Chia01108
New member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2016
- Messages
- 5
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- Ma
- City
- Spfld
Hello,
Although I don't have clinical weakness I have been experiencing weakness for over a year and have recently started suspecting I may have ALS. I'll try to keep my story short....I am a 47 year old woman. I am overweight and have been for most of my life.
About 2 years ago I wasn't feeling well and my Primary Care Dr put me on high blood pressure and cholesterol medicine. I began exercising as I didn't like taking the pills. I began to lose weight quickly and the exercise was making me feel weak. When I saw my Dr i told him that I thought I was losing muscle. He said no I was just overdoing it and losing weight too quickly.
I started experiencing tingling and a strange burning sensation in my right foot. I also started feeling a strange burning crawling feeling down my spine. I saw a Neurologist who scheduled various blood tests (Lyme, Vitamin D, B-12, ANA, Thyroid,etc) all normal. Did NCV/EMG of right leg only was clean. Had an MRI of brain, C-spine and T-spine ....nothing unusual.
Neurologist suspected Small Fiber Neuropathy so he did a skin biopsy just before Christmas which confirmed SFN. He ordered a glucose tolerance test which ruled out a sugar intolerance.
The burning sensation (not painful, just annoying) continued to spread up mainly my right leg and down spine.
I continued to feel weakness, at times while walking or standing, I feel like my legs won't hold me up. I also started feeling what I would describe as a numb feeling in right thigh. About 2 months ago I began experiencing what I would call mild twitching in upper thigh and on my back. While looking at my legs in the mirror to see if I could actually see twitching I noticed that my right thigh (dominant side) looked smaller than my left. I measured and it was smaller (not quite an inch).
I called the Neurologist and explained my newest sympthoms and told him I suspected ALS. He said no, couldn't be because my EMG was normal. I told him the "atrophy" was in my thigh, above the knee and he had only tested below my knee. He agreed to see me again and see if I needed another EMG.
I saw him about 2 weeks ago and he took some measurements and agreed right thigh was slightly smaller than left. He did EMG of thigh and said there was no weakness. He didn't test my back. He prescribed Gabapentin and said he'd see me in a few months.
The morning after I saw Neurologist I woke up with strange cramp like feeling in right arm and hand. It is also starting to feel weaker than left. I also noticed that my right hand looks smaller than my non-dominant left hand.
I am waiting for an appointment with another Neurologist....but I can't get stop worrying I have ALS.
Although I don't have clinical weakness I have been experiencing weakness for over a year and have recently started suspecting I may have ALS. I'll try to keep my story short....I am a 47 year old woman. I am overweight and have been for most of my life.
About 2 years ago I wasn't feeling well and my Primary Care Dr put me on high blood pressure and cholesterol medicine. I began exercising as I didn't like taking the pills. I began to lose weight quickly and the exercise was making me feel weak. When I saw my Dr i told him that I thought I was losing muscle. He said no I was just overdoing it and losing weight too quickly.
I started experiencing tingling and a strange burning sensation in my right foot. I also started feeling a strange burning crawling feeling down my spine. I saw a Neurologist who scheduled various blood tests (Lyme, Vitamin D, B-12, ANA, Thyroid,etc) all normal. Did NCV/EMG of right leg only was clean. Had an MRI of brain, C-spine and T-spine ....nothing unusual.
Neurologist suspected Small Fiber Neuropathy so he did a skin biopsy just before Christmas which confirmed SFN. He ordered a glucose tolerance test which ruled out a sugar intolerance.
The burning sensation (not painful, just annoying) continued to spread up mainly my right leg and down spine.
I continued to feel weakness, at times while walking or standing, I feel like my legs won't hold me up. I also started feeling what I would describe as a numb feeling in right thigh. About 2 months ago I began experiencing what I would call mild twitching in upper thigh and on my back. While looking at my legs in the mirror to see if I could actually see twitching I noticed that my right thigh (dominant side) looked smaller than my left. I measured and it was smaller (not quite an inch).
I called the Neurologist and explained my newest sympthoms and told him I suspected ALS. He said no, couldn't be because my EMG was normal. I told him the "atrophy" was in my thigh, above the knee and he had only tested below my knee. He agreed to see me again and see if I needed another EMG.
I saw him about 2 weeks ago and he took some measurements and agreed right thigh was slightly smaller than left. He did EMG of thigh and said there was no weakness. He didn't test my back. He prescribed Gabapentin and said he'd see me in a few months.
The morning after I saw Neurologist I woke up with strange cramp like feeling in right arm and hand. It is also starting to feel weaker than left. I also noticed that my right hand looks smaller than my non-dominant left hand.
I am waiting for an appointment with another Neurologist....but I can't get stop worrying I have ALS.
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