muscle wasting question

[Kristina1]

Over the past months my thumb muscle has been visibly shrinking. The first neurologist I saw (pre-diagnosis) was the first to point it out to me in February and I saw she was correct that it was visibly noticeably flatter than my other hand. Since then it has shrunk more. In the last week I have noticed that I now see the contours of my bone sticking out at two spots due to the muscle wasting. Despite this obvious visual progression, I still feel my hand has the same general level of weakness that it did a month or 2 ago. The same things I can do and cannot do still stand. Why is that? I'm not complaining- I'm glad I have not lost more abilities with it, but I find it strange. You would think if you visibly see it shrinking further that your ability to use the muscle would be shrinking at the same rate.

 

[Kristina1]

Yeah I know it's the general progression for this to happen to the muscles. My question was why I am not noticing a corresponding reduction in ability. The hand is weak, it has been weak. But it is the same amount of weakness as a month ago, whereas VISUALLY the muscle is significantly smaller than a month ago. I guess the other muscles are compensating.

I'm not sure what you're asking. I'm taking riluzole which I hope slows it. I'm not sure what else I can do to slow it more.

 

[WendyWooG]

Hi Kristina
I noticed loss of function first then the muscle gradually reduced because it wasn't being used. So the wasting was a result of the loss of function not part of the reduction in strength itself. It's a bit difficult to explain. I hope I made sense.
Wendy

 

[Kristina1]

Hi Kristina
I noticed loss of function first then the muscle gradually reduced because it wasn't being used. So the wasting was a result of the loss of function not part of the reduction in strength itself. It's a bit difficult to explain. I hope I made sense.
Wendy

Oh, you're a genius! I'm looking it at backwards. That makes perfect sense!