My poor father in law is still having problems and no one can figure out what’s wrong with him. He’s convinced it’s als because it runs in the family.
He’s had ongoing problems on and off in the left leg for years. At one time it was bad circulation (got better after surgery). At another time it was sciatica-like pain (got better after a chiropractor told him to sit with a tennis ball behind his back). Another time another unidentified pain developed (cortizone shot in the spine helped). ALWAYS the same leg.
It’s since started up again, and he got another cortizone shot. Not long after that the leg went numb, and is described as dead weight. That was about a year ago. He’s been through did the tests, including EMG and was told it’s not als.
He developed problems with falling so they put him on a walker, then he was talked into getting a scooter so he could still get around and go places. He’s become depressed and just sits around not wanting to do much of anything. There is atrophy (Because he became sedentary? Because old people DO lose muscle mass?)
He’s 79 years old, will turn 80 in January. In a year’s time, if it were als wouldn’t it have spread to other areas by now especially given his advanced age? As far as we’re told, it’s still just the leg. I think he still drives and he says he still has his upper body strength. He hasn’t mentioned anything about twitching, so he probably doesn’t have that (it’s a pretty big and noticeable symptom from what most people describe).
He’s been bounced around from doctor to doctor and no one can figure out what the problem is. A neuro wanted to fit him for a leg brace – his primary told him no that wouldn’t work. This same primary recently told him he’ll probably never walk again. How does he know he’ll never walk if he can’t even figure out what the problem is? Sounds like he needs to get a new primary.
They are repeating the tests to see if anything’s changed. MRI was done last week, no change. If this were a disc issue, wouldn’t that have been detectable on an MRI? You can see a pinched nerve or slipped disc.
They’re doing a 2nd EMG today I think.
The main question: if it were als, wouldn’t it have spread in a year’s time? Especially given his age. I read that the older a person is, the faster it goes. I’m thinking the lack of progression to other parts, no twitching, and the fact that it’s been numb still steers away from als, but on the other hand (or leg rather) he’s atrophying, so we don’t know what to think.
He’s had ongoing problems on and off in the left leg for years. At one time it was bad circulation (got better after surgery). At another time it was sciatica-like pain (got better after a chiropractor told him to sit with a tennis ball behind his back). Another time another unidentified pain developed (cortizone shot in the spine helped). ALWAYS the same leg.
It’s since started up again, and he got another cortizone shot. Not long after that the leg went numb, and is described as dead weight. That was about a year ago. He’s been through did the tests, including EMG and was told it’s not als.
He developed problems with falling so they put him on a walker, then he was talked into getting a scooter so he could still get around and go places. He’s become depressed and just sits around not wanting to do much of anything. There is atrophy (Because he became sedentary? Because old people DO lose muscle mass?)
He’s 79 years old, will turn 80 in January. In a year’s time, if it were als wouldn’t it have spread to other areas by now especially given his advanced age? As far as we’re told, it’s still just the leg. I think he still drives and he says he still has his upper body strength. He hasn’t mentioned anything about twitching, so he probably doesn’t have that (it’s a pretty big and noticeable symptom from what most people describe).
He’s been bounced around from doctor to doctor and no one can figure out what the problem is. A neuro wanted to fit him for a leg brace – his primary told him no that wouldn’t work. This same primary recently told him he’ll probably never walk again. How does he know he’ll never walk if he can’t even figure out what the problem is? Sounds like he needs to get a new primary.
They are repeating the tests to see if anything’s changed. MRI was done last week, no change. If this were a disc issue, wouldn’t that have been detectable on an MRI? You can see a pinched nerve or slipped disc.
They’re doing a 2nd EMG today I think.
The main question: if it were als, wouldn’t it have spread in a year’s time? Especially given his age. I read that the older a person is, the faster it goes. I’m thinking the lack of progression to other parts, no twitching, and the fact that it’s been numb still steers away from als, but on the other hand (or leg rather) he’s atrophying, so we don’t know what to think.
