Re: Startle Reflex / Spasticity Symptoms

August 26, 2002

No Bill you're not nuts. I also have hyper reflexes in my legs and arms. My

doctor now gets out of the way when he hits my knees. If I sneeze I have to

hold on for dear life cause I have thrown my back out of whack it that bad

and if someone walks into the room and I jump. My arms go up and if I have a

glass in my hand forget it its all over the place. I have the spasticity in

my hand and feet. If I try to loosen a jar lid my fingers cramp up or in the

morning sometimes when I straighten out my big toe will go straight up.

Soooooo your not nuts.

Flora Brand

St Pete, FL.

August 26, 2002

No Bill you're not nuts. I also have hyper reflexes in my legs and arms. My

doctor now gets out of the way when he hits my knees. If I sneeze I have to

hold on for dear life cause I have thrown my back out of whack it that bad

and if someone walks into the room and I jump. My arms go up and if I have a

glass in my hand forget it its all over the place. I have the spasticity in

my hand and feet. If I try to loosen a jar lid my fingers cramp up or in the

morning sometimes when I straighten out my big toe will go straight up.

Soooooo your not nuts.

Flora Brand

St Pete, FL.

August 26, 2002

Welcome Bill,

Hopefully you will get a diagnosis soon.

My reflexes are also very hyper. I always warn

the MD to stand off to the side when they

tap my knees. If not, they're likely to be

airborne when my leg hits them.

I don't have the type of spasticity you mentioned,

but first thing in the morning, or if I am fatigued,

nervous, or cold, my legs are very stiff, and kind

of slowly jerk forward when I walk. My left hand

and thumb especially will start to twitch for a few

seconds several times a day.

There's really no two people exactly the same with

this disease, but we sure do have a lot of the same

symptoms.

Good luck, welcome, and keep the faith,

Laurel

Startle Reflex / Spasticity Symptoms

PLS-Friends:

Hi, I'm new to this group and not yet diagnosed. I do have UMN

disease symptoms, such as spasticity, weakness, startle reflex

(a.k.a. " The Jerks " , fasciculations/twitches, and a host of other

signs/symptoms. At this point all blood work, MRIs, and an EMG have

not shown any other cause for the related problems. I have a couple

of specific questions related to the startle reflex and spasticity.

1) Have any of you experienced the startle reflex when the

neurologist, or other examiner, conducted a reflex test? The reason

I'm asking this is because when my neuro taps my knee, I almost go

off the table. This does not happen every time, but has lately.

2) Could you describe your spasticity? Is it transient, i.e. come and

go? For example, I can be just sitting in a chair and all of a sudden

my forearm will become spastic and my hand will curl up. If I

concentrate enough and give it time, it will eventually subside. This

occurs in my legs as well and my toes will curl or buckle (hammer

toes). Does this happen to you, or am I JPN (just plain nuts)?

Thanks,

Bill

August 26, 2002

Hi Laurel:

Thanks for the info. I do understand the hyperreflex issues

associated with PLS. However, the issue I am attempting to address

relates to the startle reflex when the reflexes are " checked " . My

whole body will " jerk " . The hyperreflex on the specific extremity

being examined will not be observed because my entire body will react.

I associate this with the starle reflex, but I think my neuro (he's

new for me and has only done a very brief exam prior to ordering all

the tests)attributes this to 'pyschosomatic' issues - yes, I know

most of us have heard that term used for us when the docs see

something " outside the box " . He concluded my " jerks " showed I was

not " cooperating " and he could not differentiate between the true

neurological issues and the " pyschosomatic " ones.

I'm just curious if those of you with starle reflex have experienced

this when your reflexes are checked, not just when the phone rings,

or whn you drop something unexpectedly.

Thanks,

Bill

> Welcome Bill,

> Hopefully you will get a diagnosis soon.

> My reflexes are also very hyper. I always warn

> the MD to stand off to the side when they

> tap my knees. If not, they're likely to be

> airborne when my leg hits them.

> I don't have the type of spasticity you mentioned,

> but first thing in the morning, or if I am fatigued,

> nervous, or cold, my legs are very stiff, and kind

> of slowly jerk forward when I walk. My left hand

> and thumb especially will start to twitch for a few

> seconds several times a day.

> There's really no two people exactly the same with

> this disease, but we sure do have a lot of the same

> symptoms.

> Good luck, welcome, and keep the faith,

> Laurel

>

> Startle Reflex / Spasticity Symptoms

>

> PLS-Friends:

>

> Hi, I'm new to this group and not yet diagnosed. I do have UMN

> disease symptoms, such as spasticity, weakness, startle reflex

> (a.k.a. " The Jerks " , fasciculations/twitches, and a host of other

> signs/symptoms. At this point all blood work, MRIs, and an EMG

have

> not shown any other cause for the related problems. I have a

couple

> of specific questions related to the startle reflex and

spasticity.

>

> 1) Have any of you experienced the startle reflex when the

> neurologist, or other examiner, conducted a reflex test? The

reason

> I'm asking this is because when my neuro taps my knee, I almost

go

> off the table. This does not happen every time, but has lately.

>

> 2) Could you describe your spasticity? Is it transient, i.e. come

and

> go? For example, I can be just sitting in a chair and all of a

sudden

> my forearm will become spastic and my hand will curl up. If I

> concentrate enough and give it time, it will eventually subside.

This

> occurs in my legs as well and my toes will curl or buckle (hammer

> toes). Does this happen to you, or am I JPN (just plain nuts)?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Bill

>

August 26, 2002