philipn413
New member
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2012
- Messages
- 2
- Country
- US
- State
- VA
- City
- Yorktown
Hello everyone,
I'm 44 yrs old. -- I want to thank everyone here for all of the in depth information they take the time to share.
I've read hundreds of threads here in the past few weeks.
Like so many, I was one who had no idea what ALS even was. Of course as a former high school baseball player, I had heard of Lou Gehrig, but never understood ' what exactly it was ' he passed away from. -- A few months ago, shortly after going to my GP doctor, a family member mentioned that hopefully it was not ALS. When I subsequently looked it up online, I was stunned. For I had every one of those basic symptoms. But what gave me that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, was the symptom of sudden crying episodes. I had a few of those in January.
The timeline:
My symptoms started out several months ago in July of 2011 with my left hand feeling weak, then days later, my left arm started feeling very heavy and weak. There was no pain whatsoever, no numbness, just weakness. My coordination in that hand started changing. Then days later, came the muscle twitches in my left arm and my left hand. I likened it to someone popping stove-top popcorn inside my muscles; deep in my muscles. Many times I could see the deep muscle twitching from my under my skin, especially in my hand . -- Nevertheless, I thought is was a pinched nerve and continued on, not worrying myself over it. It eventually went away. But in September of 20011, it started up again, and kept happening up until Christmas.
Then my left leg gave out from under me the day after Christmas. Again, no pain, no numbness. I then had to contend with the left arm, hand and shoulder weakness (and heaviness and twitching) along with my left leg starting up the same thing. My calf muscle started twitching and sometimes felt like it was rolling inside. The outer linear muscles running along the outside near my shin, was doing the same thing.
At this point, I'm thinking "okay, this pinched nerve is kicking my butt".
But the twitching episodes become more and more frequent in my left leg and arm. Then after New Years, my left shoulder started pulling, like my left arm was so heavy, that if it wasn't for the muscle tissue, it would simply fall off. I was walking with a limp and needed a cane to get around. By this time I had scheduled an appointment with my doc for a few weeks later. A few days before my doc appointment, I had my first crying episode.
I mean, I was watching TV, Stephen Colbert ... and simply chuckled at something mildly funny. Then as I reached for my glass of water, I stopped and started crying like someone had just shot my dog. It was uncontrolled for about 15 to 20 seconds, and went away as fast as is started.
I went to my GP, and told him everything that was going on. He ordered an array of blood tests and internal tests under the sun. He gave me a preliminary neuro exam. Then referred me to my neurologist. After 8 vials of blood drawn two separate times, all my tests subsequently came back fine. Perfect cholesterol, blood sugar, white cell count, thyroid was fine, blood pressure (every time they checked was 122 or 3 over 81 or 84 ) was great.
But my GP had those test done in a hurry as well. And on that exam day, he also told me, (after testing my resistance and reflexes) that he suspected it was something
neuromuscular and was referring me. I found it odd that he kept looking at my left shoulder with a concern look. I told my family member about it and that when I heard the mention of ALS.
So when I got home, I googled ALS. That's when my heart stopped and I felt a chill run down my spine.
Then it was going to be several more weeks before I could get in to see my Neurologist.
I have been convincing myself that it is ANYTHING but ALS.
Then the 3 small fingers on my left hand started to sag. In a weird way. And ever since then, my hand and fingers feel like they are swelling, even though they are not.
But 3 weeks ago, I finally saw Neurologist #1.
I basically described my symptoms to him, kept it short, sweet, simple and honest. He spent almost an hour giving me a thorough physical test. The tuning fork was cool.
He didn't talk much. Periodically, he would stop and go write down info in my folder. He spent a lot of time tapping the outside of my left arm with the reflex mallet. He would tap my upper arm, and just stare at it. Wait several seconds then do it again. Later, when he had me open my mouth to check my tongue, this is when he gave a look of concern. Then went and tapped my left arm again. -- Strange.
He went back to my folder to write more things down. He said nothing. So I decided to probe his brain and try a little Jedi mind trick. I said " Because I sleep on my right side a lot, my neck gets kinked up from time to time, that's why I'm thinking it's pinched nerve."
He didn't even look at me and kept on writing. " It's not a pinched nerve."
He wrote more. "Also, it's not a stroke. Stroke comes on quick. I'm gonna order a electrodiagnostic."
So then last week, I went and had my EMG and NCV. It was a different Neurologist who gave the test.
And that doctor might as well have entered the exam room wearing a dark cloak and hood saying in an evil voice " No. You will find that it is YOU that is mistaken, about a great many THINGSssss. " Basically I now know what Luke Skywalker felt like getting zapped by the Emperor.
The test wasn't too bad and took almost an hour.
I asked him as well if I had passed the test. Of course he would not tell me except to say that he must forward the results back to my other Neurologist.
So after several days of waiting, no call. Nothing, yet. -- The symptoms have become more frequent and intense. More crying episodes and extreme fatigue and weekends in those limbs. Even as I typed this out, several hundred tremors occurred in my left hand, arm, shoulder and leg.
I only think about it when the symptoms make me think about it. I try not to worry. But at the same time ..... you know.
