ALS is often misdiagnosed as we’ve discussed. This list contains many of the illnesses/diseases that ALS is often confused with by medical professionals.
Myasthenia gravis
Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome
Lyme disease
Carpal tunnel
Poliomyelitis and post-poliomyelitis
Heavy metal intoxication
Kennedy syndrome
Adult-onset Tay-Sachs disease
Hereditary spastic paraplegia
Multifocal neuropathy
Cervical spondylosis or extramedullary tumor with compressive radiculopathy and myelopathy
Inclusion body myositis
Progressive bulbar palsy
Progressive muscular atrophy
Motor neuron syndromes with lymphoproliferative disorders or other malignancies (e.g., lung, breast)
Thyrotoxic myopathy
Were you misdiagnosed? Did you have surgery or any other invasive procedures? If yes, what were your initial diagnoses, and do you believe the treatment impacted your ALS?
After your experience, what would you do differently? Would you ask different questions? Would you seek different professionals? What advice can you offer others who may be in the beginning stages and seeking an initial diagnosis?