Status
Not open for further replies.

Tgregory2671

New member
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Messages
5
Reason
Learn about ALS
Country
Us
State
Ny
City
Watertown
Hello.

45 yr old female dealing with what I thought was a back injury for over a year. Last July I woke up with my left leg numb and in excruciating pain in my back. I was diagnosed with herniated discs in my back and the leg was a result of stenosis in canal. The pain left my leg but the weakness got worse. My dr ordered an emg which came back abnormal. He stated the injury caused permanent damage to my left leg. I accepted this. In June of this year my left arm went numb. One day I woke up left arm was numb, my thumb and my index finger. I told my dr and he referred me to an orthopedic dr who said I had carpal tunnel and needed surgery. I chose not to do the surgery as I was still dealing with my back pain and leg issues. In September my right leg went numb and was weak. I could not walk up the stairs without holding the wall. My groin became numb and I began having random urinary incontenence. To the neurosurgeon I went assuming it was again my back injury. My MRI showed no compression on the nerve that controls bladder but my tspine MRI did show lesions. To the urologist now. Urologist does an exam and states I have loss of nerve function all through groin area and has referred me to neurologist. I am currently waiting for appointment.
This morning I dropped my coffee. This normally would not be a big deal but I began thinking about the past month and how often I drop things. My phone at least 3 or 4 times a day. Spoons, forks, remote. I have come to accept it as part of my carpal tunnel symptoms.
Then I remembered something the neurosurgeon said. If you start to drop things pay attention because you have hyperreflexes. My ortho dr as well stated I needed to have someone look into my reflexes. So I googled and here I am.
I have a positive emg, lesions on spine, hyperreflexes, weakness in legs and one arm and hand. I also have severe back pain and numbness in entire lower half. Now I am dropping things. Am I crazy or should I be asking this neurosurgeon to rule this disease out?
 
Nothing at this point indicates ALS, which you may have read in the sticky titled READ BEFORE POSTING.

Your emg may have been abnormal but not with an 'ALS abnormal '
 
Neurologist sounds like correct doctor, not neurosurgeon. There are many causes of abnormal EMGs and not all abnormal EMG results even look like ALS. Lesions on spine also sounds like something else. Clearly you have issues but the numbness and spinal lesions sound like something else. Did you have a brain mri? Did you ask the doctor what his thoughts were in referring you? take away the emg which had another explanation and may point away from ALS for all we know and I would wonder about ms but of course the neurologist needs to sort it out. I am only going by numbness and spinal lesions
Good luck
 
Last edited:
Thanks...I as well considered maybe ms. I was referred to neurologist due to my lack of sensation when physical exam performed. I can not feel a needle. I have not had a brain scan I am sure it will be ordered next. I never would have considered ms or als had it not been for the continuing loss of control of my limbs. My right arm and hand is the only thing that works normally. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Just after researching I of course became a but nervous.
 
The numbness points away from ALS, but certainly suggest something neurological. Try not to diagnose yourself. Just let the doc do his job. It's hard, but offering your own diagnoses may get in the way.

Best of luck--I hope you don't hear those letters

Becky
 
Numbness and pain don't sound at all like ALS. A big red flag for this disease are parts that painlessly just fail.That's not what you are describing. As to the EMG others here are right, lots of ways for an EMG to be abnormal that are not ALS. The carpal and tendonitis in my hands and wrists is such that the EMG/NCS done years ago in my arms and hands were BOTH abnormal, indicating, you guessed it Carpal Tunnel. A medical note to file for me pretty much for life is that the right hand was so affected by carpel I could never expect to have a completely normal exam there due to nerve damage. So yes, lots of abnormal EMG's are not ALS.

Keep pushing for answers, but I am betting against your having ALS.
 
Not feeling the pins indicate sensory nerve damage. ALS is motor nerve damage. I wouldn't worry about ALS but I would continue with the neurologist to get a proper diagnosis.

Best wishes.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top