Afraid of ALS after EMG

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andreas777

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Learn about ALS
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Hello guys and best luck to everyone. I want to share my story and ask for your insight if I should worry for ALS.

I 've been a victim of health anxiety since one loved person was diagnosed with brain cancer on summer 2018.
I though I had different kind of problems and had exams for them, all clear all the time.

Since 3months, I am experiencing widespread fasciculation. Mostly calves and thighs, more to the left leg and pretty much in whole body I had a twitch.

I had and EMG recently and got the results. Doctor said I shouldn't worry for ALS, but asked me for an MRI of spine and nerves around there.
The EMG says that it found +1 Pos.Waves in Gastroc. Medial and it says reduced in some value called Int. Patt in the same muscle and the vests medialis.

I attach image of it also. The nerve conduction study says it was normal.
Should I be worried about it as in the EMG they were tested only in few muscles shown in the picture? Is a +1 a sign of ALS?
I was convinced I triggered BFS with my anxiety, but I am really scared after the EMG.
17380

Thank you in advance guys. I know how hard is to have a disease like this, but I need your opinion.
 
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In ALS you see widespread active and chronic. What did the results (at the bottom) of the study say. That's where you will get your answer. Follow through with your doctor. Widespread fasciculations argue against ALS and fasciculations, in general, are present in about 70% of the population.

I see no indication of any motor neuron disease on your EMG.

You should follow up with your doctor, of course.
 
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In ALS you see widespread active and chronic. What did the results (at the bottom) of the study say. That's where you will get your answer. Follow through with your doctor. Widespread fasciculations argue against ALS and fasciculations, in general, are present in about 70% of the population.

I see no indication of any motor neuron disease on your EMG.

You should follow up with your doctor, of course.
In ALS you see widespread active and chronic. What did the results (at the bottom) of the study say. That's where you will get your answer. Follow through with your doctor. Widespread fasciculations argue against ALS and fasciculations, in general, are present in about 70% of the population.

I see no indication of any motor neuron disease on your EMG.

You should follow up with your doctor, of course.
KimT first of all thank you for your answer and time. The conclusion is in my language. I will try translate it as good as I can, but I am not sure about the English terms 100%:
"Few positives and polyphasic modules at the left medial gastrocnimial (II-2 Rizopathy?-Probably that is his assumption). Fasciculations potentials not recorded on the checked muscles."
During the exam I didn't have any fasciculations at any point and the doctor checked only those muscles, the ones I told him they are more profound. I have fasciculations in other muscles also (back, shoulder, eyes, feet) but more rare.
I have them at home and I admit they are present and more profound whenever I think about ALS or getting stressed or after exercising.
I asked for the EMG myself, because I knew I couldn't leave it behind without having one. I had other symptoms too like some fatigue on the left side muscles, which I couldn't help not self testing due to my anxiety. My strength and muscle seems same to me and when I am relaxed I see them bigger after exercise.
One other problem I had after fasciculations is that my ankle is cracking much more and louder than before. It did before also, but now is very loud.It gets better after rest and can start after for example walking for 3+ km.
The doctor said I can't see something sinister, since you don't have any weakness or atrophy and that anxiety symptoms are unpredictable which is the thing I know first hand. As I mention above he subscribed me an MRI for spine to check for some problem there as I also know that I walk with my back bowed, if the term is correct, since ever. I also work on an office and that could also affected my back and spine.

The question I have is if this EMG results is similar with those "dirty" EMG people are referring to.
I think any professional doctor cannot say give a diagnosis like ALS even after more profound symptoms are there.

I understand that people here aren't doctors or psychologists. I just want to know if anyone who wants to waste his valuable time can say if this EMG is normal or I should be worried.

And also if testing only those muscle is sufficient for ruling out ALS.
 
If you read this really carefully it will answer your questions for you and settle your mind. If it doesn't please go see your doctor for help.

Twitching means nothing, and neither do cracking joints. Happily your EMG shows nothing of ALS and if it had, the summary at the end of it would have said so. I'm so glad you got this great news ☺
 
If you read this really carefully it will answer your questions for you and settle your mind. If it doesn't please go see your doctor for help.

Twitching means nothing, and neither do cracking joints. Happily your EMG shows nothing of ALS and if it had, the summary at the end of it would have said so. I'm so glad you got this great news ☺
Ι know twitching means nothing. I really was hoping and convinced it would have been clear.
The problem is that in those 4 muscles there are some findings, which I don't know how significant they are.
Do you have experience with EMGs?
Are those +1 to Positive waves and Poly insignificant or at least insignificant to ALS?
Are those Reduce values meaningless?
Are only those muscles enough to rule out ALS?

I understand that I am in a forum for people who had some of the toughest luck, but I 've been also through very hard times, because of loved people, like you.
I don't think is possible for any doctor to diagnose ALS with one test. I just want to know if someone had any EMG with "similar" findings.
That's why I want to know if anyone (with ALS, other disease or healthy) had any EMG with those findings.

