merrs
Member
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2016
- Messages
- 22
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- Oregon
- City
- cave junction
I have been lurking and I hesitate to post but I am going to. I will try to keep it brief.
Back in Dec. my walking started to change. I also kept getting bad cramps in my feet and calves. I figured I was tired or sore or just getting old(I am 41). I kept adjusting my gait and then my low back began to hurt. Went to my Pcp in February he order xray found a small(3mm) shift between my L4 and L5 sent me to spine dr. by this time my gait was bad scissoring and spastic with my feet and knees turned in. Spine doc ordered mri which came back fairly ok.
Around a week after that I noticed that my right hand would be weak and shakey sometimes, then husband noticed that my hands were loosing muscle...only the backs. At first the right was worse, now thwy are both the same. I have hollow spots around my thumbs and the outer edge and at my wrist.
The spine Dr. prescribed PT. and on the first visit he remarked how weak my legs and hip muscles are. I have very little strenghth at all my legs and feet shake with the effort of simple trying to lift them and I can't lift them with even slight resistance. Then I saw another dr at the urgent care for urine retention who suggested that I be seen by a neurologist, that i weeks since that last appointment I have begun to have fasciculations in various places, including my tongue, neck and chin. And I continue to lose strenghth and my handwriting(which was once was neat)has become sloppy and hard to accomplish.
The last week or so I have found myself sometimes gasping for air especially in bed at night. It has also become increasingly difficult to undress or roll over in bed.
I have scoured the internet looking for a cause and keep coming to ALS. I have desperately tried to find something else to explain and find nothing else that fit.
I guess I am wondering if this rings with anyone here.
Back in Dec. my walking started to change. I also kept getting bad cramps in my feet and calves. I figured I was tired or sore or just getting old(I am 41). I kept adjusting my gait and then my low back began to hurt. Went to my Pcp in February he order xray found a small(3mm) shift between my L4 and L5 sent me to spine dr. by this time my gait was bad scissoring and spastic with my feet and knees turned in. Spine doc ordered mri which came back fairly ok.
Around a week after that I noticed that my right hand would be weak and shakey sometimes, then husband noticed that my hands were loosing muscle...only the backs. At first the right was worse, now thwy are both the same. I have hollow spots around my thumbs and the outer edge and at my wrist.
The spine Dr. prescribed PT. and on the first visit he remarked how weak my legs and hip muscles are. I have very little strenghth at all my legs and feet shake with the effort of simple trying to lift them and I can't lift them with even slight resistance. Then I saw another dr at the urgent care for urine retention who suggested that I be seen by a neurologist, that i weeks since that last appointment I have begun to have fasciculations in various places, including my tongue, neck and chin. And I continue to lose strenghth and my handwriting(which was once was neat)has become sloppy and hard to accomplish.
The last week or so I have found myself sometimes gasping for air especially in bed at night. It has also become increasingly difficult to undress or roll over in bed.
I have scoured the internet looking for a cause and keep coming to ALS. I have desperately tried to find something else to explain and find nothing else that fit.
I guess I am wondering if this rings with anyone here.