Some advice/left side stiffness/atrophy? EMG scheduled

[Chev965]

Hi all. I’d appreciate your thoughts on what’s going on with me. The last 2 months I’ve had weakness feeling in my arms and legs. Random twitching here and there on all different places. My left upper arm muscle feels stiff like I’m flexing but I’m not. Stiffness in my fingers (my pinky and ring finger on my left hand mostly) It’s mostly in the morning then feels a little better as I move during the day or under warm water/heat. The right side doesn’t not seem very effected.

I went to neurologist 2 weeks ago for an exam. He did strength tests and reflexes, etc. and all checked out good and normal. He ordered CK blood test and sedimentation rate test. Both came back normal. The notes say “no objective weakness no sensory loss, and no reflex changes with a completely normal neurologic exam. We will check her for any evidence of CIDP or other muscular disease with EMG nerve conduction study”.

so in a few weeks I go back for EMG. I am a little nervous. My left shoulder seems thinner than my right side. Like behind the shoulder- I feel a dent and it’s not on my right side. Of course when giggling symptoms u find bad things online. I saw something that said your shoulder muscle atrophy first and then it affects your arm/hands. I’m afraid this is what’s happening with me.

I guess I’m just looking for your advice or opinion on if u think this is worrisome? I can do what I normally do- just don’t feel as strong but no clinical weakness yet. Maybe I should look into vitamins?? Drinking more water. That kind of thing until my EMG test. Thanks so much for your time. Appreciate it.

 

[Nikki J]

Your doctor apparently did not see atrophy.

I have no idea where you got that bit about shoulder atrophy and then affecting arms and hands. That is utterly untrue for ALS. In arm onset the usual pattern is a problem ( failure of some kind) in the fingers and / or hand that spreads up the arm. And weakness precedes atrophy. you had a normal neurologic exam so no clinical weakness no abnormal reflexes and no atrophy. It sounds like your neurologist is doing the emg just to be complete but don’t waste time worrying now

 

[lgelb]

You may have read about the rare flail arm variant where the upper arms go first. My husband had that, and, trust me, the signs are unmistakeable. We are talking stick-figure arms bilaterally, and profound weakness.

As for you, we are all asymmetrical and a "dent" is generally just a dent. If you count in a mirror all the ways your left and right sides are different, I'll bet you'll find many more. I am sure the EMG will be reassuring as regards ALS and likely anything neurological. Morning stiffness is often down to how you sleep, so always worth reconsidering your mattress, pillow, and climate control, even food/drink before bed. You can also consider hydration, nutrition, and exercise/bodywork more generally while you wait.

The normal sed rate suggests you do not have a rheumatologic disease, but it is not 100%, so if your stiffness begins to impede function, you will want to have your PCP re-examine you and run more labs.

Best,
Laurie

 

[Chev965]

Nikki- you’re right. Normal exam. No sense in driving myself crazy now. That’s what I keep telling myself.

Laurie- that’s probably what I came across while googling. Sorry it affected your husband. You’re right about checking yourself and finding differences. I feel like I haven’t looked at my body more in my life than I have the past few weeks. So what I “find” can possibly just be my normal and I never paid attention the way I have now. The stiffness in my fingers is probably bothering me the most at the moment. Just never had it before and I find it odd. I haven’t been eating properly so I’m thinking I’m going to try some calcium/magnesium supplements and maybe that will help with the twitching and stuff too. And I really need to drink more water. Hoping I do that for the next few weeks and maybe it will help feel better overall. If it’s ok -? I can update the thread in 4 weeks after my EMG.
Thanks so very much for the replies.
chev

 

[Chev965]

Hi. Sorry to bother. I have a quick question about spilt hand syndrome. I feel like the skin by my thumb is having signs of atrophy. The thenar muscle is not affected. Just the folds by the thumb. If this were the case- would I have lost function to use my thumb/hand? Is it the thenar muscle in the hand that atrophies? Sorry for the questions. this forum is very knowledgeable and was just something I forget to mention in my first post.

 

[Bestfriends14]

Your hand looks like my hand and I do not have ALS. Asking terminally ill people to walk with you through your anxiety by continuing to post is not very fair, is it? Please, do wait for your EMG and then, if you do not mind, report back about your clean EMG. This helps other worriers to see why their benign symptoms are not ALS.

Good luck to you and look forward to hearing the good news in a few weeks.

Take good care

 

[Chev965]

Yes I see what you mean. I go in a few weeks and I will come back and do that. Thanks for your reply. Take care.

 

[Chev965]

Just wanted to update the post. Went for my nerve study and EMG. Did almost the whole one side of my body. Dr. Said it’s 100% normal. Thanks to all who post on here and dedicate their time on these forums.

 

[Nikki J]

Congratulations. Have a long and happy life

 

[Bestfriends14]

Thank you for coming back to update. As said, have a long and happy life.

Take care