petlover
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2012
- Messages
- 59
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- UT
- City
- Salt Lake City
Hi everyone. I'm new here and have a question about seeing a doctor. I'll give you a (hopefully) brief history of my concerns.
In September, I started having some issues with my left hand. I felt like my thumb and forefinger weren't working well (hard time picking things up, etc). I don't have a GP, as mine moved out of state a few years ago. I finally went to a Resident's clinic at a nearby hospital and the doctor gave me a shot of cortisone in my hand. It didn't really help . . .
A while later I noticed that I would sometimes have a really fine quiver in my little finger and could see the muscle right below it twitching rhythmically. It would just happen randomly and only last for a few seconds. Then it started to happen in the muscle between my thumb and index finger and I started to get cramps in the palm of my hand. Now the little muscle twitches are in my wrist. I've also noticed the the muscle below my thumb is quite a bit smaller than it is on my other hand (the skin is kind of "pleated" and it looks hollowed out), but since it is my non-dominant hand, maybe it has always looked that way . . .
At around the same time (can't remember when), I started having cramps in both feet and my feet started to feel like they were flattening out. My left foot especially has started to kind of roll to the inside, as if my arch has completely disappeared. I have just recently started having the little muscle twitches in my feet as well. After doing some reading on this site, I tried walking on my toes and heels. My right foot seems to be stronger than my left foot. While I can get on my toes, once I start walking my feet starting dropping down, but more so on the left than the right, so it's like I have a "limp" when I walk on my toes. I can't really walk on my heels well at all . . . but I'm a generally clumsy person. Oh, also, the twitches are not 24/7 like some people on here talk about, but are just really random and intermittent. It's quite odd.
Anyway, I have read quite a bit on Benign Fasciculation Syndrome on this site and others, as well as reading about MNDs. I realize that the MNDs are very rare and that it is highly likely that my issues stem from BFS, but I would feel better knowing that for sure. My questions is this - should I try to find a new GP and start there first? Or just try to schedule an appointment with a neurologist? Could a GP know for sure if was BFS? Or would I just get referred to a neurologist anyway?
I would appreciate any opinions on this issue. Thanks in advance for your time. I really appreciate it.
In September, I started having some issues with my left hand. I felt like my thumb and forefinger weren't working well (hard time picking things up, etc). I don't have a GP, as mine moved out of state a few years ago. I finally went to a Resident's clinic at a nearby hospital and the doctor gave me a shot of cortisone in my hand. It didn't really help . . .
A while later I noticed that I would sometimes have a really fine quiver in my little finger and could see the muscle right below it twitching rhythmically. It would just happen randomly and only last for a few seconds. Then it started to happen in the muscle between my thumb and index finger and I started to get cramps in the palm of my hand. Now the little muscle twitches are in my wrist. I've also noticed the the muscle below my thumb is quite a bit smaller than it is on my other hand (the skin is kind of "pleated" and it looks hollowed out), but since it is my non-dominant hand, maybe it has always looked that way . . .
At around the same time (can't remember when), I started having cramps in both feet and my feet started to feel like they were flattening out. My left foot especially has started to kind of roll to the inside, as if my arch has completely disappeared. I have just recently started having the little muscle twitches in my feet as well. After doing some reading on this site, I tried walking on my toes and heels. My right foot seems to be stronger than my left foot. While I can get on my toes, once I start walking my feet starting dropping down, but more so on the left than the right, so it's like I have a "limp" when I walk on my toes. I can't really walk on my heels well at all . . . but I'm a generally clumsy person. Oh, also, the twitches are not 24/7 like some people on here talk about, but are just really random and intermittent. It's quite odd.
Anyway, I have read quite a bit on Benign Fasciculation Syndrome on this site and others, as well as reading about MNDs. I realize that the MNDs are very rare and that it is highly likely that my issues stem from BFS, but I would feel better knowing that for sure. My questions is this - should I try to find a new GP and start there first? Or just try to schedule an appointment with a neurologist? Could a GP know for sure if was BFS? Or would I just get referred to a neurologist anyway?
I would appreciate any opinions on this issue. Thanks in advance for your time. I really appreciate it.