Bilateral foot drop

[gregdickerson]

Hi All,

Thanks for your concern and advice.

Wright and awieleba,

I had the exact terminology wrong. This is what the Neuro stated:

"Physical findings conform to a pattern of bilatteral cranial neuropathies. This diagnosis seems to be confirmed by EMG nerve conduction testing which shows slowing of peroneal nerve conduction at the fibular head bilaterally in a pattern of dennervation in muscles innervated by the peroneal nerve. Fibrillations noted in the tibilias anterior and peroneas longus bilaterally."

So i t was not a block but a slowing. Sorry for the miss wording. Any one ever heard of cranial neuropathies?

 

[crystalkk]

greg,

Are you sure it said cranial, the cranial nerves are found in your brainstem. It doesn't sound like anything that you have mentioned or that is even in the report. Did he test any other nerves besides your legs.
It might be a typo on the report you should call him and get it clarified, that is the report he is going to be sending to the doctor at Hopkins.

 

[gregdickerson]

Yes I thought the same thing myself. It does apear to be a typo as everything else states bilaterall peroneal neuropathy. I will make sure to clear it up for the next appiontment as there wer other mistakes in my history to clear up as well. This guy was just in a big rush to get me in and out. He did not spend 15 minutes with me outside of the EMG/NCL testing.

Thanks for pionting that out.

 

[lynns]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the site and I am in the process of diagnosis. I have bilateral foot drop as well as other symptoms that started about 18 months ago. My question is have any of you with foot drop had any improvent in range of motion but still have progression of ALS or diagnosis later? Do symptoms come and go, better some days worse others? I was told by a Neuro that if you have any improvent at all that it is not ALS. He siad that with ALS you only continue to get worse and never have any recovery even if temporary. Is this true?

Thanks for your time.

Hi greg my name is Lynn, my husband has been diagnosed with als.. One of his first signs was the foot drop..Someone told us he could have lyme disease so even though his test came back negative they decided to treat him with antibiotics and his foot drop got better he can move them now before he just drug them behind him.. Get to a lyme doctor and get tested..

 

[gregdickerson]

Lynn,

I am deeply sorry about your husband. I will say a prayer for you and your family.

Yes I have been tested for lyme, MS, diabetes, HIV, cancer etc.etc.etc. all the usual suspects and all came up negative. I guess thats why they are calling it neuropathy. This seems to be a general catagory you get tossed into until things improve, get worse or stay the same.

My foot drop began with stiffness and weakness on my right side for a long time before the suttle foot drop began to occur. It was mid April when it showed full force then 6 weeks later the other foot went out. Two weeks after that I noticed the Fasics for the first time. I have also have had difficulty swallowing for over a year now. Sometimes I choke on saliva just randomly. I have a tough time with liquids as well as solid foods. I have had a couple of bad ones that I thought would never go down and if I have nothing to swallow it can be hard to make myself swallow. I dribble and drool occaisionally when drinking and eating. My throat just wont do it. I also get hoarse somtimes and need to take a break from talking. Sometimes when I talking I spit and have to stop and wipe my mouth as this can be embarassing.

Lately my right side still gets tight at times and the fasics have moved up the legs and into the glutes torso and arms. My arms have been feeling a little strange and my index (pionting) fingers are getting stiff. Sometimes more stiff than others. My symptoms never go away and I still have foot drop in both feet. Some days I feel stronger than others and walk better. This week so far has been good but the week before last was tough.

Does any of this sound familiar? Did your husband experience any of this?

I really appreciate your concern and thoughts about me.

Greg

 

[GlenBrittle]

Hell Yeah ... that sounds familiar.

For the stiffness, stretch it out. pull your fingers back . I have the fasics all over now. I tell my wife that I am her life sized vibrator. I really dont pay attention to them . I have had them since I was a teenager, just not as many.

I find if I dont stretch them , and they get too stiff, those muscles are just waiting to cramp. Torso cramps suck ! They look like the aliens movie , little bugger want to come out.

Any doctor that only wants to see you for 15 minutes isnt worth a crap. Find a better doc.

my .02 - hope some of this helps.

Glen

 

[gregdickerson]

Glen you are too funny. I admire your attitude.
I will be getting a new doc when I go for a follow up. I will be seeing a specialist from here on out.

I exercise every day and stretch too. I have not cramped up as much lately. Partly because I stretch during the day but I have also started taking a calcium, magniesium, zinc supplement. Just standard over the counter vitamin and this really helped. I have several good friends who are docs unfortunately none are neuros but this was there recomendation and it does help.

Thanks for the tips

Greg

I also drink plenty of liquids and I stopped stretching in bed when sleeping. That would be when the cramps would hit the most. The only exception is the feet. They seem to march to the beat of thier own drummer and cramp at will.

 

[Big Mike]

Big Mike,

Yes thats exactly what I meant. My walking ability has improved some the past couple of weeks but I still have weaknes and foot drop in both legs. I still cannot get on my heels or lift my feet off the floor when standing up straight. My symptoms have never gone away completely just better some days due to reinervation I guess as you stated.

crystalkk,

He said they were normal so far. He is calling this a neuropathy at this piont.

Hi Greg,

I hope it's just the neuropathy. Regardless of the cause, it sounds like you are having a very slow progression, so that is good news.

Mike

 

[gregdickerson]

Mike,

I like they way you think!

Greg