Nella82
New member
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2017
- Messages
- 3
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- CA
- State
- Ont
- City
- Toronto
Hi
Hoping to get some knowledge from experienced people on the results and symptoms I've been having for 2 months.
35 female, only started worrying about ALS when looked up fasciculations online. Bad idea.
May-June
-twitching in abductor digiti mini muscle, left. Which moves pinky side to side. Which then moved into whole body twitching, especially in feet, with occasional cramps in feet. I can see the fasciculations.
- blood tests, cpk all normal. Brain MRI normal
- neurological testing all normal, except mild jaw jerk, which Dr didn't even want to call.
-no weakness or atrophy seen
EMG July
- tested full right leg and full left arm -10 different muscles tested
- non sustained positive sharp waves in only abductor digiti minimi with mildly large motor unit potential ( long = +\- and high =+)
-report indicated as conclusion, the increased insertional activity and mildly large motor unit potential in isolation is non localizing and is of uncertain clinical significance.
-recommended to come back in 3 months as a follow up.
-could be minimal manifestation of ulnar neuropathy, but no other symptoms were dected as per neurologist and is not typical to display of such a pattern.
Ultrasound
- Dr used ultrasound to see fasciculations on feet and he said they are slow and not to worry about them...not sure what this means either.
As of today, twitching in pinky is pretty much gone but now I have weakness in the hand griping and sometimes pain when grasping. I do sometimes have tingling. There is now loss of muscle mass in left palm, I can feel bone now. I have fasciculations widespread but they jump around and don't stay in a particular spot except for the pinky, which is now almost gone. I can still lift things and use my hand, but it feels completely off and I do tend to not grip properly. The Dr couldn't explain the widespread fasciculations, except to say stress.
My understanding is that PSW are found in ALS and is acute denervation? Is this correct? What else could be the cause? Would ulnar neuropathy cause this psw?
What does large motor unit potential mean? I have asked the neurologist (mayo trained) and they just said not to worry yet and come back in 3 months.
Do I still need to worry that the pinky muscle has now died, since it's no longer twitching and could be early manifestation of ALS, since it showed PSW and large motor units?
Does my results point away from ALS and why or why not? Do I need to request further testing for a 2nd opinion?
I understand no one is a Dr here, but from what I can see online you have experienced advice and someone named Wright who seems to understand EMG quite well.
I just need to understand what results I should worry about.
Thanks.
Hoping to get some knowledge from experienced people on the results and symptoms I've been having for 2 months.
35 female, only started worrying about ALS when looked up fasciculations online. Bad idea.
May-June
-twitching in abductor digiti mini muscle, left. Which moves pinky side to side. Which then moved into whole body twitching, especially in feet, with occasional cramps in feet. I can see the fasciculations.
- blood tests, cpk all normal. Brain MRI normal
- neurological testing all normal, except mild jaw jerk, which Dr didn't even want to call.
-no weakness or atrophy seen
EMG July
- tested full right leg and full left arm -10 different muscles tested
- non sustained positive sharp waves in only abductor digiti minimi with mildly large motor unit potential ( long = +\- and high =+)
-report indicated as conclusion, the increased insertional activity and mildly large motor unit potential in isolation is non localizing and is of uncertain clinical significance.
-recommended to come back in 3 months as a follow up.
-could be minimal manifestation of ulnar neuropathy, but no other symptoms were dected as per neurologist and is not typical to display of such a pattern.
Ultrasound
- Dr used ultrasound to see fasciculations on feet and he said they are slow and not to worry about them...not sure what this means either.
As of today, twitching in pinky is pretty much gone but now I have weakness in the hand griping and sometimes pain when grasping. I do sometimes have tingling. There is now loss of muscle mass in left palm, I can feel bone now. I have fasciculations widespread but they jump around and don't stay in a particular spot except for the pinky, which is now almost gone. I can still lift things and use my hand, but it feels completely off and I do tend to not grip properly. The Dr couldn't explain the widespread fasciculations, except to say stress.
My understanding is that PSW are found in ALS and is acute denervation? Is this correct? What else could be the cause? Would ulnar neuropathy cause this psw?
What does large motor unit potential mean? I have asked the neurologist (mayo trained) and they just said not to worry yet and come back in 3 months.
Do I still need to worry that the pinky muscle has now died, since it's no longer twitching and could be early manifestation of ALS, since it showed PSW and large motor units?
Does my results point away from ALS and why or why not? Do I need to request further testing for a 2nd opinion?
I understand no one is a Dr here, but from what I can see online you have experienced advice and someone named Wright who seems to understand EMG quite well.
I just need to understand what results I should worry about.
Thanks.