Status
Not open for further replies.

CB1977

Distinguished member
Joined
Aug 29, 2008
Messages
210
Country
US
State
oh
City
columbus
Hello Everyone- This has been getting slowly worse over the last 4 months. IT started out where this area of my hand (area opposite my thumb) was very unsmooth looking under the skin and now it has turned into what looks like strips that are torn out. I don’t have profound weakness but I do have some pain and cramping when I make a fist. The pain and cramping is in my forearm, not my hand. I have had very unusual soreness in my hands after exertion for 7-8 months. My other hand has recently started to follow suit. I have showed this to my neuro and I don’t really get a clear explanation on what this could be. With all of my other symptoms, this is alarming to me. I understand that other things besides ALS could cause atrophy and am not asking if I have ALS. My question is has anyone had atrophy present this way in their hand? Thank-you for your input. There are more pics of this in my album on my profile.

https://www.alsforums.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=1075
 
Hi,
The photo looks like my friend's hands who have Dupuytren contractures. You can google and read about Dupuytrens.
Laurel
 
Hi,
my hand looks like yours. Search in one of my previous posts, there is a pic of my hand. Two of my docs said indipendently of each other that this is not atrophy.
Tim
 
Hello-

Thank-you sigma, tms23, and laurel for your input. I realize the picture is small and hard to see. I cant figure out how to insert a larger picture in the body of my post. I looked up Dupuytren contractures and I dont think that fits my symtpoms but thank-you for the idea and input. My right hand is also the hand that shakes bad (tremors) when I type or raise it in a typing position. I have had other symtpoms for well over a year now and was diagnosed with vocal fold atrophy in feb. My 3rd EMG in May was normal with only fasics though. They are considering doing an EMG on my vocal folds. Maybe this weekend I will try to post a clearer pic. Have a great weekend,

CB
 
Sorry CB1977, my pc isn't able to show me your pic; but I was able to view sigmafloyd's pic, and my hand is more "dented" - in my case, the degeneration did correspond with my hand atrophy.
 
Better Pics of possible hand atrophy

I posted some better pics in my album on my profile page. Please give me some feedback, especially if you have confimed atrophy in your hand. Thanks. CB1977

picture.php
 
Hey Al--

How long did it take for your hand to get to that point? Do you still have function of it at all? My thenar muscle has significant wasting and dents, but it's not at the level of your hand. But my weakness just started there; I had been doing fine but recently I've been finding that it gets extremely fatigued if I'm exerting it a lot (playing video games, giving a massage, etc)

It's been about 21 months since my thenar atrophy first showed up. Like I said, generally can use it fine it just fatigues really easily and still twitches a lot. They found some mildly bizarre EMG readings in my left elbow, but they stuck the EMG needle right in my wasted thenar and found nothing. No clue what's going on!
 
My hands are pretty wasted, my son would not let me put up the photos he took because they are pretty bad. He is the one who posts my photo's for me, and I think seeing the atrophy makes him upset. I can say if you have atrophy a good als neuro will surely be able to see it. Anyone can see mine, and it continues to get worse. If you have atrophy, you will have some weakness, and dexterity problems, you will know it.
 
Hi, CB ...

OK, here goes ... yes, that looks like it could be atrophy to me. My opinion is worth exactly what you're paying for it ... but comparing your photos to my hands, which are pretty far along by now in the atrophy department, I can see similarities.

I don't think you're crazy to ask your neuro to explain to you either a) what else it could be other than atrophy or b) if it is atrophy, what else could be causing it than ALS.

It's interesting that you have this opposite your thumb; most of mine is at the base of my thumb, in the webbing, and in my palm, plus along both sides of my hands, plus the tops big time. On my hands, the area you show the scoops in is much flatter than it used to be (I think), but with no ridges or scoops. I have no idea if any of that means anything or not.

When's your next appointment? Are you going back to Cleveland Clinic? Hope you get some answers ... good ones! ... soon.

Take care.
 
Beth,

I have an annual check-up kind of thing tomorrow with the VA. I hesitate to write this but my hands have been getting fatigued a lot quicker lately and now I see (I hate to say this...) fascics in my palm in the muscle at the base of my thumb AND - (oh Wow is me...) that muscle looks atrophied!

I am going to present my hand for close inspection by the doc tomorrow to see if he thinks there are any irregularities or to see if he laughs at me. I hate it when I turn red in the doctor's office...

I still think my feet look funky - even funkier than before!

Zaphoon
 
Hi Andy. Those pictures were from 11/06. I was diagnosed in oct. 03. I can still hold a wine glass in left hand and type 1 fingered. Still feed myself. Other than that hands are about shot. Keep meaning to add recent pics of hands and arms. Maybe tomorrow.

AL.
 
Last edited:
PZ ... good luck tomorrow! I hope it's not atrophy, but if it is, your neuro is the one to make the call. Sounds like he's on top of things.

Let us know what happens!

(I am truly getting sick of this stupid ALS thing. It just never lets up. If it keeps on spreading and worsening, I'm afraid my powers of denial will finally fail me. I may have met my match! :mad:)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top