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ariz4me

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Joined
Oct 13, 2009
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Learn about ALS
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US
State
PA
City
COLLEGEVILLE
Hi,

Please pardon this long story. It's been sometime since I posted. Back in 2009, I had a neurologist do an emg of both of my arms. At that time, he indicated that I may have a motor neuron disease but I also had a very severe neck problem. After many doctor visits, motor neuron disease was ruled out and I had posterior cervical spine surgery - laminectomy, fusions and instrumentation from C-3 T-2.

Prior to the surgery, I was experiencing severe weakness in the bicep area of my left arm. When I awoke from the surgery, I had right arm issues. I could not hold a pen, my fine motor skills were nonexistent. I also had sensory issues under my forearm and weakness in my shoulder/tricep area. It's now been twenty months, and the right hand is getting better. However, this past January 2013, I felt as if my shoulder which was getting better up to that point, seemed to take a downward turn. I had difficulty raising my right arm and extending it. Then it got better and now if's weak again and appears weaker than before. However, there are times when I can extend and raise the arm without a problem. An EMG done in March by a doctor in my surgeon's network showed chronic and acute nerve damage from C5-C8. He told me to give it time and he felt things would possibly get better. Since I was having pain in my shoulder, down the back of my arm and forearm, I decided to go to a shoulder specialist. He did an MRI and an EMG. The MRI showed a slight tear. The EMG showed severe, chronic nerve C-3-C-8 radiculopathies The neurologist also indicated there was evidence of acute or possible ongoing denervation of the innervated muscles at C5-C6. He also wrote as an impression that alternatively, this could be consistent for a motor neuron disease. This neurologist is not out of my surgeon's network. He idid not have the emg done in March to make a comparison to. This was a "cold" emg without any of my medical history reported except for the spinal surgery which I told him took place in November 2011.

Now they want me to have a full neurological workup to rule out ALS. I am terrified! My right hand is better than it was and my left arm is building muscle since the surgery. I am not losing strength anywhere else in the right arm except those affected by the C5-C6 nerve path and it;s intermittent. I am able to raise my arms above my head and outstretch them throughout the day. I am in constant pain in my shoulder and experience muscle spasms all the time. When the spasms settle, I can do more things with the arm. Given all this, How can one emg done in March not even make mention of this and now one in Aug. is bringing this up as a possible issue? Is all this consistent with an ALS diagnosis?
 
Not my ALS. I had no pain at all at first. Get the work up and go from there. I was DX in late 2010 and now can't walk, dress myself, feed myself, use the phone without help. What ever I lose never gets better.
 
Thank you for your response. My family doc is trying to get me in with a neurologist soon. He says I don't present as a person with ALS. He believes that the acute or ongoing nerve damage is the result of the spinal surgery that I had 20 months ago which greatly affected my right arm.
 
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