Good Evening! I want to start off by saying that I write here with complete respect for eeryone on the forum. I close family friend passed away a few years ago after his battle with ALS (bulbar onset), and I think that may be what has the disease on the fore-front of my mind.
I have read the stickies and have searched the forum, but havent found to much for what I am about to ask. I am wondering if I possibly have respiratory onset ALS.First of, I am a 22 year old male. For the last 3 weeks I have had chronic shortness of breath with moments that are worse then others (breathing gets really bad for awhile and then settles down). It doesnt seem to happen so much with exertion.
I went to a pulmonologist and got a pft. MY FVC was 65% of where it should be. My FEV1 was 77% and my Fev1/FVC was 118%. My TLC was at 95% and MVV at 73%
I asked the pulmonologist if this could be neuro/musc related and he said no -- he stated it was related to my vocal cords dysfunctioning. He also said that if my shortness of breath was relative to my diaphram it would be worse when bending over or lying on my back (which it is not). However, I find my numbers a tad low and indicative of a restrictiveness of some kind -- and googling 'low FVC' brought up quite a few ALS posts.
My swallowing feels weak at times, but I dont actually have noticeable weakess swallowing food or anything. No weakness in any other part of the body fromwhat I can tell.
Is it possible that my low numbers are relative to ALS, and that shortness of breath is my sole/intitial symptom? Your thoughts would be appreciated!
Thanks!
-Nick
I have read the stickies and have searched the forum, but havent found to much for what I am about to ask. I am wondering if I possibly have respiratory onset ALS.First of, I am a 22 year old male. For the last 3 weeks I have had chronic shortness of breath with moments that are worse then others (breathing gets really bad for awhile and then settles down). It doesnt seem to happen so much with exertion.
I went to a pulmonologist and got a pft. MY FVC was 65% of where it should be. My FEV1 was 77% and my Fev1/FVC was 118%. My TLC was at 95% and MVV at 73%
I asked the pulmonologist if this could be neuro/musc related and he said no -- he stated it was related to my vocal cords dysfunctioning. He also said that if my shortness of breath was relative to my diaphram it would be worse when bending over or lying on my back (which it is not). However, I find my numbers a tad low and indicative of a restrictiveness of some kind -- and googling 'low FVC' brought up quite a few ALS posts.
My swallowing feels weak at times, but I dont actually have noticeable weakess swallowing food or anything. No weakness in any other part of the body fromwhat I can tell.
Is it possible that my low numbers are relative to ALS, and that shortness of breath is my sole/intitial symptom? Your thoughts would be appreciated!
Thanks!
-Nick