My husband

[droddy]

My husband for the past 4 months has had tingling in his right hand and eventually loss strength in it and is unable to write. Also with this he is dragging his leg and is unable to lift it to go up the stairs normally. What type of Doctor should he see and what possibilites could be wrong with him? He saw a doctor today that ran the electical test on muscles and said he has loss a great deal of muscle, I'm sorry I'm crying and trying to write this anyways the doctor has ordered a MRI and told my husband to pray its a slipped disc and not ALS. He told him if it is ALS he has up to 5 years to live. This Doctor is one of the best here where we live. Could there be any other possibilites with the symptons I've listed? Crying wife

[TNTTony]

GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! I'm still ticked at that doctor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TNTTony]

He should start off with an Orthopedic Doctor. If he had a nerve conductor test and emg (electrical test) and it registered a result then it is a nerve impingement problem with his leg. This could range from a herniated disc, to a deterioted disc or ruptured disc. With his hand it sounds like corporal tunneling. First thing I would do is find another doctor. I say this becuase if the emg showed an impinged nerve then it cannot cannot cannot be ALS. There is no test that directly shows ALS. They do tests such as emg, mri, ct, spinal tap to rule out other causes. Futhermore, For it to be ALS there would be other symptons, such as problems swallowing, clumsiness, headache, severe cramps, muscle twitching. And a doctor cannot blanket how long one would live. Yes the average is 3-5 yrs but living 10 years is not unheard of. I know becuase I have both my ulnar nerve in both arms are impinged, I have spinal stenosis with nerve impingement and ALS. So trust me he needs to see an Orthopedic doctor. Mention of ALS is gross negligence in my opinion. My gosh I'm in a wheelchair have all the above symptons including having both hands in a fist and at times being unable to move my arms and my neurologist will not put a time on my survival. Death comes to ALS patients from the lungs failing. And you do not mention problems breathing. I wish I could chew that doctor out for even bringing up ALS, I'm sorry he is a quack. ALS my butt unless there is more going on. A responsible doctor would never have even breathed  the word ALS, everything else would  have to be ruled out first. It took my doctor 6 months before he would even tell me what he suspected. I have one of the best nuerologists in the country! So please have your husband seek a second opinion at the very least. I will bet the MRI will show either a herniated disc, slipped disc/spinal stenosis. Yes a nerve problem is serious but that doctor mentioning ALS just really makes me angry. So dry them tears up and know that although a disc problem is quite painful and surgery is a bear, your husband won't die from ALS. I would say worse case scenario would be MS, but it doesn't sound like that either. Good luck and you and your hubby is in my prayers.