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Jamiejohnson

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Learn about ALS
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Ca
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Anaheim
My boyfriend started with intense pain in the upper portion of his body that then went to numbness tingling and weakness. Dr. said he had brachial neuritis and some cervical nerve damage. Since January he's been in physical therapy but the symptoms continue to grow such as twitches all over his body that you could see, pain for many days after physical therapy and so weak he can't move. He has no bulbar symptoms. He has no cramps. After year the same symptoms remain our pain weakness and twitching with the twitching only happening the last couple months. His physical therapist just noticed recently that his legs are really weak and that he shakes tremendously when he tries to do his physical therapy. My boyfriend experiences tripping and dropping but he's always been clumsy. His grandfather died of
ALS. Doctors keep bouncing him around and the ALS center we are supposed to go to is taking forever to call us back. I need some kind of piece of mind until he gets diagnosed if anybody can help I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Doesn't especially sound like ALS. Read the sticky titled READ BEFORE POSTING.

Has he had an EMG? This is a very important test for als.
 
I know the waits are frustrating getting in to see the Doctors. Have you had any tests yet? You really can't know too much for sure until you get in to see the Doctor again. Good that he is going to and ALS Center, though keep in mind that this could well have nothing to do with ALS. Numbness, tingling, intense pain are not generally going to be presenting symptoms of ALS, and they already know he has cervical damage and had another diagnosis.

Take a deep breath and keep after that appointment. Best to both of you.
 
Maybe ask to be put on the cancellation list at the clinic? It worked for us. We got in within a few days.
 
Thank you for all your replies. My boyfriend has had an MRI and a nerve test where they put him with needles and his upper extremity's considering a year ago that is where the pain numbness and tingling first started. The MRI just came back that he has cervical nerve damage and put him on physical therapy. Just recently he was given a note from his dr to give to his work that he has cervical radicalapathy and to only lift 15-20 lbs but he can't even do that when he used to lift 75 lbs. Only changes are now the symptoms that he was experiencing in the upper extremities he's now experiencing in his legs and what also is new is the twitching that is visible all over his body and keeps him up at night. The pain he used to have in the upper extremities now have caused him to be so weak he needs to do abnormal movements in order to lift his arms. So basically it's pain weakness and twitching he says he hasn't experienced any cramps. I'm just so devastated because he finally recovered from his alcoholism and we became engaged and we're trying to start a new life together in these horrible symptoms are not going away and now they're sending him a ALS/MD clinic to find out why he isn't getting any better. My heart goes out to all of you who are suffering with this horrible disease I can't even imagine how hard it must be. if my bf does have it I'm glad I met you guys you all seem so supportive and positive.
 
The 'needle' test was most likely the EMG.
You (he) need to point blank ask the neurologist what the results were.

The twitching, while irritating, means nothing.

Did you read the Sticky.
 
Yes I did read the sticky. I thought I would still ask the question because I have known people and read the posts that have had similar symptoms with a diagnosis that later turn to ALS because either the first diagnosis was wrong or that it was just an addition to the ALS diagnosis. My boyfriend has Medi-Cal and they are not the best at diagnosing things we are asking for the needle test results to give to the ALS clinic. My boyfriend told me that the needle test is what they used to diagnose him with the cervical issue. We are not giving up and I'm sure going to have a new EMG taken. Thank you again for your support.
 
Hang in there Janie - and I agree with getting on that cancellation list. Let us know how it goes.
 
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