had my EMG

[Alexandre]

hi everyone,

Just to let you know I had a new EMG. The neuro called it clean. The only thing they saw were fasciculations. He said this eliminates motor neuron diseases. I've been twitching non stop for almost 3 years.

So, I hope I'm in the clear now? I'm still a bit confused because of atrophy in my hand and foot, but EMG did not pick up signs of denervartion - so they say it's not atrophy.

Time to let it go?

 

[Moonmark]

Alexandre-


Definitely. Let it go.

Sandra

 

[Northern Dancer]

Great news, Alexandre!

It's time to celebrate.


ND

 

[AndyDJX]

Alexandre,

Great news, man. I've been saying this for a long time; you and I are in similar boats I think. Twitching, atrophy, etc-- clearly something going on, but that "something" simply isn't ALS.

Your condition may be annoying and difficult at times, but you shouldn't be burdening your mind with worries of ALS anymore. It's not that serious, and you can move on with your life.

All the best,

Andy

 

[olly]

great news alexandre,i am so pleased for you.
caroline

 

[Alexandre]

Hi all,
Thanks for the replies. What really gets me is the fact that I have atrophy in my hand. I am absolutely sure that I did not have this kind of dent before Dec 2009. But, I can still do everything with the hand, so no problems there. But the EMG did not pick it up, so strange. I thought maybe the machine failed but it picked up the fascics so it must have worked right. I'm happy with the clean EMG but I don't understand that I have atrophy and the EMG was normal.
Andy, did you have atrophy in your hand? Was your EMG normal too?

 

[AndyDJX]

Hi all,
Thanks for the replies. What really gets me is the fact that I have atrophy in my hand. I am absolutely sure that I did not have this kind of dent before Dec 2009. But, I can still do everything with the hand, so no problems there. But the EMG did not pick it up, so strange. I thought maybe the machine failed but it picked up the fascics so it must have worked right. I'm happy with the clean EMG but I don't understand that I have atrophy and the EMG was normal.
Andy, did you have atrophy in your hand? Was your EMG normal too?

Yyyup. This perplexes me with my case as well. I mean, the atrophy is pretty obvious, it's a big dent in my thumb muscle that wasn't there before. And I had fasiculations like crazy in that muscle before it atrophied. But it didn't show up on the EMG and I still have full use of my hand. I had some slow nerve conduction in my left elbow that showed up on the EMG, but they needled the hell out of my right thumb muscle and arm and didn't find anything.

You ask questions like "what causes fasiculations and atrophy that doesn't show up on an EMG?" and the doctors simply don't have an answer. But they (at least the ones I've spoken with) have said that if it was caused by ALS, it would definitely have shown up on an EMG, and if it was caused by ALS, there would be clinical weakness to accompany the atrophy.

It's one of those answers that may not be satisfying, but it's certainly preferable to a lot of alternatives.

 

[Alexandre]

I hope he tested enough muscles... in my hand he just put one in the first dorsal where the non stop twitching is, just below the atrophy- only fascis. Is there a standard of how much needles they have to stick into the muscles?
With me it was 2 in my lower leg , 1 upper leg, 1 hand, 1 upper arm/shoulder,1 in the back and 1 in the mouth, is that enough?
Can't get over the atrophy being 'nothing' and btw still continuous twitching in the hand, over 6 months now

 

[Northern Dancer]

Alexandre, sweetie,

You are getting off track again. No ALS, thank what ever gods there be! Some things are never meant to be solved. You have full use of your hand. Celebrate, please, because we are all so relieved for you. Don't spoil it for us!

You just might get hit by a bus tomorrow and you will have wasted your time for nothing.


Lorna

 

[Miss]

Fantastic! No ALS! You've been blessed!

 

[Alexandre]

Hi,

No i'm not fixating on ALS but I find it very weird that EMG did not pick up anything in my hand. I thought at least maybe a pinched nerver, or ulnar lesion in elbow or so that could explain the weird dent. Also at my right foot the extensor digitorum brevis has 30% less muscle than the left one (clincially said by doc) + that foot hurts for 6 weeks now and I think because of the pain I walk weird. But even there the EMG did not pick up anything. I don't say the EMG was badly done or so because it was done in a MND department and also they saw the fascics so. But still you keep looking for answers why the foot is hurting ( echo + X-ray showed nothing) and why there is muscle loss in the hand (not saying it is ALS, but hoped they could say how it comes)

bye

 

[Lavender Lady]

Congratulations go enjoy your life! don't look back.

Rox

 

[Moonmark]

Alexandre,

Unfortunately it seems you may never get an answer for why you are having some pain and muscle atrophy. That must be frustrating, but I think you will have to accept that the neurologists do not have an answer for you and be EXTREMELY grateful that it is not ALS or another neuro disease.

While you say you are not fixated on ALS, you do seem fixated on the dents in your body and what they mean. I hope you do not mind my saying so, but I think you might benefit from some medication for obsessive compulsive disorder and health anxiety. Maybe give those a try and see if your worries subside.

Good luck--

Sandra

 

[crystalkk]

Congrats on the clean emg! Go enjoy your life......

 

[AndyDJX]

Alexandre, as you know, I had non stop twitching in my hand for 6 months (like, never took a break, 24 hours a day, rhythmic, steady twitches.) I have some hand atrophy, muscle problems and continued widespread twitching. But it's been three years and nine months since I first started with symptoms and I am fully functional will no EMG indications of ALS. It sucks not knowing what it is, but try to take comfort in knowing what it isn't.