billybob
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2016
- Messages
- 32
- Reason
- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 09/2017
- Country
- US
- State
- FL
- City
- The Villages
Hello. I am new to this forum.I am male, age 66. In May 2014 while at our home in Ohio, I discovered I could not start going up a ladder with my left leg no matter how hard I tried. Prior to that, I sort of "pulled" a muscle in that leg simply slow-dancing with my wife . Then I started having a difficult time going up steps, so I went to a chiropractor that month and he took an x-ray of my back and referred me to a neurologist.
I visited UC Health Center in Cincinnati in July 2014 and went through a field test and a lot of blood tests. Blood tests were normal but strength was diminished in my left leg and foot. I had an MRI of spine and that was normal. The neuro gave me an EMG which he said was normal, so he thought I had Parkinson's and gave me Sinemet. I was on that drug for two months but things got worse with cramps and twitches.
In September I was at our other home in Florida and was referred to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Since my initial visit in September of 2014, I have been there seven times including three EMGs. At the first visit, the neurologist there immediately took me off Sinemet and said I did not have Parkinson's. The first EMG was abnormal: Abnormal study. There is evidence of a chronic, inactive left L5 radiculopathy. There is also a possible chronic, inactive left lower thoracic radiculopathy. There is insufficient evidence to support a disease of the lower motor neurons or their axons on
this study..
The next EMG was in June 2015 which there was no change. The 3rd EMG was in January 2016 following another field exam at which there were visible fasiculations and some new weakness in my left arm. Cramps are in my left calf, right calf and forearms. The 3rd EMG showed new changes: Abnormal study. There is electrophysiologic evidence of a mild sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy which was not present on the prior study in January of 2015. There were doublets observed in several muscles of uncertain clinical significance but can be seen in hyperventilation and metabolic disturbances..
To date, I have been diagnosed with "probable" PLS and the Mayo neuro will not rule out ALS and wants to watch me over the next few years. In the meantime I struggle with even the slightest exertion and my gait is bad and using a cane now. Has anyone else been through this same issue? Has it eventually progressed to ALS? Is it worth getting a 2nd opinion or is Mayo's ALS Center of Excellence the best there is?
Thanks in advance for reading my long message.
BillyBob
I visited UC Health Center in Cincinnati in July 2014 and went through a field test and a lot of blood tests. Blood tests were normal but strength was diminished in my left leg and foot. I had an MRI of spine and that was normal. The neuro gave me an EMG which he said was normal, so he thought I had Parkinson's and gave me Sinemet. I was on that drug for two months but things got worse with cramps and twitches.
In September I was at our other home in Florida and was referred to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Since my initial visit in September of 2014, I have been there seven times including three EMGs. At the first visit, the neurologist there immediately took me off Sinemet and said I did not have Parkinson's. The first EMG was abnormal: Abnormal study. There is evidence of a chronic, inactive left L5 radiculopathy. There is also a possible chronic, inactive left lower thoracic radiculopathy. There is insufficient evidence to support a disease of the lower motor neurons or their axons on
this study..
The next EMG was in June 2015 which there was no change. The 3rd EMG was in January 2016 following another field exam at which there were visible fasiculations and some new weakness in my left arm. Cramps are in my left calf, right calf and forearms. The 3rd EMG showed new changes: Abnormal study. There is electrophysiologic evidence of a mild sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy which was not present on the prior study in January of 2015. There were doublets observed in several muscles of uncertain clinical significance but can be seen in hyperventilation and metabolic disturbances..
To date, I have been diagnosed with "probable" PLS and the Mayo neuro will not rule out ALS and wants to watch me over the next few years. In the meantime I struggle with even the slightest exertion and my gait is bad and using a cane now. Has anyone else been through this same issue? Has it eventually progressed to ALS? Is it worth getting a 2nd opinion or is Mayo's ALS Center of Excellence the best there is?
Thanks in advance for reading my long message.
BillyBob