rhythman
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2009
- Messages
- 91
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- CA
- State
- New Brunswick
- City
- xxxxxxxx
Hi All
As you can likely tell from the thread title, I do feel somewhat guilty for posting and asking for your thoughts, when there are so many others with more pressing concerns. I am the type of person who never, ever likes to bother anyone and ask for help. I would like to preface my questions by further stating that I only joined and posted after 8 weeks of symptoms and 3 weeks of reading for many hours about als on many sites, including this forum. I simply reached a point where I needed to 'talk' to someone and ask some questions while I await my first neuro appointment.
For those who didn't read my background in my other thread posted last week, I'll briefly list it in point form.
-noticed food falling out of my mouth often in late August
-noticed slurred speech, excess saliva and nasal voice in late September
-during the past 4 weeks, speech, saliva and nasal problems off and on, trouble swallowing some foods (I just keep chewing), handwriting not as neat, tongue looks different, twitching all over, and all 4 limbs are somewhat awkward (stumble with left foot and right, drop things with left and right...equally).
Some of those things are more troublesome than others to me. Here are my questions/statements.
1. The most troubling change for me is actually the appearance of my tongue. It appears to be flatter, thinner and more pointy and I gag easily if I brush it or even stick it out as far as it will go. Presently, I can move it around really well. I've not really ever been able to find anything online about this type of change as a presenting symptom.
2. All 4 limbs seem to be weaker as the bulbar symptoms are progressing. I appreciate perceived weakness versus clinical, but I can tell you that I fatigue much more easily carrying things, writing or climbing stairs than I did only 4 weeks ago. It's completely symmetrical however involving upper and lower limbs.
3. During the past week, I wake up a few times during the night with at least 1 limb 'asleep' (pins and needles). Sometimes it's all 4 limbs like this morning. It has been every night without exception for 7 nights, and now even sometimes when I sit while driving or watching television during the day.
I guess that there are not any questions in those statements, but a sentence or a few words about each would be awesome.
Thanks. Sorry to bother you all.
Have a wonderful day.
As you can likely tell from the thread title, I do feel somewhat guilty for posting and asking for your thoughts, when there are so many others with more pressing concerns. I am the type of person who never, ever likes to bother anyone and ask for help. I would like to preface my questions by further stating that I only joined and posted after 8 weeks of symptoms and 3 weeks of reading for many hours about als on many sites, including this forum. I simply reached a point where I needed to 'talk' to someone and ask some questions while I await my first neuro appointment.
For those who didn't read my background in my other thread posted last week, I'll briefly list it in point form.
-noticed food falling out of my mouth often in late August
-noticed slurred speech, excess saliva and nasal voice in late September
-during the past 4 weeks, speech, saliva and nasal problems off and on, trouble swallowing some foods (I just keep chewing), handwriting not as neat, tongue looks different, twitching all over, and all 4 limbs are somewhat awkward (stumble with left foot and right, drop things with left and right...equally).
Some of those things are more troublesome than others to me. Here are my questions/statements.
1. The most troubling change for me is actually the appearance of my tongue. It appears to be flatter, thinner and more pointy and I gag easily if I brush it or even stick it out as far as it will go. Presently, I can move it around really well. I've not really ever been able to find anything online about this type of change as a presenting symptom.
2. All 4 limbs seem to be weaker as the bulbar symptoms are progressing. I appreciate perceived weakness versus clinical, but I can tell you that I fatigue much more easily carrying things, writing or climbing stairs than I did only 4 weeks ago. It's completely symmetrical however involving upper and lower limbs.
3. During the past week, I wake up a few times during the night with at least 1 limb 'asleep' (pins and needles). Sometimes it's all 4 limbs like this morning. It has been every night without exception for 7 nights, and now even sometimes when I sit while driving or watching television during the day.
I guess that there are not any questions in those statements, but a sentence or a few words about each would be awesome.
Thanks. Sorry to bother you all.
Have a wonderful day.