ldela
New member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2007
- Messages
- 7
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- TX
- City
- Dallas
Hello.
I, like most here, have been all over the Web looking for information and hopefully some reassurance. Unfortunately there don't seem to be any concrete answers out there. Hopefully someone here can shed some light on my situation.
I'm a 33 year old male who started down this long and very scary about four months ago. It all started when a couple people noticed that one of my pupils was bigger than the other. Knowing that could be a sign of a neurological problem I went to my opthalmologist who diagnosed it as a rare but benign condition called Adie's Pupil. He said that if I wanted a second opinion I should see a neuro opthalmologist, which I did, and he also diagnosed Adie's Pupil.
At around the same time that the pupil happened I started having left side migrating low back / leg / foot pain that is unrelated to movement or position that has not stopped. Shortly after that I developed floaters in the eye with the Adie's pupil that I still have as well. At the time I was concerned about the possibility of a brain tumor or MS so I went to a neurologist who did the standardl neuro exam (strength, reflexes,etc.) - which was normal - and also ordered brain MRI (w/ & w/out contrast) and lumbar spine MRI. Brain came back normal. Spine came back w/ osteoarthritis at L3/L4 and bulging disc at L4/L5. I was relieved thinking the cause of my leg pain had been found and that the eye / floater things were just a coincidence.
During the above mentioned time I also began to see a psychiatrist due to the emotional stress / anxiety / depression I was experiencing as a result of everything that was going on. The psych upped the dose of Paxil I had been taking for about 10 years for anxiety and depression from 10 mg to 30 mg. He also prescribed Xanax, which I took every day for about a month and now take about once a week (if that).
During the month between my first neuro appointment and the follow-up appointment I began to have what I believe are myoclonic jerks - like the ones many people get before falling asleep - but frequently throughout the day. My leg, thumb, fingers, back, neck just jerk for no apparent reason. They're mild and I think I'm the only one who notices them. Mixed in with these I also had some fasciculation, but it seemed mostly myoclonus.
On my return visit to the neuro he did the neuro exam again, which was all normal with the exception of possible mild numbness on the outside of my left foot. He said he wanted to do an EMG to see if I had nerve damage in my leg from the bulging discs or if the nerve was just irritated. At that point I mentioned the myoclonus / fasciculations and he brought up the possibility of ALS and said that he would add some additional muscle groups to the EMG to look for it. He also ordered a standard blood panel that came back completely normal. The EMG is schedulled for next Tuesday and I am very scared of what I could find out.
In my research of all of the other symptoms over the past few months, I came across ALS a few times but never felt like I had the symptoms. I have no weakness (that I know of), haven't had difficulty walking, opening things, speaking, swallowing, etc. Haven't been dropping things or tripping / falling and haven't observed any muscle wasting. I had also read that ALS fasciculations are usually focal in the area where the initial muscle wasting occurs and that there is always weakness in that area - or at least some associated weakness. I've also read that ALS fasciculations never occur in relaxed muscle - which is the only time I seem to have mine.
Since that neuro visit it seems that I am having more fasciculations than myoclonus. They occur everywhere. My calfs, thighs, abdomen, penis, anus (not kidding), biceps, triceps, chest, eyebrows, eyelids, lip, all twitch. They are most often a single twitch, but sometimes I'll have a few (no more than 10) in a row. They vary in intensity from limb moving to very mild.
I know this post is extremely long, and if you're still with me thank you so much for taking the time to read this.
I'm looking for any information, insight, facts or whatever that any of you may have based on my situation.
Thank you all in advance and thank you for providing and supporting this very much needed resource.
I, like most here, have been all over the Web looking for information and hopefully some reassurance. Unfortunately there don't seem to be any concrete answers out there. Hopefully someone here can shed some light on my situation.
I'm a 33 year old male who started down this long and very scary about four months ago. It all started when a couple people noticed that one of my pupils was bigger than the other. Knowing that could be a sign of a neurological problem I went to my opthalmologist who diagnosed it as a rare but benign condition called Adie's Pupil. He said that if I wanted a second opinion I should see a neuro opthalmologist, which I did, and he also diagnosed Adie's Pupil.
At around the same time that the pupil happened I started having left side migrating low back / leg / foot pain that is unrelated to movement or position that has not stopped. Shortly after that I developed floaters in the eye with the Adie's pupil that I still have as well. At the time I was concerned about the possibility of a brain tumor or MS so I went to a neurologist who did the standardl neuro exam (strength, reflexes,etc.) - which was normal - and also ordered brain MRI (w/ & w/out contrast) and lumbar spine MRI. Brain came back normal. Spine came back w/ osteoarthritis at L3/L4 and bulging disc at L4/L5. I was relieved thinking the cause of my leg pain had been found and that the eye / floater things were just a coincidence.
During the above mentioned time I also began to see a psychiatrist due to the emotional stress / anxiety / depression I was experiencing as a result of everything that was going on. The psych upped the dose of Paxil I had been taking for about 10 years for anxiety and depression from 10 mg to 30 mg. He also prescribed Xanax, which I took every day for about a month and now take about once a week (if that).
During the month between my first neuro appointment and the follow-up appointment I began to have what I believe are myoclonic jerks - like the ones many people get before falling asleep - but frequently throughout the day. My leg, thumb, fingers, back, neck just jerk for no apparent reason. They're mild and I think I'm the only one who notices them. Mixed in with these I also had some fasciculation, but it seemed mostly myoclonus.
On my return visit to the neuro he did the neuro exam again, which was all normal with the exception of possible mild numbness on the outside of my left foot. He said he wanted to do an EMG to see if I had nerve damage in my leg from the bulging discs or if the nerve was just irritated. At that point I mentioned the myoclonus / fasciculations and he brought up the possibility of ALS and said that he would add some additional muscle groups to the EMG to look for it. He also ordered a standard blood panel that came back completely normal. The EMG is schedulled for next Tuesday and I am very scared of what I could find out.
In my research of all of the other symptoms over the past few months, I came across ALS a few times but never felt like I had the symptoms. I have no weakness (that I know of), haven't had difficulty walking, opening things, speaking, swallowing, etc. Haven't been dropping things or tripping / falling and haven't observed any muscle wasting. I had also read that ALS fasciculations are usually focal in the area where the initial muscle wasting occurs and that there is always weakness in that area - or at least some associated weakness. I've also read that ALS fasciculations never occur in relaxed muscle - which is the only time I seem to have mine.
Since that neuro visit it seems that I am having more fasciculations than myoclonus. They occur everywhere. My calfs, thighs, abdomen, penis, anus (not kidding), biceps, triceps, chest, eyebrows, eyelids, lip, all twitch. They are most often a single twitch, but sometimes I'll have a few (no more than 10) in a row. They vary in intensity from limb moving to very mild.
I know this post is extremely long, and if you're still with me thank you so much for taking the time to read this.
I'm looking for any information, insight, facts or whatever that any of you may have based on my situation.
Thank you all in advance and thank you for providing and supporting this very much needed resource.