ariz4me
New member
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2009
- Messages
- 7
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- PA
- City
- COLLEGEVILLE
Went to a neurosurgeon for a second opinion about the neck. He stated that if I did not have all this "als" stuff on my report, he would have just thought it was a spinal issue and treated it as such. He agrees that I should see Dr. McCloskey but his script read to rule out radiculopathy. He wrote on the bottom of the script "she was told she had motor neuron disease - ALS." He also said that my neck is so "messed up" that he's not sure how to fix it. While I wait for the EMG - so scary, I noticed that the left arm is getting stronger. I've been working on doing bicep curls with light weight. I can now do 10 reps with two lbs. with ease and I can now do a rep or two with 3lbs. I still have the pain in the back of my arm - now it's also in the right. When the first neuro did the EMG - he said I had issues in the right and left arm (possible carpal tunnel). He did an antisensory nerve conduction test which my family doc said was surprising. I do have carpal tunnel in both hands. He also got mixed results in my left arm with 3 out of the 7 nerves tested demonstrated some combination of fibs, fasc, psw and amp. My right arm (radial tricep) was the only abnormal reading of psw and poly of +2. All the rest of my right arm was normal. He tested under my chin and got 1+ Fibs and 1+ Poly. Everything else in that area was normal. When I went to the ALS doctor, she asked if he actually stuck the probe in my tongue as he indicated on the report. I told her that he did not and showed her where it placed the probe. She said that it could show a lot of false positives there.
So I now have my family doc, psychiatrist, 2 neurosurgeons, an orthopaedic doctor, chiropractor and medical massage therapist telling me that I do not have things consistent with an ALS diagnosis. But the EMG from the first neuro. is still the concerning factor. My chiropractor stated that the cervical spinal stenosis could also affect the readings in my chin as well as my arms. I don't know what to do and I'm terrified of the upcoming EMG. Is that fact that I'm gaining strength in the left arm a positive sign? In 19 months, thank God this is the only issue that I have at this point. Thanks for listening and giving me feedback.
Ann Marie
So I now have my family doc, psychiatrist, 2 neurosurgeons, an orthopaedic doctor, chiropractor and medical massage therapist telling me that I do not have things consistent with an ALS diagnosis. But the EMG from the first neuro. is still the concerning factor. My chiropractor stated that the cervical spinal stenosis could also affect the readings in my chin as well as my arms. I don't know what to do and I'm terrified of the upcoming EMG. Is that fact that I'm gaining strength in the left arm a positive sign? In 19 months, thank God this is the only issue that I have at this point. Thanks for listening and giving me feedback.
Ann Marie
