When to go to a Neuro centre?

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Lovely Laura

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Joined
Jul 12, 2010
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Reason
Learn about ALS
Country
CA
State
NB
City
Cornhill
Hello All ::smile:
I am new to the forum. I have been reading on here for a couple months and decided to ask the advice of the wise folks on here who have been through the process of coming to a diagnoses.
First off I would like to say I could never even begin to understand what is like to have the diagnosed of ALS nor do I think I necessarilly have it. It is only one of numerous possibilities as far as I am concerned. I would take any of the others over ALS.
For those of you who did eventually decide to go to a clinic or center for assistance in obtaining a diagnoses, when did you finally make that decision? Were you satisfied with the explanation of your diagnoses and what, if any, were the definative signs you did in fact have ALS opposed to other possible causes~ in the minds of your doctors? Did any of you ever have Bells Palsy or seisures before or during the onset of syptoms? Thank you so much for your time.
 
Lovely Laura, welcome to the forum and what a nice name! To sort of answer your question, you go to the doctor when something isn't right. As you are lucky enough to be in Canada (like me) you don't have to worry about paying for doctors appointments or for tests, the only problem may be arranging and waiting for them.

For me it was a progression from GP to general neurologist to ALS specialist neurologist when I started to experience slurred speech. Overall it took me about 6 months to be diagnosed and I have never had any doubt that my doctors knew what they were talking about. I had an MRI arranged by my GP but when that was good it was onto the neuros and the rest as they say, is history.

I hope that it is something else for you,nobody needs this. Good luck.

Barry
 
Lovely Laura, welcome to the forum and what a nice name! To sort of answer your question, you go to the doctor when something isn't right. As you are lucky enough to be in Canada (like me) you don't have to worry about paying for doctors appointments or for tests, the only problem may be arranging and waiting for them.

For me it was a progression from GP to general neurologist to ALS specialist neurologist when I started to experience slurred speech. Overall it took me about 6 months to be diagnosed and I have never had any doubt that my doctors knew what they were talking about. I had an MRI arranged by my GP but when that was good it was onto the neuros and the rest as they say, is history.

I hope that it is something else for you,nobody needs this. Good luck.

Barry

Thanks Barry,:razz:
I appreciate your response. I have been ill since March. I'm not sure what is wrong with me yet. B4 the onset of my symptoms, I was first diagnosed with Bells Palsey due to my mouth and brow drooping on the right side. A couple days later I was taken to the hospital by ambulance because I couldn't speak even though I knew what I wanted to say and began to convulse in my trunk. I also had sharp shooting pains through my neck, back and head. I stayed in the hospital for a week. They ran numerous test including an MRI of my head and neck and an EMG. The Neuro on duty sent me to another neuro who was a specialist in Parkisons and huntingtons due to the fact that I was experiencing myoclonic type jerks after my "seisure like episode" ~ I should mention I had an aura b4 it happened, I was unexplainable very very happy and had a taste of blood in my mouth. During the "Episode" I was also smacking my lips uncontrallably. 6 weeks past and my face was no longer drooping so much and the jerking was beginning to subside. I saw the specialist and she ruled out huntingtons and parkinsons and didn't think I had MS likely due to my clean MRI. From the very beginning I haven't been able to sleep right. It takes forever for me to fall asleep and I wake many times in the night. I haven't been able to close my eyes and not dream since then. After the jerking /drooping subsided I began to experience weird numbing sensations in my hands and feet. I have had raynauds for ac ouple of years so I was used to this feeling in my fingers but not to this extent. There after I started getting cramps in all my limbs and my chest and back. I also experience pain in my temples that travels in behind my eyes. My left arm is getting weaker all the time and I almost always feel dizzy. I have had some fasisculations but nothing significant as of yet. I fell in the shower two days ago. Now my knee is tender and my right arm is so weak I can't reach behind me at all. I realise that you can not provide me with a diagnoses. But if you have had similar symptoms or progression I would be interested in knowing. My last visit to my GP was a week ago. I am being tested for lyme and she is referring me to another neuro. My hopes are that there is absolutely nothing wrong with me and this is only temporary. I want to paint and play guitar but at this point my arms get so weak when I try that it doesn't last long. On the good days though 'm learning new songs! :))))
 
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