Recent content by jsmida

Hello out there, My mother has bulbar onset ALS so her speech is almost gone since being diagnosed last November. I am attending a support group and we were discussing newer communication devices. My mom does not want anything to do with typing like on a computer. I know there are deviced out...

Hi! I am sure we have the familial ALS running in our family from my mom's side. My mother is currently showing signs of bulbar onset while her mother and mother's brother started out with lower limb symptoms. In talking with another family member today I found out it goes back much farther in...

Does anyone out there have ALS that runs in your family? Want to know if the symptoms started the same in your cases. Our family seems to have cases that start in lower limbs (arms) and now have a case that has started out in bulbar symptoms (speech). Is there a support group for those who have...

Thank you very much for the clarification.

Is a Bipap and Cpap machine the same thing? My mom has had one for a few years due to snoring. She recently since Sept has had a hoarse voice, slurred speech and now has problems clearing phlegm out of her throat. Thing is the neurologist can't give a definite diagnosis of ALS because she...

That's what we have found wih my mom. As the day goes on or if she gets upset/emotional her speech starts to get more slurred. My dad just informed me from Florida (where they go for the winters) that she is now having problems clearing phlegm in her throat. Could this be a sign things are...

The funny thing here is for years I have been telling her to loose weight because of her heart and fluid problem to get her off the meds. Plus that she has started to go to Curves to loose weight. I have got myself in quite a pickle now. I guess now I can only hope that when she goes to Florida...

We did get the test results back and were all nomal for her age (61) and the MD told her is was still most likely ALS but there aren't enough symptoms to diagnose it. My mom did mention to me that she did indeed have an EMG done and it showed degeneration in one ankle and shoulder which she had...

Bulbar onset ? My mom has had problems with her speech as of Sept of this year. She has had an MRI, CAT scan and pulmonary function test done which have all come back normal for her age. An EMG was done showing degenaration in one ankle and shoulder. Her Md and neurologist are still saying it...

well my mom did get her test results back which were all within normal range for her age. I found out from her that she did have an EMG done by the neurologist which only showed slight degeneration in one of her ankles and shoulders. But earlier in her life she had broken that same ankle and...

In your dad's case did his slurred speech seem better than other days? Reason I am asking is because today when I was talking to my mom her speech seemed very good as compared to other days when it seems quite bad. We are still awaiting her test results so there is nothing else new. Jsmida

Thanks for the advice and I will keep you posted on test results which I hope come in over the next few days. My mom has informed me that if the test results come back normal she will be heading to Florida which I told her it should be her choice what she does. She said she will get the EMG done...

I know that her MRI is clear but can you tell me...with only having speech problems, would an EMG test show anything at this stage? Or is this test for people who have muscle weakness?

Hasn't had EMG done yet. I think the neurologist is waiting to see what the first set of tests find. Our family thinks it is ALS because my grandma and my grandma's brother passed away from it. Since you are well versed in the medical world could I ask you what other conditions could cause the...

The problem in not knowing how fast it could progress, my mom wants to go to Florida as she and my dad do every year. I feel selfish asking her to stay here in Canada in case anything happens. My dad is in denial thinking the doctors can fix her. What do you do when test results come back with...