Is ALS caused by a virus?

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I had never even seen a person with als before my diagnosed. I think it is possible that it could start with lymes disease somehow. It can live un noticed for years, and years. Like I said though, just a possibility.
 
My husband and 9 other guys within 2 years on either side of him all grew up in Memphis, played ball as kids and all have ALS. Makes you wonder...
 
and what about all the people who served in the military who have now been diagnosed? isnt there some connection between dessert storm and ALS?
 
There are a lot of reports I have read that thousands were incorrectly diagnosed and do not have ALS.
 
My husband was diagnosed in 2008, and he was the 5 or 6th person on his job to get it. After his diagnosis, his work conducted a study on the alarm systems used in the government buildings and on the grounds where he worked, and they did not reveal any hazards from that perspective.

Our thought was that he did not show any signs of ALS until he had surgery in 2000. One of the ALS doctors who diagnosed him, said that he is to never have surgery without notifying them first. He said there was a medication given during surgery that they were investigating to cause the start of ALS, something in the anesthesia. I can't remember his exact words, but he went on to say that this medication paralyzes the motor neurons or the surrounding areas of the motor neurons, which could be the catalyst. Something that they are investigating. I haven't heard a follow up regarding this, but it seems like a possibility.
 
Of the 10 guys here that have been diagnosed. 5 clearly had ALS and died within 5 years. 4 have ALS beyond a doubt. One isn't far enough along. Possibly, there is a misdiagnosis - not likely looking at his symptoms. My husband is the only one that served in the military. He was in the Air Force, but was never overseas while in the military other than for two years in Europe in the Reserves. I don't think there is much question about the people we have met at the VA having ALS. It is clear they do. It's hard to believe that thousands have been misdiagnosed - especially through the VA system!
 
What Joel may have been talking about is in Aug 2009, the VA sent out about 2000 letters in ERROR to Veterans telling them they had ALS. They corrected this mistake, but oddly enough, reading the article on these letters being sent out in error is what got me to look into ALS as a possible DX for my husband. I giggled ALS, and knew right away that he probably had ALS.
 
I remember that too but I should try to find what I was reffering to. It was different.
 
I would be interested in that. My husband is a Veteran, and we also go to an ALS clinic. At our first visit Dr Miller asked us if we were there to have him confirm the DX, we said no,but we would love for you to tell us he doesn't have it, and said his diagnosed WAS ALS. It wouldn't surprise me if the VA would try to say some Vets do not have it, as they have to pay a lot of money to the Vets who have ALS, and our Government does not like to give money out!
 
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