just diagnosed with motor neuron disease

[buenosaires]

It's not a full diagnosis yet, as I am getting bloodwork done on Monday, but I'm terrified.

I'm in Buenos Aires, and my docs speak English, two neurologists. They say I have "active cervical motor neuron disease." I've had an MRI, cervical, no contrast, and an EMG. The EMG showed fibs and fascis in every muscle in my arms, "scarce" fibs in right tibialis anterior, and no problem in tongue.

I'm 30, with my symptoms starting at least seven years ago. I've read sometimes in young men ALS symptoms can progress slowly. This slowly?

After the EMG the neuro looked at my MRI and showed me how my discs are compressing my spine, she even said that at one point fluid is hardly getting through, and that this could be the problem. But then she read the note from the radiologist which said that nothing in the MRI should be causing significant problems.

I've had neck pain for 14 years, since high school wrestling. It's always stiff, then it will lock up, at which point I can feel shocks going into my arms, and sometimes a finger will twitch when I bend my head.

Over seven years ago I was lifting weights and noticed that my right hand was getting weak. I had recently taken up guitar. My right forearm started to hurt, so I rested it. I used my left hand to brush my teeth, wash myself, everything I could, and then my left forearm started burning and became weak.The pain went away within a week. But my right hand is still weak. And both forearms are still prone to getting sore if exerted.

I noticed three years ago that I had almost no lateral movement in the fingers in my right hand. I haven't noticed any progression since then.

I have essential tremor too, not a problem, not getting worse, started at 17, like my dad - he's had no problem with his or any of these other problems I have. I thought my various twitchings were all related, eyelid for weeks when I was 19, and left tricep for a few days in my early 20s, and I had a twitch on my left thigh after I started wresting, at 16. When I'm really stressed, like now, I start shaking and twitching all over.

I had a kidney stone recently, wasn't tested for anything, but now I'm hoping it was related to some thyroid condition, and that that could give a bad EMG?

Thank you for your time.