Symptoms

[ellesmith207]

I would like to start off by saying I have read the stickies and I understand certain things but I would like to share what's going on with me...I have been twitching for a month now and three days ago it moved to my left eyelid. This is continuos in my body and eyelid. My hands are very unsteady and they shake by holding something as small as a coffee cup. They seem very uncontrolled when typing as well. I feel as ALS is beginning to hit my whole body. My legs feel like I have run a marathon all the time and I could just collapse. Even getting into a squat they shake uncontrollably. Because this has taken over my body, I have become obsessed by it. I have had a clean EMG of my lower body, but after reading a lot it seems that it only detects UMN problems. I also did not get one on my upper body. I would like to here anything from the PALS.

 

[Atsugi]

Your description is not like ALS. Your legs feel tired? ALS doesn't feel tired. That's because of the way ALS works.

In the brain, one by one, ALS destroys the motor neurons that tell the muscles to contract. So since the muscle never receives the signal to contract, the muscle lays limp, useless, paralyzed. There is no feeling of weakness, no feeling of burning, exhaustion, numbness, weird, or anything. The muscle simply doesn't go. Anymore. Forever.

Don't worry about the twitching. Twitches occur in many conditions, so it is not diagnostic of anything. Even healthy people twitch.

The EMG is important. You're right to note the difference between UMN and LMN. But I'm told by experts that if your EMG is clean in the LMN, then you're clean as far as ALS is concerned.

The weak legs and hands are important. Get those checked out and fixed. It could be any number of problems. So I don't see ALS in your description.

 

[Nikki J]

I believe you both mistyped. Emg shows LMN. UMN issues are detected by the neurologist in the clinical exam. You need to have specific abnormalities in both area to be diagnosed with ALS. Op you do not mention your clinical exam

 

[Atsugi]

Wow. Both Lgelb and Nikki J fixed my post. I've been double-teamed!

 

[lgelb]

Actually, the EMG detects LMN (lower motor neuron) damage. If your EMG was clean, ALS is very unlikely for anyone, and especially for you with the symptoms you describe. You and your doctor will need to look in another direction. Meanwhile, focusing on stress, sleep and diet, which can often contribute to shaking and twitching, can never lead you wrong.

Best,
Laurie

 

[lgelb]

You should feel honored.

 

[affected]

UMN - upper motor neurones are the neurones between the brain and the spinal cord (the upper area of the system)

LMN - lower motor neurones are the neurones between the spinal cord and the muscles (the lower area of the system)

Arms and legs both contain only LMN which is what the EMG checks.

All clean, all clear of ALS, great news