emg reading

[proudnewdad]

Hello all

I am new to this site. I have been reading these posts for some time but was trying to hold out from joining. I have had a long list of weird things going on that started in late feb early more of 2015. After going to a few docs I found myself at Columbia Hospitals neurology department. To cut a very long story short, I had an EMG in early June which was normal (Phew right!)

Well getting month blood work ( cause my docs were still trying to figure out what was going on ) my CK leaves jumped to a little over 1300. Normal range is anything below 180 I believe. Do to the high levels which have now dropped within normal range I had another EMG done. This one was not so good. The report states that I had no abnormal spontaneous activity but I had short duration MUPS and an really recruitment pattern in my bicep, hand, and cafe. I also had no abnormal spontaneous activity but I had short duration MUPS and an reduced recruitment pattern in my quad.

I have been using my clean EMG as my glimmer of hope that what I have been feeling is not ALS but now with this EMG I no longer have that. My question is how does an EMG read in someone with ALS I had gotten so much conflicting information that I didn't know what is right or wrong

I was on a medication rifampin to treat what one dr thought was bartonella. Since my CK was so high I got off all medication and since then my CK level has dropped but now i have that abnormal EMG.

Any feedback would be much appreciated

Thank you all
Mike

 

[affected]

Mike I've alerted the mods to put this in the DIHALS section. I must say that if you have been reading here a long time you know that is where you belong, this is not a discussion about ALS.

Dusty may be able to comment on the EMG but you would be best off posting the summary written on the bottom of it and asking your neurologist what is on the table.

The EMG is a tool used to diagnose a lot of conditions, so finding something does not mean ALS which is such a rare disease.

Have you told your fears to your doctors, and what do they say?

 

[proudnewdad]

Hi Tillie

Im sorry I didn't know were to post my question. I have not mentioned the fear or ALS to my doctor just yet...Your right I should. I don't mean to waste anyones time or take away from more important matters.

 

[Atsugi]

Hi, Mike. Tillie is right to say there are plenty of other reasons your EMG would show problems.

Quick question: What made you think to look at ALS? You didn't mention any symptoms of ALS. Do you have a paralyzed muscle somewhere?

 

[affected]

How about you post the summary at the bottom of your EMG report as it will tell you what conclusions have been drawn.

Then talk to your doctor, after all the doctors have seen and examined you and would know what they are looking at.

 

[Nikki J]

No abnormal spontaneous activity and short duration mups are all indications this is not ALS. If you have the report there must be a conclusion but even without it we can tell you that much. As Mike and Tillie rightly said there are many different causes of abnormal EMGs. ALS has a specific pattern. Yours is not it

 

[proudnewdad]

Guys I appreciate all of your time and help. My symptoms started with slight muscle twitching and spasms in my stomach and I didn't think anything of it. That went away and a few weeks later i got this weird pins and needles feeling all of my body (hands feet tongue face back throat etc) This lastest from march-april. I had a bunch of blood work done and it was determined I had mono for the first time at age 31 and was vitamin d deficient. I was told that the mono could have slightly thrown my immune system out of wake and it was attacking my nervous system. As those symptoms went away I thought I was on my to recovery.

Shortly after I was feeling good for a little I started being muscle tremors when I would flex a muscle, my muscle would cramp when I stretch ( even my jaw will cramp when I yawn...ouch) My wife and dr both noticed that my left cafe is smaller then my right. We actually measured it and my left is about an inch smaller. Also in the smaller cafe when I flex it with my toes pointing up it looks like the inside of my cafe is caving in.

All of this plus the abnormal EMG is what led me to believe ALS

Again thank you for your kind ears and sry if I'm wasting anyones time

 

[Atsugi]

Good news, Mike. You didn't describe ALS at all. I know that the Internet lists many symptoms, but there are nuances that are probably understood only by people personally familiar with disease. I don't know what your problem might be, but it isn't ALS.

 

[proudnewdad]

thanks for your reply and time

 

[Dusty7]

The information you posted about your EMG indicates no acute (current) denervation, but some chronic (old) denervation.

ALS is a disease of widespread, acute and chronic denervation. Since there is no active denervation, I would say your EMG is not consistent with ALS, as Nikki said.

I agree with Tillie that your should post the summary written on the bottom of it and ask your neurologist what is on the table. And I agree with Mike that your symtoms do not sound like ALS.

 

[proudnewdad]

Dusty

thank you for your explanation was very clear and helpful. Makes me feel better ha