God Bless everyone here.
I'm 44 yrs old. -- I want to thank everyone here for all of the in depth information they take the time to share.
I've read hundreds of threads here in the past few weeks.
Like so many, I was one who had no idea what ALS even was. Of course as a former high school baseball player, I had heard of Lou Gehrig, but never understood ' what exactly it was ' he passed away from. -- A few months ago, shortly after going to my GP doctor, a family member mentioned that hopefully it was not ALS. When I subsequently looked it up online, I was stunned. For I had every one of those basic symptoms. But what gave me that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, was the symptom of sudden crying episodes. I had a few of those in January.
The timeline:
My symptoms started out several months ago in July of 2011 with my left hand feeling weak, then days later, my left arm started feeling very heavy and weak. There was no pain whatsoever, no numbness, just weakness. My coordination in that hand started changing. Then days later, came the muscle twitches in my left arm and my left hand. I likened it to someone popping stove-top popcorn inside my muscles; deep in my muscles. Many times I could see the deep muscle twitching from my under my skin, especially in my hand . -- Nevertheless, I thought is was a pinched nerve and continued on, not worrying myself over it. It eventually went away. But in September of 20011, it started up again, and kept happening up until Christmas.
Then my left leg gave out from under me the day after Christmas. Again, no pain, no numbness. I then had to contend with the left arm, hand and shoulder weakness (and heaviness and twitching) along with my left leg starting up the same thing. My calf muscle started twitching and sometimes felt like it was rolling inside. The outer linear muscles running along the outside near my shin, was doing the same thing.
At this point, I'm thinking "okay, this pinched nerve is kicking my butt".
But the twitching episodes become more and more frequent in my left leg and arm. Then after New Years, my left shoulder started pulling, like my left arm was so heavy, that if it wasn't for the muscle tissue, it would simply fall off. I was walking with a limp and needed a cane to get around. By this time I had scheduled an appointment with my doc for a few weeks later. A few days before my doc appointment, I had my first crying episode.
I mean, I was watching TV, Stephen Colbert ... and simply chuckled at something mildly funny. Then as I reached for my glass of water, I stopped and started crying like someone had just shot my dog. It was uncontrolled for about 15 to 20 seconds, and went away as fast as is started.
I went to my GP, and told him everything that was going on. He ordered an array of blood tests and internal tests under the sun. He gave me a preliminary neuro exam. Then referred me to my neurologist. After 8 vials of blood drawn two separate times, all my tests subsequently came back fine. Perfect cholesterol, blood sugar, white cell count, thyroid was fine, blood pressure (every time they checked was 122 or 3 over 81 or 84 ) was great.
But my GP had those test done in a hurry as well. And on that exam day, he also told me, (after testing my resistance and reflexes) that he suspected it was something
neuromuscular and was referring me. I found it odd that he kept looking at my left shoulder with a concern look. I told my family member about it and that when I heard the mention of ALS.
So when I got home, I googled ALS. That's when my heart stopped and I felt a chill run down my spine.
Then it was going to be several more weeks before I could get in to see my Neurologist.
I have been convincing myself that it is ANYTHING but ALS.
Then the 3 small fingers on my left hand started to sag. In a weird way. And ever since then, my hand and fingers feel like they are swelling, even though they are not.
But 3 weeks ago, I finally saw Neurologist #1.
I basically described my symptoms to him, kept it short, sweet, simple and honest. He spent almost an hour giving me a thorough physical test. The tuning fork was cool.
He didn't talk much. Periodically, he would stop and go write down info in my folder. He spent a lot of time tapping the outside of my left arm with the reflex mallet. He would tap my upper arm, and just stare at it. Wait several seconds then do it again. Later, when he had me open my mouth to check my tongue, this is when he gave a look of concern. Then went and tapped my left arm again. -- Strange.
He went back to my folder to write more things down. He said nothing. So I decided to probe his brain and try a little Jedi mind trick. I said " Because I sleep on my right side a lot, my neck gets kinked up from time to time, that's why I'm thinking it's pinched nerve."
He didn't even look at me and kept on writing. " It's not a pinched nerve."
He wrote more. "Also, it's not a stroke. Stroke comes on quick. I'm gonna order a electrodiagnostic."
So then last week, I went and had my EMG and NCV. It was a different Neurologist who gave the test.
And that doctor might as well have entered the exam room wearing a dark cloak and hood saying in an evil voice " No. You will find that it is YOU that is mistaken, about a great many THINGSssss. " Basically I now know what Luke Skywalker felt like getting zapped by the Emperor.
The test wasn't too bad and took almost an hour.
I asked him as well if I had passed the test. Of course he would not tell me except to say that he must forward the results back to my other Neurologist.
So after several days of waiting, no call. Nothing, yet. -- The symptoms have become more frequent and intense. More crying episodes and extreme fatigue and weekends in those limbs. Even as I typed this out, several hundred tremors occurred in my left hand, arm, shoulder and leg.
I only think about it when the symptoms make me think about it. I try not to worry. But at the same time ..... you know.
God Bless everyone here.