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ltr

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Hi everyone,

I saw the rheumatologist today that my pcp doctor sent me to for muscle cramping and back pain. When I told her about my twitching and weakness and my concern about als she said that my muscle twitching was not true fasciculations. She said that true fasciculations are much deeper than muscle twitches and that they are relentless, they never stop in als. She said she would see them all over my body as well as my face. She is a very nice, intelligent young doctor and I know this isn't her field, but I think she may be wrong about this. Can the twitching come and go? Is muscle twitching different from true fasciculations? Is weakness associated with either of these a symptoms of als? Thanks so much for answering. It's difficult for me since I don't yet have a neurologist. Keep your fingers crossed for March---if the ins. co. lets me go. Leslie
 
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Hi Leslie. What she said about the fasciculations is not true in my case. I have had heavy fasic's for 3 years now from toes to chest and have never had them in my face. I did notice a general feeling of weakness as the fascic's got worse. Once mine started they never went away. I would think muscle twitching and fascic's would be hard to tell the difference if you hadn't seen a lot of either.
AL.
 
Leslie, my doc, say the same thing to me.Funny, that every time when im visiting my doc. my fasc. stopped, but I know that they are.I wonder if doc. can check do you have spastic pain or just we feel it?
 
By thae way my fasc. started in my calfs and after1,5 month i Have it everywhere-all over my body.
 
Hi Leslie -

My fasciculations were only present in my right arm before they started up in my left arm about six months later. Legs became involved about a year after that and I'm just now feeling them in my back, hips, and abdomen. Also - some days they are more active than others - one day things are pretty quiet and the next I'm a twitchy mess.

All throughout this forum we read of how these diseases progress at different rates and sometimes mimic other conditions. That's the confounding thing when you're trying to find out what's wrong - are you really having fasciculations or something else?, what's causing the weakness? It seems in many cases the watchful waiting and repeated testing is the only way to eventually get to a diagnosis. Hopefully you can get to a neurologist soon - that's probably where you will get this sorted out.

Liz
 
Thanks everybody for answering my questions. I have some of what all of you say. My fasicppt.s started 6 months after my initial problems. They started in my legs and like you Al I then got weakness that seems associated with them. Now the fasics are ribs, chest, abdomen, arms, a couple on the face, but mostly leg. This morning, for the first time I noticed my buttock pretty bad. The doctor thinks because I didn't have them in her office yesterday that they are not true fasics. The funny thing about it is I had them really pronounced in my right arm all day before my appt. Well, I know you are all right, its a waiting game, but the apprehension is terrible and the exhaustion is overwhelming, or else I would practice what I preach and take one day at a time getting on with my life. I'm really glad I found all of you. Thanks. Leslie
 
Glad you found us too, Leslie.

Looks like a snow day for most of New York state tomorrow. You can keep those kids of yours busy shoveling while you stay in and keep warm. :)

Take care,

Liz
 
Hello Leslie and Liz and all our other friends in New York. I hope you all have stocked up on milk and bread and have your long johns at the ready. We hear your snow is headed our way but over by the coast we will probably just get ice. Hot chocolate all around! Cindy
 
It is falling here now, fast and hard and icey. Kids are counting on no school. Happy Valentines Day everybody! Leslie
 
They say it will start any minute now here. My 11 yo won't go to sleep until it starts. Our plan for tomorrow is DVDs, Yahtzee, and nachos for dinner. That plus dad doing all of the work to get us dug out. :)

Have a peaceful day. Snow is pretty.

Liz
 
It's 3 am here and we've only got an inch or so. No big deal. AL.
 
Snow Day!

Well, Al, if it's moving North, then watch out! This am I am under 18 inches! :)
 
25 miles south they got 2 feet we only got 4 or 5 inches. We are in what they call the snow belt but it was a lot of lake effect snow so we missed it. The kid that shovels my snow was happy about that.
AL.
 
We topped out at 18" but they closed school again today because it is so windy the blowing snow is still causing white outs. So naturally I hopped in the car and came to work. Major roads clear but side streets no good. Walking through a couple of inches of snow with heavy boots on is hard. :neutral:

Liz
 
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