Early onset bulbar?

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VWilliams

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Learn about ALS
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FL
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Tampa
For the past several months I’ve been experiencing some symptoms that concern me and wanted to know if these sound like ALS.
  • Feeling of increased saliva, especially on right side of mouth
  • Occasional coughing after drinking and slight choking
  • Tongue seems smaller on one side than the other
Would bulbar onset present like this without also having speech slurring as well?
 
Several months in, no, that's not sounding like ALS. Issues to look at include sleep, anxiety, allergies, GERD, and dry mouth.

Best,
Laurie
 
I'm so glad to tell you that this does not sound like bulbar onset, not even really early. My husband died of bulbar onset years ago and I know it really well.
Doesn't sound like you have seen a doctor, this would be a great idea, but don't ask if you have ALS.
 
Thank you both very much for the replies. Am I correct in assuming that feeling of increased saliva is not an early symptom, and that saliva issues in ALS come much later (after speech deterioration, as an example) and would be pretty obvious? It’s just a really weird and uncomfortable feeling to feel like there’s more saliva than normal, even with a simultaneous dry mouth feeling.

I did visit a neurologist several months ago for twitching in my legs and calves, who did not recommend an EMG. The exam they gave me was apparently normal.

PS, I am so sorry about your husbands, Tillie & Laurie. I really appreciate your responses.
 
If there is unexplained saliva consistently, and you have not had an ENT exam, I would have one so as to rule out a salivary gland or related stone or tumor. But an increasing feeling of saliva is just that -- a feeling -- whereas in ALS one loses the ability to swallow it -- not the same thing.
 
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