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mrwrong

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Learn about ALS
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SE
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Sweden
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Stockholm
My old thread was closed and have a specific question about the EMG. I know that you will answer that I will work with my neurologist. The problem is that I perceive the situation as she tries to "protect" me and gives me no clear answers even though I have all the protocols from EMG. The last I wrote I had done an EMG in February which found an inactive chronic neurogenic changes in the left leg muscle flexor digitorum longus muscle and the peroneus longus. After that I started to have the same problem in my right leg and what I experienced as the same muscles and was referred to the renewed EMG in November. Unfortunately, nothing was done EMG in the above muscles but they looked at the tibialis anterior, which now shows off chronic change. And this muscle showed no change in February.

I have bulging disks at L5 level, but the symptoms in the legs is progessiva then first left leg started and then over to the right leg.
Would appreciate if anyone can give me some input on the results of EMG when I feel that my neurologist smooth the results.
 
What were you told? That the changes are non specific, non worrying and may relate to your back? That is what I would expect and in my non neurologist opinion would tell you. I do not believe neurologists " protect" you by misleading you. In my experience they are kind but honest. At one point, pending tests, I was told " I am extremely worried about you" by a neurologist
 
I agree, doctors do not 'protect' people by lying to them or failing to disclose test results or the meaning of them.

You do need to insist your doctor explain your results and approaches clearly to you, you pay for all of this, you have a right to understand it all. Don't be afraid to ask, that's what your doctor is there for.

It still does not sound like ALS to Nikki so that is worth a huge amount!
 
Believe me ... I'm not particularly anxious but very very very tired of all the investigations and that a get a little worse over time, albeit very slowly. Nikki, you asked what answer I received regarding EMG and what you wrote is consistent. She just says I have to live with it and get a little annoyed when I mention suspicions about MND. At the same time, she has previously said that it may be about radioculpati but is not clear from my journal. This is because I have other symptoms also not clinically detectable. The only clinical one found is weak reflexes in the arms and weak reflex in the left leg. Nikki, based on what I mentioned about the results of EMG, I understand that there must also be active denervation. Have I understood correctly that the active denervation is in earlier stage and chronic denervation in practice produced when the muscle is completely atrophied?
Thank you very much for your answers and will not disturb you anymore. I do not even want my worst enemy to be affected by ALS. I'm pretty handy around the situation (maybe not the right word?) And fixed our wills and fixed my life insurance.
 
I think it would benefit you if you stopped trying to second guess your neurologist. Many EMGs show chronic denervation, even widespread and no active denervation. The main thing your neuro will look for in ALS is an EMG with both chronic and active denervation that shows positive sharp waves and fibrillation (active denervation) that is NOT explained by the nerve conduction study and injuries.

There are so many things that make EMGs and NCSs abnormal. You need to go back to your neurologist and ask her/him to explain your test to you and tell you what is on the table for possible diagnoses. Then trust.
 
In Sweden it so that all EMG are performed by neurophysiologist through referral by a neurologist. When I wrote that I experienced it as she "protect" me it is the basis of that we have been working in the same hospital. However, I am not medically trained. I talked to my neurologist today but what she gives me are no precise answers about the outcome of the EMG, but says only that in ALS, you will find other findings than it did on you. Understand that in ALS you will find both chronic and active denervation. But why should you actually have chronic denervation when ALS is a progressive disease and then denervation should be active until all the "contact" is broken on the muscle then it´s chronic…or?
 
I think one problem is that you are given clear information, both from your doctor and from here, but you don't accept it. You have no medical background, and yet you try to argue it as per this example.

But why should you actually have chronic denervation when ALS is a progressive disease and then denervation should be active until all the "contact" is broken on the muscle then it´s chronic…or?

No point us explaining the medical reasons why an ALS EMG result shows as it does. What is important is that your EMG does NOT show ALS, not at all.

Please get a grip on that as a fact, then let your doctors work on what they feel is the direction to take. You keep wanting to push them towards ALS and this is hindering a solution being found. All the best.
 
Quite right, Tillie! Just what is my problem when doctors can not give me a diagnosis for 4.5 years. Although I know that all patients can not be diagnosed when there are conditions / diseases that currently lack "label". That's why I diagnose myself and I have a personality that is hard to let go of control. Thank you very much for your reply and wish you all the best.
 
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