This whole 2nd EMG thing

[chris_uk]

Hi all

After 3 months of really bad twitching in my calfs, i had an EMG in december and was told i am ok, (i have later found out that the minor abnormalities were the slow nerve test they do at first)

I am due to see my Neuro on Monday and was going there with the hope of getting this fear of my back, i still twitch ALL the time in my calfs etc but after EMG being normal i thought to myself for the sake of my marriage and moving on again i have to let this go.

The thing that bothers me is the amount of people who seem to get clear EMG's then as as little as a few months later get other ones and there is changes on them. I know if i go and ask for another EMG on monday i will be causing a whole lot of heart ache for not not only myself but my wife, so i guess i am just asking for a bit of advice here.

I got a letter this week from my Neuro saying he wants to reassure me "as firmly as he can" that i do not have this disease and there is no evidence of it at all and he will talk more in depth on monday to me about it.

So when i go in on Monday what do you all think i should do? is it common for an EMG to change? i mean do i really want to go down this road again? my wife has been very supportive but i have had this fear for 4 months now (i know some of you have this horrible disease and me worrying for 4 months compared to what you go through is so tiny so please don't think i don't understand that because i truly do)

I have read and read on here and even just lately about getting an EMG to soon, mine was after 3 months and my twitches were really strong and violent. After all that Wright has said and others, an EMG would have picked anything up wouldnt it?

I am seeking your final advice here and contrary to what Wright has said to me in private i do and will listen.

Chris

 

[wright]

You're probably not going to believe this, but I think you should get another EMG. NOT because I think you have ALS but because you're not going to put this to rest unless you do. Your neuro will more than likely disagree because he already told you that the source of your twitching is an irritated nerve but for the sake of your mental well-being and your private life, I would get another one done. Having said that: maybe the discussion you have on Monday with your neuro really will convince you that you are fine.

P.S. Get off of the internet because you are completely misinterpreting the stories about clean EMG's and subsequent dirty EMG's. You simply aren't qualifed to interpret that type of information and no matter how many times I've tried to explain it to you (and have written about it in many posts), you just don't seem to want to listen.

 

[chris_uk]

I will miss out little chats wright lol , and your right about me not being qualified to understand.....i am going on Monday ready to listen...he is a good Neuro.

chris

 

[crystalkk]

Chris,

Good luck with the appointment.

 

[Blizna]

Chris, Wright is right (lol it sounds funny for me ) - go for second EMG, just like me. I got second EMG after 14 months and after Wright convienced me It will help you much more than 1000 words of reassurance.

 

[chris_uk]

I hear what your saying Bilzna, but you have had 2 and your still worried....where do you stop with this?

chris

 

[awieleba]

Chis~

Have you been to the bfs site?

I would have one more emg and then NOT come on here. I would wait on getting the emg, 2 in three months may be to close. I would wait a full 6 months between. JMO, I was gonna have my repeat in Oct and decided to wait untill this feb or march so that it would be a year for me.If you have no real weakness (still able to do all things you have always done) and no atrophy noted by your neuro and clean emg, then you are fine for now. It should stop there. IF you need to converse than the bfs site may be a great outlet for you. This forum may feed your fear instead of helping. Is twitching all that you have? are your reflexes normal?

Good luck..

 

[ktmj]

I agree with April. My muscles have had twitching for 20 years now. You learn to live with it. If you have no other symptoms you have to let it go.

 

[perplexed]

Do it

If your doctor suggests the 2nd EMG, I'd say do it, not because doctors are invariably correct, but because it is the changes seen over time, even within two months, that helps rule out diagnosis. Looking at things objectively, if what is making you nervous about a 2nd test is what could possibly show, that will exist in any case. And you will do yourself a favour by ruling out possibilities if you do go and find out things are just fine.

Perplexed/Erica

 

[chris_uk]

i must say i am surprised that most people think i should go for a 2nd EMG, my wife seems to think that i should just end all this now and move on.

Yes i am a member of BFS site but they are a little to much on the way that if you have a clean EMG then you DEFIANTLY do not have ALS. I think i am going to wait and see what my Neuro says but i really do want to draw a line under this.

Wright if i may just ask one more favour....when you said i am not qualified to interpret that type of information with regards to differences between 2nd and first EMG's, what did you mean here?

Here is my ultimate question in my head.........is a clean EMG enough to put fears of ALS behind me? if it is, and i really mean this...if it is then thats it.....i will put this behind me...if the reason your (Wright) is saying i should have a 2nd EMG is just to reassure me then i wont have it, i dont need it....i have leant on you lots over the past few months and i am asking one more time.medially do i need a 2nd EMG? forget mentally...medically do i need one?

Chris

 

[Zaphoon]

Chris,

For what its worth, I'd suggest hearing your neurologist out on Monday. You stated that he would be talking to you more in depth as to why he believes you do not have ALS. He sounds like a good doc willing to take time to go into details.

If you still can't believe him, would you believe a second opinion that confirms the first? If the answer is yes, go for the second opinion. If the answer is no or probably not, well, you might as well not waste the time on a second opinion.

I would listen closely to whatever the doc has to say on Monday and you may want to write down questions for him as well. Bring a recording device, too. This way, any time you start fearing you may have ALS, you can always replay the doctor's explanation as to why you don't and calm your fears over and over.

I hope the best for you!

Zaphoon

 

[wright]

Chris

You ask if a second EMG is medically warranted? Your first one wasn't medically warranted.

You then go on to ask me the same question you have asked me a hundred times and I actually just answered that same question in my previous post. You really just don't listen do you.

Go waste your time and money on another EMG (I know I said you should get another one but that's just because you need it for your peace of mind) or actually listen to what your neuro has to say. Just do what you have to do and put this thing to rest.

 

[chris_uk]

Wright i totally respect you and cannot even begin to thank you for your help.

However i have to disagree when you said my first EMG was not medically warrented, i posted a you tube video of my calf on here and it was really bad, as you say i am not medically qualified in any way BUT i was scared, and without the knowledge of what the symptoms are for ALS then i think i was totally justified in having one.

If anyone was twitching as much as me, and no matter how much we read on the internet, twitching is one symptom of ALS then i really dont think that anyone who is not medically astute would not have gone down the same road i did.

Chris

 

[wright]

That was just my point: the first one was emotionally and mentally warranted . . . not medically warranted. Although I suppose emotional and mental issues are also medical issues. Well then, I guess a second EMG is in order, because you just won't let go of this. Cheers and good luck tomorrow.

 

[lbeyerl]

From my experience, Id wait until you have some clinical weakness to get the second EMG. They aren't free.