MommaTeresa
Member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2014
- Messages
- 28
- Reason
- Other
- Country
- US
- State
- LA
- City
- NWLA
First of all, I am in awe of you PALS and CALS who deal with people like me. I have poured over this site today to help me decide if I should bother you at all. I will be brief and hopefully DISMISSED in short order as well!
I am 52 years old, female. I was diagnosed with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis 6.5 years ago and am happy to say I am in clinical remission. I only mention that because the beginning of the symptoms I am currently having diagnosed began about a year and a half ago, when I was without health insurance, and I spent a good deal of energy telling myself "Oh that? That must be the RA!" (spasms in my L hand, then also L foot, ankle collapsing, knee collapsing, feeling of heaviness in leg/hip, to name a few). However, new insurance and new docs have allowed me to maybe get real answers in light of ever-increasing symptoms.
Without getting into everything, this is where I am and what has led me to ask a question on here: After my PCP did MRI of neck (in April due to significant onset of pain, nerve pain, stiffness---discs herniated, so did 6 weeks of PT and pain/nerve pains gone)and then more recently MRI of brain, he referred me to neurologist for ataxia, muscle spasms and cramps, several episodes of my eyes closing uncontrollably, jaw and throat spasms with choking on liquids and the whole ankle/knee/hip collapsing. Neurologist seemed unimpressed with my presentation and my litany of complaints; I even asked "should I even be here?" as she seemed put out with me. "No, it's fine. But now that you mentioned the eyes and choking, I am going to HAVE to test for Myasthenia Gravis." Well...duh. And, sorry to make you do your job. I asked why that was a problem and she said "MG doesn't present with these cramps you describe." I said well, I present with them. She told me no to MS (I asked), saying my cervical and brain MRI showed no lesions "but we might check out your thoracic area next."
Then we did the exam. Then she says "Well, you have severely brisk reflexes." I was proud of how my leg kicked out so hard, but this made me rethink my pride. She wrote on her clipboard and said "Well, I see Upper Motor Neuron issues. We'll need to do an EMG of the upper extremities to see about your Lower Motor Neurons." She ordered some blood work and I set my appointment for Jan 20 EMG.
I left and reported to the husband "She's testing for MG." Which I guess I figured out already, not that I had it, but that it needed to be ruled out. BUT...and here's my rub...I read yesterday about MG and it does NOT include UMN stuff. I'm trying to figure out what DOES have UMN and LMN stuff and...well...you see why I might have ended up back here?!
Sigh. I know I know...let's see what the EMG says. See...I did it anyway: bothered you for no reason! ))
I am 52 years old, female. I was diagnosed with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis 6.5 years ago and am happy to say I am in clinical remission. I only mention that because the beginning of the symptoms I am currently having diagnosed began about a year and a half ago, when I was without health insurance, and I spent a good deal of energy telling myself "Oh that? That must be the RA!" (spasms in my L hand, then also L foot, ankle collapsing, knee collapsing, feeling of heaviness in leg/hip, to name a few). However, new insurance and new docs have allowed me to maybe get real answers in light of ever-increasing symptoms.
Without getting into everything, this is where I am and what has led me to ask a question on here: After my PCP did MRI of neck (in April due to significant onset of pain, nerve pain, stiffness---discs herniated, so did 6 weeks of PT and pain/nerve pains gone)and then more recently MRI of brain, he referred me to neurologist for ataxia, muscle spasms and cramps, several episodes of my eyes closing uncontrollably, jaw and throat spasms with choking on liquids and the whole ankle/knee/hip collapsing. Neurologist seemed unimpressed with my presentation and my litany of complaints; I even asked "should I even be here?" as she seemed put out with me. "No, it's fine. But now that you mentioned the eyes and choking, I am going to HAVE to test for Myasthenia Gravis." Well...duh. And, sorry to make you do your job. I asked why that was a problem and she said "MG doesn't present with these cramps you describe." I said well, I present with them. She told me no to MS (I asked), saying my cervical and brain MRI showed no lesions "but we might check out your thoracic area next."
Then we did the exam. Then she says "Well, you have severely brisk reflexes." I was proud of how my leg kicked out so hard, but this made me rethink my pride. She wrote on her clipboard and said "Well, I see Upper Motor Neuron issues. We'll need to do an EMG of the upper extremities to see about your Lower Motor Neurons." She ordered some blood work and I set my appointment for Jan 20 EMG.
I left and reported to the husband "She's testing for MG." Which I guess I figured out already, not that I had it, but that it needed to be ruled out. BUT...and here's my rub...I read yesterday about MG and it does NOT include UMN stuff. I'm trying to figure out what DOES have UMN and LMN stuff and...well...you see why I might have ended up back here?!
Sigh. I know I know...let's see what the EMG says. See...I did it anyway: bothered you for no reason! ))