Neurologist suspects neuromuscular disease...could it be ALS?

[flyingaround]

25M. No family history of any neuromuscular disease, no symptoms before last December.

I started having symptoms last December with heavy legs and feeling off balance. Now my gait is waddling a bit.

Both hands and arms are affected, with left hand feeling worse(heavier and weaker) loss of dexterity of both hands, pain, and difficulty washing my hair. I can still wash my hair, raise my arms but they become extremely heavy and weak after a few seconds. A bit more difficult to straighten my fingers now.

Extreme fatigue that comes and go, muscle twitching that comes and go. And breathing problems. I can feel the fatigue from doing just 5 push ups, and I am quickly out of breathe from doing that.

The neurologist suspects neuromuscular disease and he is sending me to a specialist. Does this sound like ALS?

Edit: Hyperreflexia on both knees, and Hoffman sign on my right hand, neurologist said it could be from my herniated disc, but that won't explain my other symptoms. He told me I must see the neuromuscular specialist.

 

[ShiftKicker]

Hello-

There are many different conditions that can cause what you are reporting, so it would be difficult for the people here to say yes or no. There is a partial list in the Read Before Posting, but it is by no means complete. It sounds like you're getting the correct medical care and being sent to a specialist for further assessment. When is your appointment?

 

[flyingaround]

in early July.
I just want to know if my symptoms resemble ALS.

 

[Nikki J]

It would be a somewhat unusual presentation. Neuromuscular disease is a big umbrella. Statistically you are much more like to have some kind of myopathy ( muscle disease) than a motor neuron disease. I realize this is hard but until you have the needed tests no one can say what this is- you just don’t have enough information yet. Ask to be on the cancellation list. Be extra nice to the scheduling person. Ask if you can check back. If it is true tell them you can take an appointment with x hours notice