24y, EMG Results Abnormal

[Maury512]

Hello! Im sorry for posting but I don't know how to feel after my EMG and I feel like I've given up on myself. Ill start from the beginning. I am a 24 year old turning 25 in 2 months and I have always been a very anxious person, so recently (about 3 months ago) I went to the doctors because I couldn't handle my anxiety anymore and was given an SSRI (lexapro). The same day I started taking the medication I became very twitchy and had a high heart rate and blood pressure so after 2 days of taking it I stopped I was on a very low dose 10mg I think. so around 10 days after taking the medication I started to develop muscle twitches all over my body. I also had numbness on the left side of my face and right leg. at this point I was searching what it could be and found nothing so I went to my PCP I showed him my muscle twitches (primarily in my calves but happen all over my body) and the only thing he mentioned to me was ALS and sent me to get an EMG and referred me to a Neurologist. Fast forward to today. I just came back from the doctors office after doing an EMG and XRAY I don't know what to think of this I'm now more worried than ever I think what they found was serious but I cant tell and I don't want to spend days looking things up because its killing me inside.

 

[Nikki J]

You pcp seems like a bit of an alarmist. Twitching without clinical weakness is not worrisome for ALS and numbness points away from ALS. This is not an ALS EMG and spine issues that show on emg do not always show on mri let alone xrays

 

[lgelb]

There is nothing to worry about here as regards ALS. The study and your exam suggests that you have some spine disk damage, which most of us have, and it's causing some of the problems you have. If the MRI supports it, you will be referred to physical therapy or a rehab specialist to help address your symptoms, or to another kind of specialist if any kind of direct procedure is needed. Either way, you did the right thing by seeking care but you're in the wrong place here, fortunately.

Since you are young, it's an early opportunity to correct any issues that you might be contributing to (at your age, slumping, which is like leaning on your spine, is #1). It's also an opportunity to think about your anxiety and any circumstances in your life that you should be looking hard at, rather than skipping past.

SSRIs can paradoxically amp some people up. Get enough rest, hydration, and try to de-stress and the twitching should be reduced. A balanced whole-food diet is helpful, too.

I will repeat: there is nothing here that is worrisome for ALS.

 

[Maury512]

I forgot to mention that I have no muscle weakness that I or the doctors have noticed. Here are some more pictures I forgot to add.

 

[Maury512]

hello again! I wanted to say thank you for your quick replies and your reassurance. It has made me feel much better about my situation. I know you guys arent doctors or anything like that but it still does put my heart at ease. I sent a message to the doctor that did my emg and expressed my worries about ALS and he said: (The electrodiagnostic study does not demonstrate any findings to support the diagnosis of ALS. But this does not necessarily rule it out. Clinically at this point, I do not strongly suspect ALS but I think a neurology consult may be helpful. You can discuss referral with your PCP. ) this feels like legal speak and it does concern me but still, thank you so much.

 

[lgelb]

It is legal speak. He doesn't want to say in writing that he can rule out ALS, because no one knows what the future holds. But it's pretty clear that you don't have it today.