hopeful123
New member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2007
- Messages
- 4
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- Georgia
- City
- Covington
Hi everyone,
I am so glad to have found this site and hope to get some good feedback. I guess best place to start is with medical history. Last year Iwas diagnosed. with bulging disc @ L5-S1 w/ siatic pain in rt leg. Have had epidural injection and nerve block to that area in spring of this year. Also @ time of diagnosed was having weakness and numbness only in rt leg(this was last fall "06"). Start triping over things and hving difficulty lifting rt leg to pu on pants. Just blew it off to my age which was 39 @ the time and the bulging disk. By November of "06" began to have severe muscle cramps (Daily), in feet and both legs. No fasciculations @ this time. MD put me on Quinine as needed for cramps. Only took it when cramps were endless and lasting 30-60 mins. Ended up in ER on Dec. 23, 06 with temp of 105 and not responding to fever reducers. Had taken Quinine night before after numerous lab test Md came w/ possible allergic reaction to Quinine. This spring started having muscle cramps in rt hand w/slight weakness, Cramps progressed to shoulder. Md ordered cervical MRI should 3 bulging disc and several shallow disc bone spur complexes. Just finished epidural injections in cervical spine w/ nerve bloc and next week will have rfa done in cervical area. Aprrox. 1.5 months ago Pain Md suggested I see GP for further testeing b/c now having cramps in all 4 extermities inculding neck muscle, also began having fasciculations late summer in feet and lower extermites. At first worse in rt leg but now just as equally in both lower extermites. Late Sept. went to see GP who referred me to Neuro. Approx 2nd week in Oct. saw Neuro who said saw somw minor problems but not that significant. deep tendon reflexes extermly brisk, he said his were brisk not to worry. Balance slightly off on exam but he said this was also not terribly concerning to him. I told him Iam now having difficulty going up and down stairs without becoming off balance and that when I try to run I ended up on the ground. Its like my legs won't go where I tell them to. Now starting to have balance issues when I get out of bed in am. Have to hold on to something while walking after a few minutes it gets better. Stll doing well w/ hands although cramping is becoming worse in upper extermites now. Had EMG and NCV yesterday, my normal Neuro was on vaction so saw his partner. NCV was normal, he wated to reschedule EMG so my primary neuro could do the test, really never got answer as to why. I pushed to have it done, b/c I have 3 school age childeren and work part tim, so scheduling was a issue for me. He statet he saw somw abnormalities on the rt leg but felt it was not pointg toward als and I neede to schedule follow up w/ my primary neuro to go over results. He stated that I appear to be in good phiscial condition and should not be alarmed by results. I asked for some muscle relaxers for cramps and he stated we needed to hold off until further testing. A little confused why I have to suffer w/ these muscle cramps. The Fascicultions don't hurt just anoying::-D. My husband had to help me off the floor last night. Because I lost my balance after tring to get up from the sofa. Things that have been def. ruled out MS, no electrolyte problems, and lupus. One other symtom started having in Sept. was intermitent difficulty swallowing liquids still not a huge issue. Now tha I have given you all the scope on my health, my questions are, What should the EMG results show if ALS is a possibility, Also can theses problems be coming from spinal issues. When and if should I seek a 2nd oppion. What other test should I ask for and what questions would any of you recomend @ my Dec. 3 visit. What should be a red flag that MD is not taking my symptoms seriously.
Sorry this was so long, but felt it best to give the whole picture. Thanks to all who take the time to read and respond to my post.
Hopeful123
I am so glad to have found this site and hope to get some good feedback. I guess best place to start is with medical history. Last year Iwas diagnosed. with bulging disc @ L5-S1 w/ siatic pain in rt leg. Have had epidural injection and nerve block to that area in spring of this year. Also @ time of diagnosed was having weakness and numbness only in rt leg(this was last fall "06"). Start triping over things and hving difficulty lifting rt leg to pu on pants. Just blew it off to my age which was 39 @ the time and the bulging disk. By November of "06" began to have severe muscle cramps (Daily), in feet and both legs. No fasciculations @ this time. MD put me on Quinine as needed for cramps. Only took it when cramps were endless and lasting 30-60 mins. Ended up in ER on Dec. 23, 06 with temp of 105 and not responding to fever reducers. Had taken Quinine night before after numerous lab test Md came w/ possible allergic reaction to Quinine. This spring started having muscle cramps in rt hand w/slight weakness, Cramps progressed to shoulder. Md ordered cervical MRI should 3 bulging disc and several shallow disc bone spur complexes. Just finished epidural injections in cervical spine w/ nerve bloc and next week will have rfa done in cervical area. Aprrox. 1.5 months ago Pain Md suggested I see GP for further testeing b/c now having cramps in all 4 extermities inculding neck muscle, also began having fasciculations late summer in feet and lower extermites. At first worse in rt leg but now just as equally in both lower extermites. Late Sept. went to see GP who referred me to Neuro. Approx 2nd week in Oct. saw Neuro who said saw somw minor problems but not that significant. deep tendon reflexes extermly brisk, he said his were brisk not to worry. Balance slightly off on exam but he said this was also not terribly concerning to him. I told him Iam now having difficulty going up and down stairs without becoming off balance and that when I try to run I ended up on the ground. Its like my legs won't go where I tell them to. Now starting to have balance issues when I get out of bed in am. Have to hold on to something while walking after a few minutes it gets better. Stll doing well w/ hands although cramping is becoming worse in upper extermites now. Had EMG and NCV yesterday, my normal Neuro was on vaction so saw his partner. NCV was normal, he wated to reschedule EMG so my primary neuro could do the test, really never got answer as to why. I pushed to have it done, b/c I have 3 school age childeren and work part tim, so scheduling was a issue for me. He statet he saw somw abnormalities on the rt leg but felt it was not pointg toward als and I neede to schedule follow up w/ my primary neuro to go over results. He stated that I appear to be in good phiscial condition and should not be alarmed by results. I asked for some muscle relaxers for cramps and he stated we needed to hold off until further testing. A little confused why I have to suffer w/ these muscle cramps. The Fascicultions don't hurt just anoying::-D. My husband had to help me off the floor last night. Because I lost my balance after tring to get up from the sofa. Things that have been def. ruled out MS, no electrolyte problems, and lupus. One other symtom started having in Sept. was intermitent difficulty swallowing liquids still not a huge issue. Now tha I have given you all the scope on my health, my questions are, What should the EMG results show if ALS is a possibility, Also can theses problems be coming from spinal issues. When and if should I seek a 2nd oppion. What other test should I ask for and what questions would any of you recomend @ my Dec. 3 visit. What should be a red flag that MD is not taking my symptoms seriously.
Sorry this was so long, but felt it best to give the whole picture. Thanks to all who take the time to read and respond to my post.
Hopeful123