Muscle Fatigue and Fasciculations: 31yo

[jonny1johnny2]

IM 31, Ive posted a few times here so apologies to you all. Ive been twitching everywhere for 3 months. I had my 1st full EMG today- 4 muscles in right arm, 4 in right leg and 3 in left leg. All but 2 muscles tested were normal . The neurologist couldnt see any fasciculations clinically and felt my reflexes are normal. My issues besides the fasciculations have been that of extreme muscle fatigue on minimal exertion, swallowing difficulties (lots of mucous and difficult for food to get down- all the time for 3 weeks) and breathing issues. The neurologist said I dont have ALS ...BUT he saw 2 fasciculations in my right calf on EMG, and a "chronic neurogenic" change in my left tibialis anterior (1 shin muscle) but no weakness or other EMG signs. He said I dont have ALS - clinically I was normal and he did not see need to do an EMG on my tongue or back or neck muscles. He said he doesnt need to see me again. My swallowing is still definitely an issue. Does anyone know if you can have bulbar ALS but relatively normal limb EMG, and the significance of those findings? Very worried

 

[Gelianna]

I'm sorry to offer the first reply. I know you're sick of me. Don't worry about how often you are posting. I posted for months about the same stuff before it finally sunk in. We're all in this together. When you need help, come to the board. That's what it's here for.My take on your question is twofold; 1) EMG's can pick up ALS abnormalities in asymptomatic limbs 2) You don't have asymptomatic limbs anyway if you are twitching everywhere. From everything I've read, by the time you are twitching everywhere, there should be significant changes in your EMG if you have ALS--much worse than what showed up on yours.Swallowing difficulties, extreme muscle fatigue and breathing issues are VERY common in CFS and are made worse by anxiety.Hope this helps. Don't stay gone so long. I was just about to send you a PM and try to track you down. )

 

[zinflodia]

Hey, you were cleared by a neuro, that's good news. Find some encouragement in that.

 

[ValgerAce59]

Hi~~ I'm curious, why do I hear about emg's being done alot in the neck muscles? Is this a common spot for als symptoms? I worry about this, because I've been having tongue twitching, but also a generally shaky feeling in my neck area, actually my whole head area. I will especially notice this as I lay down to sleep at night, and if I'm laying on my side especially, I will feel a shaky, vibrating feeling there. Also, I've had more 'shaky' feelings all over my facial muscles, like when I do that test where you blow up your cheeks~~I find that my muscles shake more now when I do that. I also will get shaky lips when I smile certain ways, and sometimes it's worse than others. Anyway, you had mentioned the neck emg, and I had heard that before, and was wondering if neck twitching or shaking was an especially bad sign. I personally think you should feel great that you had the normal emg's, and also a neuro telling you that you are fine. When my brother had the twitching, he also had the swallowing issues. He actually doesn't get the twitching much anymore, but still deals with the swallowing issues, and has had it for so long now, that he just chalks it up to anxiety. That doesn't mean that it doesn't make him very nervous, he just doesn't worry that it's the bad stuff anymore. I have heard that swallowing issues are very common with anxiety, and bfs. It's something that's very hard to get off of your mind, and so you notice it so much. It sounds like you are fine! Val