Suzannah
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2014
- Messages
- 132
- Reason
- DX MND
- Diagnosis
- 08/2014
- Country
- Uni
- State
- TEXAS
- City
- Deep in the Heart of
Hi all,
I have been reading this forum for a few weeks and just have some questions. From the outset, I'll specify that I don't think that I have ALS, but I am having several issues with my legs that seem to indicate some type of UMN dysfunction.
I'm an extremely physically active 35 year old female. For the past several years, I have been having increasing problems with my legs. They are extremely tight almost all of the time in a very strong extension pattern. If I lay down on my back or sit with my legs extended, the tightness in my muscles pulls down my ankles and feet so that they are in a straight line with my legs, and my toes point down. When I sleep at night on my back, my toes point all the way down to the bed. It's very difficult to sleep because of the pain caused by this tightness. I can no longer flex my feet or walk on my heels because I cannot pull either foot up towards the shin when standing. This same extension pattern is in my arms, too, but not as severely.
I finally went to go see a neurologist (movement specialist) a few weeks ago. I picked up my report and she noted:
Spasticity in both legs
Hyperreflexia upper and lower, bilateral
Sustained bilateral ankle and pateller clonus
Wide gait with curled toes/curled under right foot
Some weird pupil reflex abnormalities (Not the technical term. Ha.)
Essential tremor
She was concerned about MS (me too) and sent me for a full brain/spine MRI. We were both surprised when it came back clear for both MS and any spinal injuries. All lab work clear, too. Not sure about weakness because she pretty much didn't finish the exam once she saw the clonus and hyperreflexia.
I'm going to see a neuromuscular specialist next Monday, and I'm guessing she might do an EMG, but I'm not sure what happens after that.
I'm not entirely sure what my question here is, either. But I guess I'm just wondering if other people here have had these symptoms and what the eventual diagnosis was? Does this sound like some kind of motor neuron issue? And as a sidenote, does anybody have any suggestions about how to ease/deal with the spasticity? It's driving me freakin' crazy!
Thanks for your help,
--Suzannah
I have been reading this forum for a few weeks and just have some questions. From the outset, I'll specify that I don't think that I have ALS, but I am having several issues with my legs that seem to indicate some type of UMN dysfunction.
I'm an extremely physically active 35 year old female. For the past several years, I have been having increasing problems with my legs. They are extremely tight almost all of the time in a very strong extension pattern. If I lay down on my back or sit with my legs extended, the tightness in my muscles pulls down my ankles and feet so that they are in a straight line with my legs, and my toes point down. When I sleep at night on my back, my toes point all the way down to the bed. It's very difficult to sleep because of the pain caused by this tightness. I can no longer flex my feet or walk on my heels because I cannot pull either foot up towards the shin when standing. This same extension pattern is in my arms, too, but not as severely.
I finally went to go see a neurologist (movement specialist) a few weeks ago. I picked up my report and she noted:
Spasticity in both legs
Hyperreflexia upper and lower, bilateral
Sustained bilateral ankle and pateller clonus
Wide gait with curled toes/curled under right foot
Some weird pupil reflex abnormalities (Not the technical term. Ha.)
Essential tremor
She was concerned about MS (me too) and sent me for a full brain/spine MRI. We were both surprised when it came back clear for both MS and any spinal injuries. All lab work clear, too. Not sure about weakness because she pretty much didn't finish the exam once she saw the clonus and hyperreflexia.
I'm going to see a neuromuscular specialist next Monday, and I'm guessing she might do an EMG, but I'm not sure what happens after that.
I'm not entirely sure what my question here is, either. But I guess I'm just wondering if other people here have had these symptoms and what the eventual diagnosis was? Does this sound like some kind of motor neuron issue? And as a sidenote, does anybody have any suggestions about how to ease/deal with the spasticity? It's driving me freakin' crazy!
Thanks for your help,
--Suzannah