arm and leg symptoms

[mcmom]

Hi all,

I'm so scared, I don't know where to turn. Here's my story: about 1 1/2 months ago, i woke up during the night with strange tingling in my left leg and left arm. Was up for about 2 hours and then fell sleep. My arm felt better in the morning and my leg was progressively better a few days later. I was fine for about two weeks and then strange feelings started again. I've felt strange sensations in my leg--some twitching, feeling like it is numb on the inside, not outside. I woke up in the morning many days with my calf feeling like it does after a cramp. My arm would periodically feel like it was cramping or like there was a hot rod in it.

saw my GP and he sent me to a neurologist after doing all the blood tests--lyme, diabetes, b12, etc. The EMG and NCV came back normal. I've also tried a chiropractor, but no difference. Today my arm is so sore, I can't straighten it. I'm scared I'm having early ALS cramping. There's no noticeable difference in strength with the exception of I can't hold my flip flops on my left foot as well as on my right.

Does this sound like ALS? Based on everything I've read, it sounds like early symptoms. As you can imagine, it's driving me crazy--I can't think of anything else. I would appreciate ANY insight you can give me.

Thanks

 

[wright]

Please don't jump to any conclusions, mcmom. Your symptoms could be explained by a gazillion different things.

It sounds as if your symptoms came on very suddenly, which isn't typically how ALS presents . . . and very rarely (there is a small percentage of PALS with sensory symptoms but it's rare) does ALS present with the sensory symptoms that you have described (i.e. tingling and numbness), especially initially.

Please don't self-diagnose yourself. You can't imagine how many benign conditions there are that are not indicated on the internet. Leave the diagnosing to your physicians.

What did your neuro tell you after he evaluated you?

 

[mcmom]

neuro's response

Yes they came on pretty quickly, but seem to be getting worse or am I paying too much attention to them? The neuro said everything looked fine and maybe it was just some slight pinched nerves that didn't show up on the EMG. He thought the arm and leg were unrelated, but I have a hard time getting out of my head that I just suddenly woke up one night with tingling in both. He said no follow-up necessary or anything. I'm just thinking that maybe I went in too early?

 

[wright]

ALS does not spring-up on you overnight. It is an insidious disease that sneaks-up on you. Take solace in the fact that your symptoms came-on so suddenly and that your sensory symptoms point away from ALS. Listen to your neuro and do your best to calm yourself. Keep an eye on things and call him/her if you have any changes.

 

[planningguy]

Mcmom,

You don't mention whether or not you've had an MRI yet. Maybe there is a straightforward explanation. It's unfortunate that most "google" searches turn up ALS pretty quickly when you search for information on certain symptoms. My early google searches brought me here, and since then, as Wright has explained, I have found out that there is a plethera of physical conditions that can cause the symptoms you describe.

I wish you the best of luck as you move forward, and welcome to the forum.

Robert

 

[mcmom]

MRi

Yes, I forgot to mention MRI and CT scan--both normal.