You have received great input from one of the board' s biggest treasures (MrsD.) I had to reach out when I read concern about ALS. I'm a nurse and have a diagnosis of idiopathic sensimotor polyneuropathy. I have feared ALS from the onset of this five years ago. We medical people really are victims of having too much knowledge.

So, two things...I had widespread and fairly sudden onset of parasthesias much like yourself. I have been reassured by more than one neurologist specializing in MND that ALS doesn't present in this fashion, nor does it carry sensory malfunction with it. The sensory aspects more often than not take it out of the differential.

Secondly, diagnosing the cause as autoimmune in nature is usually not a straight path. Autoimmune diseases run through my mother's side of the family. My neurologist is convinced this is what my "idiopathic" cause will turn out to be. I've had negative ANA's all along. My blood has been rechecked about twice a year for five years. This recent check finally showed a glimmer of a cause: mildly positive neuronal ganglionic acetylcholine receptor antibodies.

I'm sorry you are dealing with this. It is especially frustrating to not know the cause.