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Skyhawk

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Oct 16, 2009
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Country
UK
State
London
City
London
Hi guys,

I just want to say to you all thank you for your continued support and help you are giving me by putting up with me and answering my questions. You guys have helped me keep my sanity, and I appreciate it very much :)

I do have some last questions for anyone here and I promise after this I wont keep on posting asking things until there has been a significant change in me or diagnosis from my Neuro.

I had what I feel a very important discovery the other night....

one of my symptoms since March 09 is that I would wake in the the night with the left hand feeling numb on the side. Also my pinky finger and one next to it would be kinda paralyzed straight and then after a few seconds the feeling would return and I could move them all again and my hand would return to normal. This would occur between 1-3 times a week so therefore was intermittent.

Various discussions went on between the Neuro and Ortho Dr. about it being a cervical spine issue as I had C4/5 issues but that was ruled out. An EMG/NCV test was done and the Neuro said he felt it was possibly Carpal Tunnel but he could never reproduce the numbness and my Ulnar nerve group was affected not the Median Nerve group which Carpal Tunnel affects. I have since seen a few Neuros and some say they feel it's not Carpal Tunnel at all as the wrong nerve group is affecte. All Neuro's said it was not ALS as I had sensory issues and all have ruled out MS as I have had so many tests for it.

The waking in the night now occasionally happens on both the right and the left hand and sometimes affects my forearms too. I have always found it difficult to explain what actually happens as I always awake in the middle of the night and so therefore am semi-conscious and not with it! But here is what I discovered...

I awoke the other night and my left hand was again having issues. My left hand, the small finger and the finger next to the little one were what I usually feel when I awake with this as numb side, straight fingers and kinda under "paralysis" I became alert more quickly and when I touched the outside of my left hand it actually was not numb at all but the muscle on the outside of the hand and the 2 fingers, was Rock Solid! :(

I could feel the right fingers touching my left fingers and side of my hand but could not move the left fingers at all. Then as I stared at my fingers and held the muscle after a few seconds I felt the muscle relax and then I regained control of my fingers after a few more seconds.

This I feel has now changed everything because its now not sensory based. Even though I have previously described it as numb I think I was confusing the numbness with the muscles being rock solid. Even though I guess I feel a change in "sensation" in the left side etc. So I guess this is now not a sensory issue?

My Question... Could this now be caused by ALS?

As a recap my other symptoms are

1) Intermittent feeling of a lump in my throat since Oct 08 checked all clear by ENT

Over the past 5 weeks the following have occurred:-

2) Yawning every 15 - 20 mins and when I do I get a huge feeling of nausea that the yawn triggers. The Nausea dissipates after a few seconds
3) Continuous intermittent paralysis of (Ulnar Nerve group) fingers on side of left hand. on awakening in the night (occasionally right)
4) Continuous feeling of a weak/trapped nerve feeling in right leg - mainly calf and foot (no atrophy)
5) Continuous twitches everywhere, in my calves, thighs, thumb muscle, jaw, eyelid, lips etc. particularly the small right toe which twitches constantly
6) When I sit down in a seated position and raise my legs from the knee as I let the leg down the whole of the thigh muscle kind of judders/shudder

Last question (honest) Why are my Neuros showing no concern? as NOTHING has been 100% diagnosed so far

Last questions by me I promise

God Bless

Andy
x
 
Hi Andy,

Because of the intermittent thing , I would shy away from ALS. Once weak with ALS , always weak.

Obviously, that does not explain your symptoms. Is the neuro you are seeing a MND specialist ?

Wish I had more for you.

Glen
 
Hi Glen,

No we dont have specific specialists like that where I am - We just have general Neuros but the ones I have seen are mainly MS ones and claim to know MND quite well - The last one I saw said he just came from a MND patient.

Do you feel I have MND symptoms?

Also I have attached some pics of my hands - Does this look like Atrophy?

This is the hand normal

Hand5.jpg




This is is spread wide open stretching

Hand7.jpg




Palm (obviously!)

Hand12.jpg


Hand11.jpg


I have some more here

Pictures by andyd354 - Photobucket


Cheers

Andy
x
 
Hi Andy,

I am having symptoms pretty much identical to yours, and also aching in my right arm/shoulder during the day. I also had one episode which started with a sort of pain in my upper arm, and then suddenly my whole arm went into a spasm for a few minutes, very frightening. I wake up every night with an arm that has completely gone to sleep, even if I've been sleeping on my back! My last two fingers on both hands feel constantly numb and tingly, and I also occassionally get pain in my calf, and tingling sensations in my feet.

Like you, I am afraid it may be ALS, largely due to the fact that my mother has ALS. I can't shake the feeling that I have it too - hence the reason I am on here!

HOWEVER - when I look at things rationally, I do wonder if it is simply caused by stress, compounded by the fear of possibly having ALS. I have investigated my Mum's family history as well as possible, and can't find any other cases in the family. So theoretically it is unlikely to be familial ALS. Also, she was only diagnosed in August. What are the chances we would both get it within such a short time of each other? Seems unlikely. I have also become so much worse since I read her notes on how she was feeling in the early stages, and only started feeling these symptoms after reading about her symptoms during onset. TBH, she didn't mention the pins and needles / dead arm feelings. She did have tingling though, and pain in her right arm and shoulder.

I'd really like to keep in touch with you, as our symptoms are so similar. Please keep us updated on how you're doing.
 
Lump in the throat was my main symptom of anxiety disorder. Effexor daily plus Ativan as needed has completely eliminated it. I would suggest discussing with your doctors as you do sound very anxious.

Julie
 
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