7 years with symptoms but no diagnosis?
Hello,
I find myself back here because I want to know if anyone has heard of ALS-like symptoms that go on for a very long period of time.
My first symptom was fasciculations back in the fall of 2006. Soon after, I had exercise intolerance, that would leave my muscles incredibly weak for several hours (real weakness, as in couldn't lift certain fingers, but the strength would always return.)
After the first year I got atrophy in my thenar muscle on my right thumb. Some doctors called it muscle wasting and "clear atrophy" and other disagreed and said it was just how my thumb muscle looked. I know that it didn't always look like that. I have developed similar muscle loss in my foot.
Here I am in 2014. The good news is that I have yet to have any dramatic change where permanent muscle weakness has presented itself over this 7 year stretch. I can still walk, button my shirts, talk, etc.
However, my symptoms persist and have gotten worse over time. My muscles twitch every day and they shake like crazy. They don't just "feel" shaky, they are shaky, especially after any type of physical exertion as simple as carrying in groceries. My face muscles shake if I scrunch up my nose or hold a smile for more than a few seconds.
The muscles are also incredible sore after exertion. If I do something like shovel snow or even use a screwdriver for a while, my muscles first get weak, and then when the strength returns they are intensely sore and painful to touch.
I feel like, from what I know of ALS, 7 years without any dramatic presentation puts me pretty safely in the "not-ALS" camp. But I'm concerned that these symptoms not only continue, but get slowly and progressively worse over time.
Has anyone heard of this or a condition that may cause similar symptoms?
Background info: I have seen several doctors who can't explain it. I'm a 31 year old male. I don't have hypochondria or health anxiety. It has been several years since I had an EMG but they have all been clean with the exception of slightly reduced nerve conduction in my right arm, fasciculations and sings of "mild demyelination." I also experience bad migraines.
Any help or suggestions are appreciated.
Hello,
I find myself back here because I want to know if anyone has heard of ALS-like symptoms that go on for a very long period of time.
My first symptom was fasciculations back in the fall of 2006. Soon after, I had exercise intolerance, that would leave my muscles incredibly weak for several hours (real weakness, as in couldn't lift certain fingers, but the strength would always return.)
After the first year I got atrophy in my thenar muscle on my right thumb. Some doctors called it muscle wasting and "clear atrophy" and other disagreed and said it was just how my thumb muscle looked. I know that it didn't always look like that. I have developed similar muscle loss in my foot.
Here I am in 2014. The good news is that I have yet to have any dramatic change where permanent muscle weakness has presented itself over this 7 year stretch. I can still walk, button my shirts, talk, etc.
However, my symptoms persist and have gotten worse over time. My muscles twitch every day and they shake like crazy. They don't just "feel" shaky, they are shaky, especially after any type of physical exertion as simple as carrying in groceries. My face muscles shake if I scrunch up my nose or hold a smile for more than a few seconds.
The muscles are also incredible sore after exertion. If I do something like shovel snow or even use a screwdriver for a while, my muscles first get weak, and then when the strength returns they are intensely sore and painful to touch.
I feel like, from what I know of ALS, 7 years without any dramatic presentation puts me pretty safely in the "not-ALS" camp. But I'm concerned that these symptoms not only continue, but get slowly and progressively worse over time.
Has anyone heard of this or a condition that may cause similar symptoms?
Background info: I have seen several doctors who can't explain it. I'm a 31 year old male. I don't have hypochondria or health anxiety. It has been several years since I had an EMG but they have all been clean with the exception of slightly reduced nerve conduction in my right arm, fasciculations and sings of "mild demyelination." I also experience bad migraines.
Any help or suggestions are appreciated.