Unclean Clinical Exam

[Neville86]

I know what it's like to be absolutely terrified and misconstrue this stuff. As I said, my doc saw my spot under my tongue--the clogged duct--sent me to a specialist who he said would probably "do a biopsy." I cried, watched all these videos on oral cancer victims and could hardly get out of bed. Finally, I saw the specialist, and at that point I was already living like it was over: I was being sexually promiscuous, eating cheeseburgers and pizza like they were going out of style, drinking pretty heavily, spending all of my money, etc. I see the doc and he--an ENT in a small town--looks at it and I ask "what stage of cancer is this?" and he, like your doc, gave me an inconclusive response and sent me to another doctor, an oral surgeon. I continued to live my *beep* life, acting like a moron who was going to die in a few months or whatever i was imagining, until I saw the oral surgeon. He took one look, said, "that's benign," talking to me about books he liked to read, and sent me home with a two hundred dollar bill to pay in a few weeks.

I'm just saying: your interpretation skills are off, my friend. To you, in your anxious state, the cat in the room is a massive tiger who wants to rip your throat out. Everything it does--yawns, licks itself, purrs--is going to be misconstrued by you, the anxious fella. His meaning of the word "suspect" means to me, "I don't know, so I will run more tests." Which, is the answer most people end up getting here in varying degrees. I'm sorry your doc doesn't have a better bedside manner.

[Neville86]

Brisk reflexes are--to my understanding--can be caused by anxiety. You've been under heavy stress.

How did the first clinical go?

Why did you seek out a second neuro?

[misterjuanperalta]

1st neuro did not explain anything. So, I saw a 2nd for information.

[Neville86]

What was the first neuros report? What did he say?

[misterjuanperalta]

Based on clinical then and clean emgs, no als.

[Neville86]

Ok, well then, come on, man. Don't make a topic that just says "unclean clinical exam." You're fine.

[misterjuanperalta]

I made the topic based on the last exam and his response to my ? Plus, as stated. I am a wreck now and when he responded, my jaw dropped. I posted earlier, I should have waited a while before posting.

[Neville86]

You're fine.


Questioner: "When the asteroid hits earth tomorrow, will I die?"

Answerer: "Probably."

Questioner: "Oh my God, an asteroid is going to hit the earth tomorrow!"

Scenario 2:

Questioner: "Will an asteroid hit the earth tomorrow and will I die?"

Answerer: "Probably not. Although you never know. we will have to ask NASA to know for sure, and even they won't know."

Questioner: "Ok. Thank you."

[Neville86]

See what I'm saying to you, brother?

[misterjuanperalta]

Yes. Still scared to death.

[Neville86]

Understandable. But you gotta be careful about how you word your stuff. Freaks everyone out. I know you'll be fine. The first doctor wouldn't have been so sure.

[jwb33w]

I will say this much about the 3 different doctors to include 1 ALS specialist I saw. When they checked my reflexes I they all hit with different force. The ALS specialist hit the hardest and got a greater response out of my brisk reflexes and that goes far both bicep and patellar. The first two couldn't get my biceps to react at all. When I asked him about it he did say he was not concerned as they were symmetrical and UMN damage will typically present asymmetrical. It would require two separate lesions at the same time otherwise.

[Yuliasir]

doctors also can have hyperawareness, so let's take this as a working hypothesis for now for you, my frined.
My own doctor was a bit of that type, She send me to EMG even without any suspicious signs on clinical exam and told me " good that you come as some REALLY NASTY diseases may start like that one"...
so seems like your suspicious UMN signs are reaction of your thenar muscles and tongue (which still may have other explanations), not clear about hypererflexia (if it is symmetrical or not, which is also important), and in fact doctor would like to run a massive test to indentify if you really have that myotonic dystonia (very mild disease), familial epi-like condition, any nerve system damage due to viruses (hard to evaluate to be onest as almost all people have traces of being infected with EBV or CMV), or any lesions seen on MRI etc. So ALS is only one of the bunch of other possible diagnoses he wrote, and in that terms my doctor was also suspecting me having ALS when she send me to CPK test and EMG.
you are ALSO suspected for MS, radiculopathy, myotonic dystonia and familial seizures. Any of them could provide signs you developed at clinical exam.

We also had a fellow from Germany who was falsely diagnosed with ALS on the basis of clinical exam (he had normal NCV/EMG but doctor still diagnosed him...) he had to go to State ALS center to be cleared of, and it was a real ordail for him.

Feel a lot od sympathy becasue you are definitely going throuh limbo now...

[misterjuanperalta]

Thanks all. Another worry, while awake or sleep process, my limbs jerk briefly. Could it be... http://www.mountain-sleep.com/index.php ... s/plmd-rls

[guitarguy11]

I have been reading these posts for a few days now and have not posted a reply. When my anxiety was at its worst, I had a lot of jerking when I was almost asleep or right after waking. Some of my jerks moved whole limbs. A few times they almost curled me double. Now, they are almost entirely gone, because my anxiety is much better. I doubt you have restless leg syndrome or periodic limb disorder. I had a sleep study for mine and they found nothing. But, even if you have either of these, they are nothing to worry about. Very treatable.

Do I still twitch? Yes, some, but much better than I was just six or seven weeks ago and a whole lot better than when my anxiety was at its worst in July. I truly don't think you have ***. But, regardless of whether you do or not, I know you have a lot of anxiety. Please do whatever you can to acknowledge your anxiety, recognize it for what it is, and start to chip away at putting it behind you. You cannot control anxiety - you must recognize it first for what it is and what it is doing to you. Then it will start to diminish. Don't know if that makes sense or not. I recommend a book for you on meditation - Meditation for Dummies. I am not calling you a dummy, believe me - this book is a fun read, makes meditation easy and is very informative.

I truly wish you the best with your upcoming tests and here's praying for you to help you get your anxiety under wraps.