This may be a bit long, but I would like opinions.
In March I startedhaving problems with swallowing- it felt like I had something lodged in my throat, hoarse daily. This is when my husband noticed that my tongue was looking off (large with ridges on the sides). In May I started tripping when I was walking, my tongue started getting tired when I was eating, as did my jaw. I saw a neuro- thought it was ms and ran a bunch of tests (for lyme, lupus, MRI, etc). I started noticing weakness in my right leg and a tightness (I think it is the muscles) on the right side of my head. I then noticed weakness in my right arm and started dropping things.
All my tests came back normal. I was getting muscle aches and the doctor put me on a muscle relaxant. I had read that with ms the cramping can build up muscle to combat the weakness and that taking muscle relaxants can make you loose muscle mass so I measured my legs to keep track- my right leg was 1/2" bigger than my left. The muscle relaxant made me sick (my tremors got horribly worse) so I stopped taking it. I started noticing muscle twitching- popping- mostly in the right side.
I was sent for an emg (horrible experience- the doctor was teaching that day and I heard them talking about an interesting case that was after me- so he spent a total of maybe 2 minutes on me.) It came back normal but while the dr was doing the test he said to the intern- right there, see those 2? If we see anymore then we worry. I don't know what he saw or what that meant.
My left side is now feeling weak (as an aside- 2 doctors noted weakness in clinical exam). My right arm is so tired all the time- like I have been lifting weights. Walking is hard and my legs and feet start aching and dragging. I have slurred speech when I am tired and my dd has told me that I leave out "s" sounds a lot. I choke on liquids daily and it feels like stuff is getting stuck going down. When I get tired chewing I can barely swallow. My right leg now measures 1" smaller than the left in the calf (it looks indented- is that what atrophy looks like?). Neuromuscular doctor said he doesn't think it is ALS but cme back in 6-12 months. I start PT to help build back up strength next month.
Does this sound at all familiar? Could this be ALS? Any other ideas for testing? Maybe a muscle biopsy? I keep hoping things will start getting better.
Thank you!
In March I startedhaving problems with swallowing- it felt like I had something lodged in my throat, hoarse daily. This is when my husband noticed that my tongue was looking off (large with ridges on the sides). In May I started tripping when I was walking, my tongue started getting tired when I was eating, as did my jaw. I saw a neuro- thought it was ms and ran a bunch of tests (for lyme, lupus, MRI, etc). I started noticing weakness in my right leg and a tightness (I think it is the muscles) on the right side of my head. I then noticed weakness in my right arm and started dropping things.
All my tests came back normal. I was getting muscle aches and the doctor put me on a muscle relaxant. I had read that with ms the cramping can build up muscle to combat the weakness and that taking muscle relaxants can make you loose muscle mass so I measured my legs to keep track- my right leg was 1/2" bigger than my left. The muscle relaxant made me sick (my tremors got horribly worse) so I stopped taking it. I started noticing muscle twitching- popping- mostly in the right side.
I was sent for an emg (horrible experience- the doctor was teaching that day and I heard them talking about an interesting case that was after me- so he spent a total of maybe 2 minutes on me.) It came back normal but while the dr was doing the test he said to the intern- right there, see those 2? If we see anymore then we worry. I don't know what he saw or what that meant.
My left side is now feeling weak (as an aside- 2 doctors noted weakness in clinical exam). My right arm is so tired all the time- like I have been lifting weights. Walking is hard and my legs and feet start aching and dragging. I have slurred speech when I am tired and my dd has told me that I leave out "s" sounds a lot. I choke on liquids daily and it feels like stuff is getting stuck going down. When I get tired chewing I can barely swallow. My right leg now measures 1" smaller than the left in the calf (it looks indented- is that what atrophy looks like?). Neuromuscular doctor said he doesn't think it is ALS but cme back in 6-12 months. I start PT to help build back up strength next month.
Does this sound at all familiar? Could this be ALS? Any other ideas for testing? Maybe a muscle biopsy? I keep hoping things will start getting better.
Thank you!