I forgot to mention I also have brisk reflexes in both knees but not on other places or Hoffman and Babinsky signs.
 
"I understand that people here aren't doctors or psychologists. I just want to know if anyone who wants to waste his valuable time can say if this EMG is normal or I should be worried "

Hi there-

Is there a reason why you are not asking your doctor or neurologist? They know your health history and are the ones who have examined you in person and can answer questions as they relate directly to your emg findings and physical examination. You are pushing strangers on the internet to answer your fears instead of speaking directly to your physician about your results and what steps, if any, should be taken next. You are insisting people confirm your fears and are not listening to the answers you have already been given here.
 
"I understand that people here aren't doctors or psychologists. I just want to know if anyone who wants to waste his valuable time can say if this EMG is normal or I should be worried "

Hi there-

Is there a reason why you are not asking your doctor or neurologist? They know your health history and are the ones who have examined you in person and can answer questions as they relate directly to your emg findings and physical examination. You are pushing strangers on the internet to answer your fears instead of speaking directly to your physician about your results and what steps, if any, should be taken next. You are insisting people confirm your fears and are not listening to the answers you have already been given.
I am sorry, but I don't insist for anyone to confirm my fears. I posted some EMG examination results and want to know if anyone had similar EMG and if somebody knows if those findings are significant or in normal range.
I am already asking doctors and having exams and I hope will figure out if something is wrong.
 
You’re not getting it. We’ve already told you we don’t believe you have ALS. You also said your doctor wasn’t concerned about ALS after your EMG. You’re apparently not believing your doctors or us and you’re asking a forum of strangers dealing with ALS if any of us have had a similar EMG.

That’s not an appropriate use of this forum. If you still have questions regarding your EMG, please address them with your doctors. If you don’t believe them, then why are you expecting us to tell you anything different?
 
I am really sorry if my messages are looking like this and if I misuse the forum.
I was really waiting to have a clean EMG.
I am really worried for that positive sharp wave value and the REDUCED values, which is considered a bad sign and I sign of something probably not benign, that's why my anxiety gets over the roof.
 
I'm sorry if I misunderstood you. The answer is - no one with ALS had a great EMG result like you got. It does not show ALS.
If that isn't clear enough it is important you go back and work it through with your doctor - we can't honestly do a single thing more. You have had lots of clear answers here and I wish you all the best, this is great news!
 
I'm sorry if I misunderstood you. The answer is - no one with ALS had a great EMG result like you got. It does not show ALS.
If that isn't clear enough it is important you go back and work it through with your doctor - we can't honestly do a single thing more. You have had lots of clear answers here and I wish you all the best, this is great news!
Thanks a lot for answering and the last answer helps as it refers to my question, which is about the EMG which is not something I can just say or alter from my anxiety.
It is based on an important test for ALS, that's why my question is if this is a suspicious EMG and if I should ask to test more muscles.
My doctor says he doesn't see something sinister and already scheduled for a spine MRI and imagine I really hope for a finding there, which says a lot about my anxiety for ALS.
He says that human body can't be perfect and some nerve can cause this "anomaly"and that during stress nobody can predict anything especially in neurology which is by far the hardest to evaluate in my opinion.
I get that I am asking people with their problems and wasting precious seconds for me and I can't thank you and others more for that.
if anyone plans to visit Greece I will be very happy to even host if he wants to visit Athens, and help him around.
 
This EMG is not suspicious for ALS. There is no reason to test more muscles for it. Even if the MRI is negative, there would not be any reason to suspect any more than now, which is not at all. Many people have mild nerve damage from some combination of an old injury, overuse, and kinks in their spine, which are extremely common. Your neuro is doing an MRI just to make sure there is nothing to fix.

It is like if you drop a spoon and it always shows a dent, but it is still a fine spoon.

Best,
Laurie
 
This EMG is not suspicious for ALS. There is no reason to test more muscles for it. Even if the MRI is negative, there would not be any reason to suspect any more than now, which is not at all. Many people have mild nerve damage from some combination of an old injury, overuse, and kinks in their spine, which are extremely common. Your neuro is doing an MRI just to make sure there is nothing to fix.

It is like if you drop a spoon and it always shows a dent, but it is still a fine spoon.

Best,
Laurie
Thank you also for your insight on the matter Laurie. Your opinions seriously really help me to ease my mind.
To make it clear one more time, I really don't want to get a positive from someone. Mostly I want to know that is negative as the doctor he told me that nothing is suspicious, but I didn't ask for more as I trust doctors' opinions. My mind though is harder to get rid of it after checking the results.
To have some issue is not a problem. As I mention above I also suffer from loss of a loved person and I am writing on a forum about ALS.
I am struggling to get rid of ALS anxiety, that's why I asked for an EMG, as in the end my mind can be capable to create some problem if it didn't.
 
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