SeanR
New member
- Joined
- May 3, 2024
- Messages
- 7
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Diagnosis
- 00/0000
- Country
- US
- State
- TN
- City
- Knoxville
My previous thread is here, and closed, if it can be merged:
www.alsforums.com
Despite having an EMG that only showed reduced recruitment and decreased interference pattern in my left calf (left medial gastrocnemicus) on May 27 of this year, a range of other symptoms have intensified. My left half has confirmed significant atrophy. My right arm - the dominant one - is also smaller than my left, but was not measured in the past, so atrophy is not confirmed.
I have widespread fasciculations. These started in my arms, legs, and chest but now occur in my hands, feet, and back. In the last few weeks, these have also been occurring in my cheek. Fasiculations occur more or less any time that I use my muscles. As soon as I'm at rest, those muscles start to twitch. I get fatigued much more quickly when I walk, jog, or climb the stairs.
I have stiffness in nearly all of my muscles and have frequent cramping, especially in my hands and my legs.
A full spinal MRI showed only "some fairly typical chronic degenerative changes in the spine, and has a couple areas in the neck at C5 through C7 that show some nerve impingement that could possibly be causing some symptoms in the arms, but otherwise looks really normal throughout the spine." Given my symptoms and no clear explanation in bloodwork, MRI, etc. I was sent on to a neuro-muscular specialist
I saw an ALS specialist on September 18. In addition to what is noted above he observed hyperflexia in my legs bilaterally and ankle clonus. Despite this, he detected no clinical weakness. Given that I can walk on my toes and heels, that I haven't experienced any failure, he said there was no reason to suspect ALS, and - to my suprise - did not order another EMG. His most likely guess was BFS with cramping.
Since the apointment, pills have started to feel stuck in my throat when I swallow them and my jaw muscles feel stiff and tired. I have bitten my tongue a number of times in the night these past several week. I have also developed a persisent cough and it hurts the stiff muscles of my chest when I cough.
I know I am anxious about this. I'm concerned both about the ongoing and seemingly worsening symptoms and also about those reflex/clonus findings which were not noted when they were tested at the time of my EMG in May.
Given what I've described, would you try to seek a follow-up EMG or am I just a crazy person who doesn't trust his doctor?
Just met with my family doctor
Let me start by saying that I have read the pinned post and I greatly appreciate the information provided here and the time you all are taking to try to provide what information you can for those of us who fear this diagnosis. Like many posters, I have come here out of deep anxiety over my...
Despite having an EMG that only showed reduced recruitment and decreased interference pattern in my left calf (left medial gastrocnemicus) on May 27 of this year, a range of other symptoms have intensified. My left half has confirmed significant atrophy. My right arm - the dominant one - is also smaller than my left, but was not measured in the past, so atrophy is not confirmed.
I have widespread fasciculations. These started in my arms, legs, and chest but now occur in my hands, feet, and back. In the last few weeks, these have also been occurring in my cheek. Fasiculations occur more or less any time that I use my muscles. As soon as I'm at rest, those muscles start to twitch. I get fatigued much more quickly when I walk, jog, or climb the stairs.
I have stiffness in nearly all of my muscles and have frequent cramping, especially in my hands and my legs.
A full spinal MRI showed only "some fairly typical chronic degenerative changes in the spine, and has a couple areas in the neck at C5 through C7 that show some nerve impingement that could possibly be causing some symptoms in the arms, but otherwise looks really normal throughout the spine." Given my symptoms and no clear explanation in bloodwork, MRI, etc. I was sent on to a neuro-muscular specialist
I saw an ALS specialist on September 18. In addition to what is noted above he observed hyperflexia in my legs bilaterally and ankle clonus. Despite this, he detected no clinical weakness. Given that I can walk on my toes and heels, that I haven't experienced any failure, he said there was no reason to suspect ALS, and - to my suprise - did not order another EMG. His most likely guess was BFS with cramping.
Since the apointment, pills have started to feel stuck in my throat when I swallow them and my jaw muscles feel stiff and tired. I have bitten my tongue a number of times in the night these past several week. I have also developed a persisent cough and it hurts the stiff muscles of my chest when I cough.
I know I am anxious about this. I'm concerned both about the ongoing and seemingly worsening symptoms and also about those reflex/clonus findings which were not noted when they were tested at the time of my EMG in May.
Given what I've described, would you try to seek a follow-up EMG or am I just a crazy person who doesn't trust his doctor?
