Please help! Als fear at max!

[jillibillibob]

Is this the start of als?

Hello all!

I was hoping for some insight from those of you with experience and/or knowledge about als. I am a 25 yr old female so i know odds are in my favor, but about 2 months ago (had a baby 3 months ago) i started feeling an awkwardness in my hand no loss of strength but it just feels odd when i use it. Thenar muscle looks smaller than my non dominant left hand. well saw a neurologist and he did an emg/ncs and all is normal he says. well now i have the awkwardness still in my hand. i am now having trouble swallowing liquids. i swallow and i feel like it shoots down my throat and i am having difficulty chewing with the right side of my mouth. cant push food easily to throat on that side. i can still move my tongue around but it feels like it is getting softer.

Another thing that is happening is that the whole right side of my body is getting skinnier arms, legs, butt, breast. not by a huge difference but by 1/2 -1 inch maybe. I have been testing my strength but i am just so worried! i have two kids i need to live for! and i type my symptoms into stupid dr google and this is what comes from it. a terrible als fear!

i have had a brain mri with and without contrast, cervical mri, ct scan of the head. extensive blood work and nothing! my neurologist doesnt think it is als but he says my symptoms are strange. especially now with my throat! he is sending me to a specialist for a second opinion, but for now can any of you please try to ease my anxiety with any information!

can i really be deteriorating this fast?!?:sad:

 

[jillibillibob]

Re: Is this the start of als?

please i am really scared and i know this gets a little old for some of you but anything would be helpful!

 

[jillibillibob]

Re: Is this the start of als?

also forgot to mention i have hyperreflexia 3+ no clonus, no babinski and no hoffman

 

[Dusty7]

Re: Is this the start of als?

No, I can't ease your anxiety...

...not if you are going to trust Dr Google. Just go ahead and scare yourself some more. And don't listen to the doctors who tell you your EMG and MRIs and blood work and other tests are fine. Go Google some more illnesses...

No, your symptoms don't sound like ALS. Is something wrong? Maybe. Is your atrophy measurable? Have any doctors measured it? Do you have any clinical weakness? (Read the Stickies) Yes, go get a second opinion before you anxiety creates more symptoms to complicate the matter.

 

[jillibillibob]

Re: Is this the start of als?

neurologist does see mild atrophy in the thenar but he says could be of normal occurance. i do have anxiety but he does not believe my symptoms are anxiety.

thanks for your reply dusty the harshness is what i need to smack me in the face and wake me up from this worry!

 

[MaxEidswick]

Re: Is this the start of als?

>(Read the Stickies)

ditto that

 

[jillibillibob]

So i posted before about some weird symptoms. I will list again.

Hyperreflexia 3+ no clonus. Right side of body from head to toe is skinnier by 1/2-3/4 inch, i have awkwardness and skinnyparts to right hand, arm feels weak but still can lift things but even when i lift objects my arm feels very fatigued, i also have a mushy dent that i can feel but not see in my left calf even dr said it could be some atrophy but isnt concerned. My right shoulder droops down and my hip seems a little off and my right foot feels tight when i take a step. Also right side of throat feels numb cant feel things go down throat. Also have twitching around body but also a lot where dent in calf is

Clean brain mri, cervical mri, tons of blood work, still waiting on a few specialized ones sent out to california, and a clean ncs/emg a month ago. Going for another one on monday.

In the parts i do have "atrophy" it hurts and feels sensitive when i touch it. This has all started like 2-3 months ago and i just feels like it may be getting worse. Idk whats happening to me please someone help! And for those that think anxiety. Can anxiety truly call these symptoms plus physical symptoms like this?

 

[AfraidButNotAlone]

Clean emg is a good indicator that it is NOT ALS

 

[jillibillibob]

But i feel like i have been getting worse can it be too early to detect anything? I have a weak grip with my pinky and ring finger not too bad but i feel it and i was sure i have carpal tunnel or ulnar nerve but nothin is coming up and i never notice this mushy dent in my calf before that my primary even said was some atrophy but suggests nothing bad.

 

[Dusty7]

"Hyperreflexia 3+ no clonus." What did the neuro say about this? Whether the… 3 + responses are normal depends on what they were previously, that is, the patient's reflex history; what the other reflexes are; and analysis of associated findings such as muscle tone, muscle strength, or other evidence of disease. Asymmetry of reflexes suggests abnormality.” Did your neuro say this was abnormal for you? If so, then this is a potentially serious symptom. (From Clinical Methods, by Walker)

“Right side of body from head to toe is skinnier by 1/2-3/4 inch…” As measured by a doctor?

“…i have awkwardness and skinny parts to right hand, arm feels weak but still can lift things but even when i lift objects my arm feels very fatigued…” Sensory = not ALS

“…i also have a mushy dent that i can feel but not see in my left calf even dr said it could be some atrophy but isnt concerned.” Listen to your doctor

“My right shoulder droops down and my hip seems a little off and my right foot feels tight when i take a step. Also right side of throat feels numb cant feel things go down throat.” Shoulder droop would have to assessed by a doctor. The”feel” stuff is sensory = not ALS

“Also have twitching around body but also a lot where dent in calf is.”Twitching can be caused by too much caffeine, anxiety, fatigue and many other things. So, it’s non-diagnostic.

“In the parts i do have "atrophy" it hurts and feels sensitive when i touch it.” Sensory = not ALS

Atrophy can be a serious condition. If you have measurable atrophy, discuss it with a doctor.

Hyperreflexia, atrophy and clinical weakness are “must haves” for ALS and I don’t hear any clinical weakness. And the clean EMG a month ago indicates it’s not ALS. See how the next EMG turns out and discuss 3+ reflexes and atrophy with your neuro. What does he think could be causing them? Yes, anxiety can cause all kinds of sensory symptoms, so try to relax. Good luck on Monday!

 

[jillibillibob]

Dusty! He says hyperrflexia could be from just having a baby 3 months ago but 2 years earlier or a year they were 2 normal. But they are symmetrical. No clinical weakness he sees. Says people are assymetrical even though i have never been this way before. I am currently losing weight due to stress and stomach issues i have. Idk if this contributes but i feel everyday im getting skinnier i can see the change. Idk why i cant get this als fear out of my head!

 

[jillibillibob]

My neuro says for sure not als but he is sending me to a specialist at the university just to ease my mind i think idk! But until then he is repeating emg on my "atrophy" hand again and that until i can see the specialist!

 

[Atsugi]

Well, in some sense I have to say "Congratulations!" because we know you don't have ALS.
I've considered each and every one of your symptoms and definitely, you aren't describing ALS.
Plus the clean EMG poiints to no ALS.
Congratulations.

Good luck figuring it out with your doctor.

 

[Dusty7]

Nice neuro to refer you on to ease your mind. I would go in with all my questions and fears written down so my mind would be at ease when I walked out. Good luck!

 

[jillibillibob]

Thank you dusty! His exact words were. I dont see anything and i have given you all the tests. Since you are persistent with these concerns i can send you over to a specialist who only deals with this on a daily basis and maybe sees something i dont but im telling you this is not als! (Even though my brain cant shake it) 4 eyes is better than two . And he gave me the referral to the specialist and is doing a repeat emg to ease my mind beforehand! But with the new atrophy i feel i have im fearful of these results but hoping if its normal i can finally get this out of my head!