Anxiety About Needing Second Opinion

[hCapitalize]

It is now a little over a fortnight away before I see a new neurologist for a second opinion, and I am getting a bit worried again.I know I don't have ALS, and I know I don't have MS, the EMG's don't liebut I also know, I am convinced beyond any doubt whatever that my left side is weaker than the right by more than the average, though my leg does not show any dents or atrophy.My left hand does however, and that is a medical fact, however it's not getting worse, it just makes me rather angry that the last neurologist did not spot it, because it is obvious to other people I have shown the differences to, it tells me that neurologists are not experts in everything, they look at generalities more than particularities, and an upper limb specialist can see what they cannot.That's not my worry though, it is the weakness, I am sure it is more than perception alone. The question for me though is whether it is the result of something that happened a long time ago. One thing I do reckon is that if I were to do strength building excercises the left side even if it were stronger than it is now, would remain weaker than the right, because I can't think of any way you can work on one side without working on the other.It is just that nagging doubt there. I don't know whether this next neurologist will be better than the last one, more thorough or not, but sadly I think for me it will not end there. I don't want another EMG, two is enough. But I don't think I will ever be satisfied until I get a brain MRI, for one thing I am just outright curious to know what is up there.I don't think I will get one, as objectively there is not enough evidence to warrant it.Other than that I would want someone more competent than a neurologist to objectively test my various muscle groups on a dynamometor or whatever they call it, and give me a read out. You can't argue with statistics.Will I get either of these things? No way.Will I die from whatever is wrong with me? Most likely not.Will I get any weaker? I don't really suppose so, ageing apart.Will I ever get to the end of this? No Oh well I shall see what happens in a couple of weeks.

 

[Gelianna]

You've been in a really frustrating situation and it seems (at least from a distance) that you've handled it very well. Keep hanging in there.

 

[hCapitalize]

My left leg felt even worse today, felt like I needed extra effort to lift the foot to stop it dragging, as well as having cramps in it. I figure lack of sleep has no small part to play in that as I have not been getting much lately and a sleep deficit is building up.I definitely twitch more when I am generally tired, and I think I have been running on the reserve tank lately.I had a lot of talking to do today and by the end of the day that was flagging too, I was attending a lecture in the early evening on speech and language disorders inter alia, and by the time I got to ask questions I was exhibiting a few myself. I'm getting cramps in my jaw too.Whatever is going on with us, our muscles seem to have a tendency to do things they didn't ought to, and on the scale of things maybe it is not serious to a medical person, but it is certainly is not pleasant to live with the consequences.