going to a neurologist today

[Beach61]

This is a great Forum.

A little over two weeks ago I started feeling exhausted at around 3 in the afternoon.

Went home and it felt like electricity was coming out of my spine between my shoulders. I had the chills and the back of my arms were numb. Next morning felt better, but it started again the next day.

Because I would feel better in the morning I thought that it was going away and did not go to a doctor. Then one night while laying in bed my right leg felt very heavy. That went away but the leg felt weak after that.

For the following week I had pain up and down my spine, When I would wake up in the morning it would feel like electricity was starting up my spine. My right leg still bothered me but is not weak and the back of my arms were always numb.

Went to my GP and he did some basic tests and said that the only issue he saw was my arm reflex was low. He recommended I see a Neurologist. When I asked him if he thought it was MS h said no mainly due to my age (47) and he saw no nerve issues with my eyes. As I was leaving I just mentioned do you think its ALS? And he said " i don't want to talk about ALS"

Now that comment could have meant a million things but I did not take it well.

Since then the pain has stopped and I have numbness in the back of my arms when I wake but that goes away. My legs are numb and warm when I get up and my right leg is a bit weak. I am starting to get bubbling sensation in my legs and arms, but it is very rare and last a second or two.

The thing that has got me now is my cough, When I eat and feel like there is something stuck in my throat and I cough to clear. I sometimes feel like I have a ball stuck in my throat. Later in the day my voice becomes a bit raspy.

I have not trouble swallowing and my speech is not slurred.

I have lost over 10 pounds in three weeks.

I am so scared to go to the doctor because I do not want to know I have ALS I keep hoping these symptoms go away but they keep developing. all my doctor friends try to reassure me that it is not because the symptoms came on so sudden but I cant get the devil out of my head.

 

[Jamiet]

u don't have ALS. YOu didn't name one symptom of it, as a matter of fact, you named things that point away from ALS.

YOur doctor told you that becuase it's WAAAYYYY far from what you have going on and he did'nt want you searching the internet and ALS forums to see if you match it. The best thing you can do is leave this forum now, it will only make things worse and you DON'T have ALS. I am not saying to leave to be mean, i am saying it for your own good.

Rgds,

Jamie

 

[ktmj]

You are doing the right thing - glad you are seeing a neurologist.

I know way more than I ever cared to know about neurological symptoms, but not near as much as a doc, but to me this sounds nothing like ALS either. Too many sensory type issues with a quick onset, and most things that cause those are treatable.

Hope that puts you in the right frame of mind - believe all of us - it is tough not knowing and scary, but you are doing the right thing.

 

[olly]

hi beach

firstly the neuro can not rule out ms because of your age.
a small number of people can develop ms in later years,though some of those may have had it for years before that but were not aware of symptoms or payed much attention during that time.
i was drawn to the electricity feeling you get,is it like a buzzing feeling that comes from your neck? is it worse if you bend your neck forward? this is a classic ms sign (can not remember the name)
you need regular checks with the eyes/optic nerves as it does not always effect them in the begining.
you need contrast mri,s doing,2-3 with upto a 6month gap in between.
i was considered possible ms for several years with serial mri,s till it was finally ruled out.
hope some of this helps you a bit.

 

[Beach61]

I know I sound paranoid. I was so worried about the weakness in my legs and that weakness is going away. I was worried that I had MS so I thought my eyes were hurting but that too has gone away and not come back.

The electric feeling was just when I first woke up and not when I looked down. I know this because I did that several times and did not bet the electric feeling down to my legs. I also did the test on my heels to see if my toes curl up ( I forgot the name of this) and no they did not.

Now I have tightness in my throat and I get out breath after a meal no slurring speech just a cough whenever I eat or drink and a feeling of tightness in my rib cage. I do not have access saliva in fact my mouth is rather dry. Because I am concentrating on how I swallow I sometimes feel that I am only using the left side of my throat.

At any rate if this is all in my head it will be against my nature. I have always had a very high pain tolerance and never complained when sick. This episode freaked me out but then again it was the first episode that I searched the interned for answers prior to visiting my Doctor.

 

[planningguy]

Beach61,

A lot of the symptoms you are describing sound like anxiety. The initial sensory symptoms may have been caused by a virus or similiar treatable issue, or options you are exploring with your doctors. The dry mouth, muscle and throat tightness, weakness coming and going, are all very common symtpms when the body is stressed. If it were ALS, the weakness would never go away, nor rapidly change location.

It sounds like you recognise this to a certain extent in your comments that you have never read up on symptoms like this before. You're worried you might have a terminal illness, and letting that thought fray your nerves in between medical visits. Take a deep breath, recognise that you are doing your best to solve the situation, and that none of your symtpoms sound like ALS. Keep workig with your doctors, and let us know what shakes out.

Best wishes,

Robert

PS No, you can't test yourself for Babinski's sign, nor any other reflexs examined in the standard neuro clinical. Thrying it is only going to stress you out more.

 

[Beach61]

Robert,

Thanks. I just got back from my Neuro appointment.

She basically said that she does not see anything that would justify and EMG. She indicated my reflexes are fine and are actually a bit weak in my arms which may indicate some kind of disc issue in the C-spine area ( which would explain some of the pain issues) so she ordered an MRI.

She looked at my mouth and tongue and all looked fine. She can't explain the weakness in my leg but indicated that if it is getting stronger than that is good.

I hope that this is in my Head.

Thanks to all I will update if anything changes

 

[brendapals]

Beach,
Hey, that's good news, now take it and run with it. Rest yourself and enoy a new year, a new beginning,
take good care,
brenda

 

[crystalkk]

Beach,

Try not to dwell on it, aniexty is a wicked horrible thing. Good luck with your c-spine mri-hopefully this will point you in the right direction.
It can be a number of things or nothing, it does not sound like ALS.

 

[CindyM]

Thanks for the update, Beach. Every day we get a Not-ALS DX is a great day around here. :smile: Here's hoping they solve it for you soon! Cindy

 

[Beach61]

When woke today I had trouble breathing and now my arms are feeling weak.

I have been thinking about why I was not given an EMG I thought that this would clear things in my mind.

Is there such a thing as having an EMG too early?

Should I go to an ENT to see about the breathing and the tired voice at the end of the day?

I was expecting to feel much better when my Nuero said that she does not think this is ALS but I don't.

 

[brendapals]

beach,

If you woke this morning having trouble breathing and with weak arms, perhaps you should see a dr immediately. You may be having a panic attack, hyperventilating, or something very treatable.

I don't recall where you live, but there may be a MEC center, outpatient center, dr's office, something open on New Year's eve. Anxiety can be our own worst enemy, often with no warning.

Keep us posted on how you're doing, and I really wish you would get checked out today on the breathing problem,
take good care,
brenda