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[James10]

Hello everyone
I'm a 19 year old male from australia and i am having a few problems at the moment

I have been having symptoms of what i think is ALS. It all started back in april of last year when i was grabbed in the throat. After this time it felt really tight and i had trouble taking deep breaths. I went to a ear nose and throat specialist and he performed a CT scan on me which was clear. He said there was nothing to worry about

I still feel the tightness in my throat, not all the time and i feel like my voice is croaky but people keep telling me it's in my imagination.

I few months later i found it awkward to walk on my left leg. This hasent let up. I just feel unbalanced on it. I cant say weather it's weakness or just something else. As time went on i started getting twitching all over my body, vibrations and tingling which all come and go but the awkwardness doesent, it's always there. When i play sport i just dont feel right on it, im slower.

I descirbed this to my doctor and he sent me to a neuro. On examination the only he noticed was very slight brisk reflexes on my left side. He sent me to have an mri of the brain and spine and all was clear. He said to make sure nothing was wrong, and he seems to think that their isent, he has sent me for an emg.

Does anyone think i have got anything to worry about?
the awkwardness on my left leg
the throat symptoms
the twitching
the fact that my left calf is smaller than my right one
I'm just in a panic and every oppurtunity i get is spent thinking about it
I feel that im not functioning propley

no other health problems apart form asthma
people seem to think it's anxiety but these are real symptoms im expeincing

love all

 

[BethU]

Hi, James ... First, anxiety produces "real symptoms" ... some of them, like twitching, are much more intense and annoying than in neurological diseases. And some symptoms, again like twitching, can happen without either anxiety or disease behind them. They are just normal processes of the body, but when they appear, they produce anxiety, which can make them worse.

Beyond that ... like most people on this forum, I have no medical training, so this is just my observation: It doesn't sound to me like symptoms of ALS. The fact that one calf is smaller than the other doesn't mean anything unless it was once the same size and is atrophying. I assume you never bothered to measure before you developed health concerns. "Awkwardness" in that leg also is not the way ALS presents. The throat sensations do not sound at all like bulbar onset ... and it would be very unlikely to have ALS present in the bulbar region and in the limbs at the same time.

Hopefully, the EMG will put your mind at rest. It's good that your neuro is listening to you and doing all appropriate tests. If after the EMG, this neuro tells you there is nothing wrong, believe him/her and get on with life.

Good luck!

 

[chris_uk]

i can really relate to the awkwardness in the leg feeling, for the last 7 months i have been convinced i am dragging my leg and limping. Ever since i started twitching i have been looking in shop windows or any opportunity i can to watch myself walk.

I defiantly seem to drag my right foot (the bad one) when i walk. I dont know if its all in my mind now though! my wife swears blind i dont limp or drag my foot and she says i have always walked like this lol

Apart from the twitching and pains in my calf this is the one thing that drags me down the most these day, am i limping, am i dragging my foot, am i getting weakness if this is the case ! arrghhhh.

Chris

 

[James10]

thankyou bethu, that does put my mind at rest a little bit, but it is just the waiting i have to do, it gives me time to think!
What could be causing the awarkness? can anxiety be the reason?
just another quick question What can i expect from an emg? does it hurt?

love all

 

[lydia]

Chris, In my experience, dragging your foot is accompanied by a whole lot of tripping. If you have been feeling as if you are dragging your foot for awhile but haven't been tripping then maybe your wife is right...? I did/do have a feeling as if my leg and foot drag, but have been tripping from very soon after noticing that feeling. I trip over flat carpets, over extension cords, books, shoes, etc....it doesn't matter that I see it, it doesn't matter that I tell myself to be careful, it doesn't matter that I go out of my way to step over the obstacle, I will trip. I also trip over nothing. Just a thought.

James10, EMGs are just a little uncomfortable. The NCV (or is it NVC?) was more annoying than the EMG. Use the search feature, it seems recently there was alot of conversation about how EMGs feel. I am a wimp and handled both fine, if that helps.

Lydia

 

[James10]

Thanks lydia ill check that out

 

[Marjorie R. Wilcox]

Are you exercising a lot? Are you the nervous type? Did you know that asthma is activated by stress? I think you are looking for trouble. If I were you I'd listen to the specialists that are testing and believe the tests that come back negative. I am not medically educated either, but in my opinion you don't have anything to worry about.

Nineteen and married could be stressful too. Children come next, and boy are they stressful!

My husband says to tell you his EMG wasn't uncomfortable... just buzzing sensations.

 

[BethU]

James, the EMG was uncomfortable, but not that bad. Probably easier than a trip to the dentist's. I wouldn't hesitate to have it again, if needed.

Take care and good luck on the results.

 

[James10]

to marjorie. i do exercise a fair bit and i can see my self as the nervous type, but im only nervous right now as a result of my symptoms. I cannot concentrate at University or at home, im just spaced out. we will see with the emg results next week!

thanks guys for the info- can i expect to be able to play sport after it?

 

[11bravo]

James, I can only speak for myself. I have had 2 EMG's the first was simply on the affected arm and the second was on arms legs torso neck hands. I second Beth in that the EMG was much better for me than a trip to the dentist yuck! I left directly after getting the EMG and went for a jog to clear my head. I figure I will do these things till my body FORCES me to stop. Anyway my point is that the EMG, from my experience will leave you in no way down and out.

Good Luck