Please help if possible

[nebrhahe53]

I have been having muscle twitches all over my body. Additionally, I have had trouble swallowing (barium swallow showed lack of esophogul motility and some silent aspiration). I am getting an EMG on Thursday, but had been holding on to my not having lost any strength. Then yesterday I tried to lift a milk jug out of the car trunk with my left hand and could not lift it. My hand is also stiff and feels somewhat numb but I wonder if instead of numb it is just heavy.
I have also had hellacious muscle cramps in bicepcs triceps hand forearms and toes. The digits during cramps look as though they have been dislocated.
These symptoms seem to fit ALS to a tee-is there any chance it could be something else. I have lost 15 lbs and my muscles, whats left of them look smaller.

Thank you for your consideration this is a really scary time as you probably know.

 

[Atsugi]

Yes, it could be something else. While the weakness and swallowing could be ALS, I would NOT say that all those symptoms "fit ALS to a tee." Frankly, they left me wondering what you could have.

Not all neuro-muscular degeneration is ALS. In fact, there are over 162 n-m diseases, nearly all of which are not fatal. Some are easily cured. So don't focus on ALS until Thursday. Good luck with your EMG.

 

[nebrhahe53]

Thank you Atsugi.

 

[nebrhahe53]

I forgot to mention my gp also said my reflexes were fasr-a sign of ALS and also that all my bloodwork was negative except for the presence of anti nuclear antibodies

 

[nebrhahe53]

fast sorry for the mistype

 

[Dusty7]

You don't say how long your symptoms have been going on, and frankly twitches are so common, from benign causes, they are not very diagnostic. And hyperreflexia is normal in some people. Don't get the cart before the horse... or the diagnosis before the EMG. You'll know a lot more in a few days. Don't try to guess the results.

 

[nebrhahe53]

Looking back they may have started a year or more ago. I had an ulnar nerve release because my left hand was numb. I know ALS doesnt affect sensory nerves but I wonder if it wasnt starting then, and what I interpereted as numbness was not heaviness.
I started having trouble swallowing about 5 months ago-nothing bad till the last month. Now I cant lift a jug with my left hand-that just was noticed last week and I sometimes feel my left calf is getting weak.
My arm muscles have atrophied terribly and I am down to 130lbs (5 feet 8 inches).
90% of my intake is liquid now-boost plus and Natureade mostly.
I guess Ill know for sure in a day and a half-trying not to think about it but its really hard not to. I sure hope I turn out to be a nut case, and my deepest sympathies to all of you already affected by this horrendous disease.

 

[nebrhahe53]

EMG came back clean-no als.Am going next week to a national clinic to recheck for sure, but it looks good. I will keep thinking of all the people here who are either affected themselves or caring for those who are. My prayers go with you, it takes incredible bravery to put up with this disease.

 

[MaxEidswick]

>EMG came back clean-no als

hurray!

 

[nebrhahe53]

really bad news, I went to an ALS clinic in Nashville and was examined by the head of the clinic. I do have ALS. Am absolutely devastated

 

[Nikki J]

Please respond on the posters new thread here to streamline the discussion
https://www.alsforums.com/forum/newly-diagnosed/25822-diagnosed-6-25-14-a.html