Weak right foot and arm

[Crossfree]

Hello everyone, I started having a problem with fatigue in my right foot while driving to weeks ago, and now I'm getting fatigue in my right arm when I tried to fish in my pond. I have lots of twitching head to toe. I had a clean EMG February 20, 2017, but they were testing for sensory neuropathy in my feet. I can get up on my tiptoes, I have cramps sensation in legs. Will anyone comment on this, I hope you are using the correct terminology hello hello yes oh you know another day I was everything oh you know what what can I say you know I'm ****ed up I don't know what else .

 

[lgelb]

Crossfree,
An EMG to test for anything tests for everything. It is the same test. So if it was clean, I would explore other possible causes with an internist.

Best,
Laurie

 

[Crossfree]

Is this possible als?

I had sensory neuropathy in feet starting January 14, 2017. On February 20 I had an EMG for that problem alone. It was clean. February 2nd I started twitching all over head to toe. Still going on. I have Fatigue right foot and it spread to right forarm started march 19th. Cramping and back of right leg. Cannot drive long-distance (25 mile or more) due to fatigue in right foot.Pain also involved in this in hand and foot and inside of elbow. It is spreading very fast, GBS has been rolled out. If the twitching started February 2, and I had had an EMG on February 20 for sensory neuropathy, will the EMG show signs of ALS so soon after the twitching started? Also had sudden unexplained acute onset constipation 12/5/16. The head to toe twitching started 18 days after the leg and foot neuropathy started. Have had very complete work up, u name it. Worried very much. Can someone please comment?

 

[ShiftKicker]

Mod note- please continue posting in this thread to ensure continuity and help make sure your posting history is all together in one place

 

[Vincent]

An EMG test is done to read the signals from the brain to the muscle being tested. Impaired signals would show up no matter what they were looking for. The muscle would show denervation long before you would notice any symptoms. The fact you had a clean EMG means whatever you have going on is not nerve related. Lucky you. Twitching in ALS usually shows up in muscles that are already pretty much paralyzed. Keep working with your dr. but you don't need to be here.
Vincent

 

[WendyWooG]

Hi
I had no twitching when I had my EMG but the test still showed up problems. I wasn't having the test for als my rheumatologist had ordered it to check out something else. The test can show problems quite a way before you notice physical symptoms.

Wendy

 

[Lkaibel]

I personally spoke with a man who had volunteered as a control (normal/non symptomatic person) for an EMG study. Turns out he showed significant abnormalities one YEAR before his ALS symptoms started.

If your EMG is clean, you should have no ALS concerns.

 

[Crossfree]

Thanks to all for your consideration. I do have two more emgs sceduled for increasing muscle fatigue, tightness, cramping, and now stabbing pain (twitching reported earlier). If something shows up I will report. Does anyone know how long one should wait for second EMG to show any changes in results for whatever problem I might have?


Steve

 

[Crossfree]

Question, can als start with fatigue in a foot or arm or hand, etc.? Or is it simply weakness without the fatigue? I would assume that the answer would be based on your Experience. Thank you

 

[Nikki J]

Weakness no fatigue. Speaking for me and my family ( I am FALS)

 

[Crossfree]

Now fatigue in neck, in addition to foot and arm. No one on here has said it started with fatigue vs weakness that I have read. Is that right?

 

[lgelb]

Correct. It is not a feeling or pain as much as trying to do something and not able to. From your description, my next neuro discussion would focus on getting a spine MRI, not another EMG.

 

[Luesco24]

i have ALS I started having cramps in my right leg in 2015 and crying bouts for no reason even just listening to music, March 2015 I started limping and my right leg was so weak, working got difficult started walking normal after a few steps limping again. When to primary care doctor explained about my cramps and my right leg, At first she told me we will check electrolytes after a few visits with her I mentioned that muscles were moving for no reason. Then she send me to a Neurologist. August 2016 she did a strength exam rise with your tip toes I failed walk only with your ankles failed, bend your toes on your right foot, bended and they got cramped, did not have strength in my right foot. She told me you have a dropped right foot. Short story next EMG and forgot the name when you get the pins in your body. Doctor call me after a week after the tests, come by my office and I got the terrible news. Those test will tell what you have. The test result is clean you don't have ALS. Good luck.

 

[Crossfree]

Thank you so much for your response. I very much appreciate it. A doctor at Duke did a Short EMG. He did this around April 21. He only stuck needle in a large muscle at the top of my foot and a muscle in my hand. Those were the only two needle insertions. I assume that a standard protocol?

By the way, he did do the shark nerve conduction study part also, the needle and the shocking we're all done on the right side which is the side with fatigue.

 

[Crossfree]

Hi,
I have had two EMGs, one in February and one in April. I can no longer drive over 20 miles without severe fatigue in my right foot, and now I see that there are dents on both sides of my right ankle, I guess you could call atrophy? It's quite evident, I showed a neurologist, but she said they look symmetrical. She would not admit that there is an obvious, obvious difference between the left ankle and right ankle. my question is, can you have an EMG too early, and have atrophy with a clean EMG and fasciculations, and muscle fatigue in the affected area? Again, the obvious loss of muscle is on both sides of the right ankle, the foot that is affected when I tried driving. I have had ultrasound to make sure the blood supply is adequate and they were normal. I have had MRIs up and down the spine and brain. I have not had a test for Lyme disease. Nor have I had one for heavy-metal. I do not know why. I did have those test three years ago when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Or is this problem obviously something else? Can the EMGs simply miss the muscles that are affected? The first EMG involved seven needle insertion's in the legs and feet, and the one in April involved only two needle insertion, one in my right foot and one on my right hand. Both were said to be clean. Thank you for any comments you may have whatever they may be.