Brief Answer:
Symptoms highly inconsistent with ALS

Detailed Answer:
Good morning and thank you for posing your questions and concerns once again on this network. I've read your statements as well as those by colleagues.

Essentially, the symptoms you present are highly INCONSISTENT with a diagnosis of any sort of motor neuron disease (MND) and specifically ALS for a number of reasons which I will simply list for ease of explanation:

1. Female gender (ALS much more common in males; UNLESS there is a family history in a 1st degree relative in case of a female being affected where there is a high concordance in this specific demographic)
2. Age (ALS seen MOST of the time in adults 60-65 years of age)
3. Presence of pain (pain is very rarely present and when present usually is noted deep into the disease process).
4.Fluctuating weakness. In ALS and in general with motor neuron diseases once muscle weakness becomes manifest it doesn't switch to "good days/bad days" but rather plateaus and continuously deteriorates.
5. Shakiness only when climbing stairs is not sensitive at all for the presence of ALS as weakness when it occurs will happen not JUST when standing or trying to maintain posture.

For AT LEAST all these reasons the chance of your having ALS is nill to microscopically virtually zero.

If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.

Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.

This query has utilized a total of 15 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.

---

Brief Answer:
Neurological examination necessary

Detailed Answer:
Good morning.

Your symptoms are slightly disjointed as you describe them with both the hand and legs seemingly involved and "overly sensitive" reflexes. I think what would be very useful for you to get at this point in order to tie things together a bit and decide what type of investigations you may benefit from would be a good neurological examination.

Please seek out a NEUROLOGIST in your area who can take a look at these symptoms and help me some next step decisions. ALS wouldn't be on my radar at all for what you're describing, however, things such as elevated thyroid hormones or pinched nerves in the neck come to mind as possibilities. Such things can be ruled in or out using a number of methods such as CT scans, MRI, or bloodwork. Personally, I always stay away from X-ray types of tests in young women of childbearing age so for me a CT is less preferable to an MRI of the head or neck but again, that's a decision for the ordering physician.

All the best to you and please let me know how things turn out diagnostically by sending me a message to: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi

I would very much appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY with a high 5 start rating and some positive words of feedback if the information has been helpful in answering your initial and followup questions.

This query has utilized a total of 30 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.

---