Did your ALS start after surgery?

[NotALS!]

I'm considering cervical surgery for a pinched nerve. Has anyone had surgery and then ALS started after that?

 

[hjlindley]

I had an ulnar nerve repostitioned, bi-level cervical fusions, and a lumbar fusions. the ALS was occuring at the same time. Mine is very slow. I am certain that I needed both surgeries.

 

[LizT]

Your profile says youve already been diagnosed with ALS. Im confused.

 

[trfogey]

Your profile says youve already been diagnosed with ALS. Im confused.

So is NotALS.

Read his/her old posts.

 

[NotALS!]

I was diagnosed with ALS in 2010 but had a second opinion in 2011 say it was not ALS but lyme/neck injury related. I'm still deteriorating even tho I'm taking antibiotics. I fell again today.

 

[LizT]

Sorry bout that, NotALS. I wasnt familiar with your background.
I dont know facts on the subject matter. Ive heard of PALS having surgery and coming out just fine. Ive also heard of PALS symptoms speeding up after a surgery. But thats mostly with trauma. Like I said... I dont know facts.

 

[hjlindley]

Sorry...didn't mean to confuse you. It appears that the was happeining at the same time ( concomittal condition is medspeak) and that the mechanical orthopedic problems masked the ALS. Still needed the surgeries, because the mechanical crushing of those nerves was occuring. didn't seem to speed up anytiing and may have slowed it down.

 

[ROXIESB]

Yes I had a gastric bypass and then a year later a panniculectomy. I have no idea if the surgerys could have jump started the als or not. I doubt if I will ever know the answer to this one.

 

[pmbenb83]

My husband had shoulder surgery and started having symptoms within a year. He has a very slow progression. When we first met with the ALS clinic doctors, we mentioned the surgery and one of the doctors said to contact them before any surgeries in the future. He went on to say that a drug used by anesthesiologists (possibly an antibiotic?) could cause the motor neurons to start dying off and not recover in a normal patient. I'm not sure if that was just something the ALS researchers were investigating at the time. Needless to say, my husband has not had any other surgeries.

Good luck!

 

[notme]

My neuro told me not to have surgery on my neck, but didn't tell me why. And, you need your diagnosis confirmed one way or the other...and NOT by one of those 'Lyme literate' doctors, either.

Half of them are scammers that bilk people out of thousands for needless and potentially harmful antibiotics. When and if you really NEED them, they are much less likely to work. Your body will build up resistance to them.

ALS should be confirmed or taken off the table by a qualified neuromuscular specialist.

 

[catcaniac]

My husband's ALS started rapidly after a grand mal seizure completely unrelated to ALS.

 

[ScarlettK]

Sis had a major back surgery about 3 or 4 years before her diagnosis. She had shoulder surgery after that to correct a frozen shoulder. She had symptoms of ALS before having a breast reduction in January 2011 before finally getting the ALS diagnosis in May 2011. We in the family have wondered if surgery could be related to or "jump start" ALS. Until the cause of ALS is determined there is no way of knowing.

We do know that no where in the family's history on either side has anyone ever had ALS in our family.

 

[patricia1]

l had surgery in 97 and slurred speech two years later but l blamed my als on tetanus shot.

Who really knows
Pat

 

[johnnyliverpool1]

bloody good question that...i was told.. cant remember when or by who that....my cervical probs were caused by the onset of my upper motor probs and not the cause of them...spasticity i think...i mean u can have early spas and no clue u have it...most dont know they got it till the neuro tells em...and then could av ad it years. hence causing the arthritic neck....blimey who would be a neuro..........johnnynonplussed

 

[arwaxru]

No. Mine started after a bad round of golf.