73dallen
New member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2018
- Messages
- 7
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Diagnosis
- 00/0000
- Country
- US
- State
- OK
- City
- Talala
Hi, I am new here and must say I respect those dealing with ALS....some of the toughest people on earth. I am not looking create an overblown post here, but I just got refered to a neuro and kinda looking for what to expect...reactions to my symptoms.
My blood work has shown an elevated CPK for past three years. Always been a weight lifter till this year and today’s test was 305...so consistently in low 300’s. My LDH was also elevated (360) for second time in 3 years. No lyme disease and no signs of autoimmune disease.
For the past 4 years I have always complained about morning stiffness, but nothing too abnormal.
Here’s where it’s not adding up. 3 weeks ago I had an ER visit for what was thought to be atery issues in neck - had a severe pulsing pain at base of skull. CT with dye showed all clear, went home with muscle relaxers. That weekend I had started a very labor intensive project of clearing trees on my property. This work conintued for a week. By the end of the project my right hand had severe pains, hurt to apply pressure...so I could push and pull but couldn’t grab things. Over the next week the pain shifted to my forearm, felt like icy hot under my skin, the next morning it was more like a mild cramp. By this past friday the pain copied itself into my left forearm, which the right seems slightly better now. But at the same time cramps started all over (arms, shoulders, calves) with heavy fatigued quads, not extremely hard cramps...just enough to know they are there.
I can’t tell any weakness other than from fatigue. No atrophy has been noted. I have noticed some twitching, but minor stuff. My PCP is confused b/c blood work doesn’t explain any reason for prolonged cramps....which she believes to be abnormal.
I of course have made the mistake of playing dr google...hence why I am here. I am just wondering is it common to begin with cramps and fatigue most everywhere (over 3 weeks) without some more generalized specific problem/failure. Will my nuero be dismissive and say come back when you fail. I am trying to point myself away from ALS and believe my timeline and lack of failure should do that. Sound reasonable?
My blood work has shown an elevated CPK for past three years. Always been a weight lifter till this year and today’s test was 305...so consistently in low 300’s. My LDH was also elevated (360) for second time in 3 years. No lyme disease and no signs of autoimmune disease.
For the past 4 years I have always complained about morning stiffness, but nothing too abnormal.
Here’s where it’s not adding up. 3 weeks ago I had an ER visit for what was thought to be atery issues in neck - had a severe pulsing pain at base of skull. CT with dye showed all clear, went home with muscle relaxers. That weekend I had started a very labor intensive project of clearing trees on my property. This work conintued for a week. By the end of the project my right hand had severe pains, hurt to apply pressure...so I could push and pull but couldn’t grab things. Over the next week the pain shifted to my forearm, felt like icy hot under my skin, the next morning it was more like a mild cramp. By this past friday the pain copied itself into my left forearm, which the right seems slightly better now. But at the same time cramps started all over (arms, shoulders, calves) with heavy fatigued quads, not extremely hard cramps...just enough to know they are there.
I can’t tell any weakness other than from fatigue. No atrophy has been noted. I have noticed some twitching, but minor stuff. My PCP is confused b/c blood work doesn’t explain any reason for prolonged cramps....which she believes to be abnormal.
I of course have made the mistake of playing dr google...hence why I am here. I am just wondering is it common to begin with cramps and fatigue most everywhere (over 3 weeks) without some more generalized specific problem/failure. Will my nuero be dismissive and say come back when you fail. I am trying to point myself away from ALS and believe my timeline and lack of failure should do that. Sound reasonable?