle pain (cramping?) in the chest area the other day (that was a first). first neuro said in June no ALS at this time, six month follow-ups; second opinion neuro said ALS unlikely, but requested three-month follow-ups. Both specialists in ALS. both said they could not definitively rule out a neuro condition, however.
what would you be asking at my next appt? should I push for an EMG of face area-- is that really painful? a second EMG of limbs? six months will have elapsed since the first. do you think that is adequate time for things to have changed on the EMG, if, in fact, they are going to change? should I be looking elsewhere for a diagnosis, other than from a neurologist?
any thoughts/suggestions appreciated.
thanks-
Sandra
I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. I have yet another question. I was visiting my family yesterday for the holiday and my sister took out some pics that were taken a few weeks ago at another event. I noticed that in all the pics where I am smiling, that my smile has become slightly lopsided on the lower lip. the lower lip on the right side does not pull back in the same way as the other side, giving my overall smile a slightly "lopsided" appearance. I was somewhat aware of this, but I guess I was startled to see how noticeable it was in all the pics.
this is the area of my face where I have had the most persistent twitching. this is also the side of my face where I have had some saliva seep out of the corner. very slight, but enough to cause a small infection there a few months ago.
I have only noticed this smile thing recently, but I did mention the saliva issue to the neuro in Sept. he said I did not have tongue fasciculations and tried prying my lips apart with his fingers and said my "lip seal" seems pretty good. not sure what to make of this. I am due to go back in Dec.
does anyone recall having any early mild lip weakness which affected your smile and caused some seepage, before you had any slurring or anything.
my stats: negative EMG on two legs and one arm in June. brisk reflexes of 3-plus. symptoms of off- and on- twitching, off- and on- excess saliva, muscle weakness, and some off- and on- muscle pain, for 8 months or so. a few recent episodes of coughing/choking on liquids, a chronic daily cough, especially after eating. weird episode of muscle pain (cramping?) in the chest area the other day (that was a first). first neuro said in June no ALS at this time, six month follow-ups; second opinion neuro said ALS unlikely, but requested three-month follow-ups. Both specialists in ALS. both said they could not definitively rule out a neuro condition, however.
what would you be asking at my next appt? should I push for an EMG of face area-- is that really painful? a second EMG of limbs? six months will have elapsed since the first. do you think that is adequate time for things to have changed on the EMG, if, in fact, they are going to change? should I be looking elsewhere for a diagnosis, other than from a neurologist?
any thoughts/suggestions appreciated.
thanks-
Sandra