Als symptoms

[george1975]

Hi I am 40 years old male with many strange symptoms last 5 months since September.
All started with fasciculations and pain in my legs mostly in calfs and sole and a burning sensation (feeling) at same areas also a feeling of tightness and vibrating under the skin.
Also in my left hand I have trembling and every day I wake up with my fingers numb,
but no fasciculations there just feeling it too weak especialy when lifting something heavy.
Fasciculations until today are very strong in calfs and soles and they don't let me relax not even a single moment.
I also get fasciculations in many places of my body for some seconds and then they stop like in my eyes, neck, face, thumb ,biceps and they freak me out.
I went to 3-4 Neuro and I had 4 EMG but no clue whats going on they found the fasciculations but no active denervation just some polyphasic dynamic in some muscles all said nothing to worry about.
I have read the Sticky many times trying to find answers but still have some questions.
1)After 5 months with symptoms is it possible not to find ALS on EMG ?
2)Is it too early to have mobility problems and atrophy ?
3)Is pain common in als ?
4)Can u feel the fasciculations in ALS ?
Here is the report of EMG:
EMG_zpststqtoll.jpg Photo by dimis1305 | Photobucket

 

[KimT]

You don't have ALS. Wish I had your EMG.

 

[Atsugi]

1)After 5 months with symptoms is it possible not to find ALS on EMG ?
No. ALS would be on the EMG before you can see symptoms.

2)Is it too early to have mobility problems and atrophy ?
Not too early. My wife went from first symptom, drop foot, to walking with a cane in one month. She had a very rapid progression.

3)Is pain common in als ?
Not at all. The ALS does not hurt. This is how ALS works: First, ALS destroys a motor nerve in your brain so that nerve cannot send the "go" signal to its corresponding muscle. So the muscle doesn't go. It just lays limp and useless, paralyzed. There is no pain, no feeling of weakness, burning or exhaustion. No numbness or weird feeling. Nothing. It just doesn't go, ever again.

4)Can u feel the fasciculations in ALS ?
Usually, yes.

Your doctors don't see ALS in you. Neither do we.

 

[george1975]

The problem is that I have done all possible exams and still no clue whats going on with me and my symptoms exept a central disc prolapse L5 S1 and my calcium level is a bit elevated but still in normal levels. Calcium is 10,3 mg/dl and normal is up to 10,5.

 

[Atsugi]

I'm sorry, George, we cannot diagnose you because we are not doctors.

We know ALS pretty well, and you appear not to have ALS.

That's all we can say.

 

[george1975]

What does polyphasic dynamic mean?

Also does anyone know what polyphasic dynamic means ?

 

[Nikki J]

I have not heard that specific phrase however I thin it must refer to a certain category of EMG findings that you say you were already told by your doctor were not worrisome. My understanding is that it is completely non specific and nothing that generally requires follow up. This seems to coincide with what your doctor said. The most wortisome thing on an EMG related to ALS are fibs and positive sharp waves and you had none at all

 

[gooseberry]

With elevated calcium, I would get my parathyroid glands looked at. Hyperparathyroidism can give you a high normal calcium or a substantially out of range calcium. They can do blood tests for parathyroid hormone and calcium levels. Also have them check your thyroid. Hyperthyroid can cause all sorts of weird things as well. Weight loss, fascics, fatigue, all are symptoms. I would see an endocrinologist. Your symptoms do not sound like als to me.

 

[george1975]

Thanks for your time and your reply,
I have already check my parathyroid and it is in normal range in blood.
Is it possible the L5 S1 Disc prolapse to cause the fasciculations in both calfs and soles ?
Because Neuro said no but while reading on net I found that this is possible.
Thanks again for your time.

 

[Atsugi]

"Neuro said no but while reading on net I found that this is possible."

Medics writing articles on the web are judged by completeness--have they included every possibility? Because there will always be some critic who will say: But you forgot...

Medics in an office seeing patients are judged by effectiveness and standards of care--Your neurologist must run through a 1000 possibilities in his head in an instant, and then give you the answer that will lead toward improving your health.

Bring this up to your neurologist and discuss it if you wish.

Note that while we know ALS pretty well, we can't diagnose your other problems. This is not a general health forum.