ALS symptoms, no answers

[eebster]

I've been experiencing classic ALS symptoms of "Upper and lower motor neuron" degeneration for what is now going on 7 years. I've been suffering for 7 years from mainly isolated muscle fasiculations/twitching in the soles/arches of my feet as a predominant symptom. The twitching is ongoing, non-stop, and persists  throughout the day, all day, 7 days a week, for the above mentioned time. It is worse in my right foot but present in the left one. In addition, I get occasional twitches in other parts of my body but not as persistantly, so I would define the twitches as being "isolated" in one specific area. I do occasionally get them in my tongue as well. In addition to the twitches, I have extreme exercise intolerance, which began when the twitches appeared, 7 years ago (2001)...what I mean by exercise intolerance is that my legs and feet feel EXTREMELY heavy, stiff and weak after even mild exercise such as walking on my treadmill for over a period of 30 minutes. I can no longer ride a bike as my legs from hips to feet would get extremely painful and stiff after 10 minutes or so. I also suffer from a change in speech, it is now hoarse and sometimes feels thick and my jaw feels tired, as if it's difficult to articulate words. I've had numerous tests, blood tests for various autoimmune and neurological disorders from fibromyalgia to Lupus to MS, blood tests for thyroid disorders, leukemia, anemia, you name it, I've had the test...all negative. I also, over the course of the 7 years of symptoms have had 4 emgs. 3, spanning the course of 6 years, were all normal. My most recent one, taken 7 months ago, was normal with the exception of what the neurologist noted on the emg report: as being "increased amplitude with fasiculations and evidence of polyphasia in the right pedis (foot arch?)..he also noted that I had UPGOING TOES bilaterally (positive babinski) as well as having reflexes of a 3+ in knees, ankles and wrists. Are these signs of ALS? Why would he write off the emg as being normal when according to everything I've researched in medical reference books and online indicates that all of these emg signs are signs of ALS? Any  advice?

[chochmeh]

Find a good neurologist and have another EMG/NVC done...if you have had this for seven years, it's a darn good chance you don't have ALS and the EMG will put your mind at ease