Struggling to Maintain Positive Attitude

[keegansmommy5]

I know, I know I just went to two different neuros and had two emgs and they both came back normal and I should be on cloud 9 I know. The thing is that I am still trying to maintain that positive attitude, but it is so hard because I feel horrible. It is truly getting harder and harder to walk on my right leg. I don't know what the issue is it is really stiff and I am walking funny. I just noticed that there is a dent on the side of the bottom part of my leg that I have never noticed before and it is def not on my other leg. The scary thing is that it is in the area that really hurts and bothers me. Can anyone tell me if this is atrphy- I didn't notice it til now so I didn't show the docs. I am sorry everyone i am just so scared because I don't know why my leg wont get better not to mention that it has looked like their is atrophy on my thigh for a while now but the emg in that muscle was fine. Do you think the lower leg muscle was atrophy and they stuck a muscle near that area if it was *** it would come back normal? I have been doing so good and now I am back in a scared state. I have another question! Has anyone's neuros told them not to take xanax or an anti- anxiety med before the emg? They didn't tell me not to but I heard that it could give a false neg result. Is that true? Should I be reassured that even though I had taken xanax that my results should still be accurate? I am so sorry to keep asking all these crazy questions but you all really do make me feel better. Thank you so much for help. Any replies would be greatly appreciated so that I can get back on track.Bty my twitches have been very minimal in the last couple days. Wonder if it's because I have been less stressed?Thanks and GOD BLESSEmma

 

[TimThomas24]

Let me help you... YOU DON"T HAVE ALS!!!!!!!!!!!Take a look back at the great post you wrote the other day, all but the last part of it where you couldn't even finish the feel good post without reverting back and questioning this great neuro you met with. Look at what you wrote, what he said to you, the tests you had. You DON"T HAVE ALS. If you're not going to believe this wonderful and talented neurologist (expert in this condition) are you really going to believe the diagnoses of a bunch of strangers and non-neuros on this website? I've been walking around since late January with bouts of horrible lower leg pain. The first bout that came a few weeks after the twitching was extremely disturbing. I couldn't stay on my feet for more than ten minutes. I couldn't run 50 feet without weakness, pain and fatigue. Others on here have had the same cramps, pain, muscle irritation, etc. Its part of the benign condition. Who knows what it is or what causes it, but one thing is CERTAIN...You DON"T HAVE ALS. I'm just really surprised that with the incredibly positive neuro assessment you got didn't at least get you a few weeks of rest and freedom from worry. To be right back into looking at dents and stressing over ALS so soon after not your first but second neuro visit and emg is not the way to deal with this condition. I am not trying to be mean or overly harsh, but you need to step back and take a look at what you're actually saying and posting and how ridiculous and illogical it sounds. We can all relate to the anxiety associated with this condition, the pain, the frustrating twitches, etc. but most can take solace in an expert telling them they are fine and at least take that information and make progress with it. Try to take yourself back to the appointment, go over exactly what he said to you again and again and think rationally about it...a top notch neurologist told you that you are fine and that you don't have ALS. Yes you have something...bfs, and it can be debilitating and painful at times, but its not ALS. Keep repeating the docs diagnosis to yourself until you believe it and put your mind at ease and get off this anxiety cliff, there's nothing good on the other side of that anxiety, just unproductive self-testing and googling. Been there, done that, got the friggin t-shirt. Just give yourself a weekend break from the worry and take your neuro's words to heart.

 

[Krackersones]

I was told by one neuro not to take Klonopin or Ativan a few days before my EMG. But the last EMG I had (which was right after a muscle biopsy) was done after taking Klonopin. In fact, he told me to take the Klonopin to calm me for the muscle biopsy. The EMGs were clean every time. I asked about the effect of Klonopin and told there wouldn't be an effect. From something I've read and my own general knowledge of this stuff from reading and asking questions is that these meds may effect the amount of fasciculations that show up but not the signs of denervation (which is really what they are looking for). The meds do reduce twitching but they don't heal damaged nerves.Krackersones

 

[twinTwosome]

I should have known you would have the answer Krackersones ) Thanks!

 

[TimThomas24]

I took baclofen, a muscle relaxer about two days before. I got worried the day before when I read about meds interfering with the test. I called the hospital and they talked to the doc and he said it wouldn't matter.

 

[ySplendidCrafts9]

Do muscle relaxers work TMJ?? I was thinking about that. I mean it should.

 

[TimThomas24]

Didn't really do much for me twitch-wise. I used them at the height of my calf cramp/tightness flare up before I had a bfs diagnosis. I was having trouble sleeping at night with the constant buzzing-tenseness in the legs and my doc gave me baclofen. It helped loosen the muscles a bit and maybe combated some of the tenseness that was probably made worse by the anxiety/worry over it. If you're really have problems with tightness/spasms I'd talk to your doc about a relaxer but it had zero effect on my twitches.