Ren_in_black
New member
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2020
- Messages
- 5
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Diagnosis
- 00/0000
- Country
- US
- State
- GA
- City
- Savannah
Hi everyone, I have read the stickies. In fact, several times. They are the only things keeping me sane right now and I appreciate them. I didn't want to post here and be yet another crier of wolf. But I can't get my head past this article that appears to be completely reputable.
FYI I'm 46 years old and noticed a consistent twitch between my forefinger and thumb in my left hand about a month ago. After about a week I noticed it wasn't going away. (By the way, I have not changed meds or exercised vigorously, I have gotten plenty of sleep - before the twitching of course - and I even cut out caffeine to see if that would help, but it didn't.) I quickly saw my PCP who gave me a referral to a neurologist. But the soonest I could get in is in another month from now.
I can't trust my perception of weakness or atrophy. I assume my non-dominant hand is naturally weaker and smaller. But I don't know. But there's no clinical weakness or atrophy assessed by a physician. So that's where I took the sticky notes to heart. Just twitching. The location made me nervous though because that is where split hand syndrome happens, and I know that split hand is pretty much a sure sign of ALS.
But what has disturbed me most is this clinical article which states: "In ALS, especially, fasciculation is often noted before patients recognize atrophy or weakness."
This is from 2015, a year after the sticky was written, if I recall correctly.
Can anyone please shed some light on this contradiction. Also, if there is still no weakness in a month when I see the neuro, should I demand an EMG if he doesn't think one is necessary?
Thank you all for your generous time.
Here is the link to the full article if anyone is interested: Complex Fasciculation Potentials in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - touchNEUROLOGY.
FYI I'm 46 years old and noticed a consistent twitch between my forefinger and thumb in my left hand about a month ago. After about a week I noticed it wasn't going away. (By the way, I have not changed meds or exercised vigorously, I have gotten plenty of sleep - before the twitching of course - and I even cut out caffeine to see if that would help, but it didn't.) I quickly saw my PCP who gave me a referral to a neurologist. But the soonest I could get in is in another month from now.
I can't trust my perception of weakness or atrophy. I assume my non-dominant hand is naturally weaker and smaller. But I don't know. But there's no clinical weakness or atrophy assessed by a physician. So that's where I took the sticky notes to heart. Just twitching. The location made me nervous though because that is where split hand syndrome happens, and I know that split hand is pretty much a sure sign of ALS.
But what has disturbed me most is this clinical article which states: "In ALS, especially, fasciculation is often noted before patients recognize atrophy or weakness."
This is from 2015, a year after the sticky was written, if I recall correctly.
Can anyone please shed some light on this contradiction. Also, if there is still no weakness in a month when I see the neuro, should I demand an EMG if he doesn't think one is necessary?
Thank you all for your generous time.
Here is the link to the full article if anyone is interested: Complex Fasciculation Potentials in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - touchNEUROLOGY.