Hi!
Husband is 50 years old and awaiting diagnosis for either MG or ALS. Have not found antibodies yet but was told there is a rare form. My problem is this:
He had a crown (3/4 nickel) placed in top of mouth 1st week of January 2007.
Around 1st week of April 2007, he thought he had a sore on his tongue and thought tongue was swelling when eating or talking. Kept having slurred speech. He now thinks he may have been biting his tongue when sleeping. Anyway he thinks he got a cracked tooth from eating a nut or something. We live in Oklahoma and he was working in Texas for last year before retiring and finding a new job here in Oklahoma so he didn't go back to dentist until vacation time July, 2007. At that time he went back to dentist and had them grind the crown, not realizing he had a cracked tooth. The problem did not go away. Then he retired August, 2007 and went back to the dentist. They discovered the cracked tooth (on the bottom of mouth) and made another crown - (another 3/4 nickel crown). This was placed in the middle of August, 2007. He had just started working in a machine shop with my brother the week before the 2nd crown was placed. A week or two later his neck starts hurting real bad and is stiff. I make an appointment with a family physician (new doctor) because he never goes to the doctor and is hardly ever sick. They ran blood work (everything normal) and gave him antihistamines thinking this was an allergy. The problem never resolves. About a month later they send him (after he asks) to a neurologist (apx Nov, 2007). Neurologist runs a heavy metals test and did not find anything (but they did not run a nickel test). The neurologist thinks he already knows what this is (is pretty sure of himself) and is still looking for proof of MG. I told him I want a nickel test ran. He runs it and the test comes back a 16 out of a range of 30. He tells me that it looks high but when you look at the range it is not (this is now January 17, 2008) I looked at CDC websites yesterday and MRL (minimal risk level) is intermediate .0002 mg for a cubic meter and .00009 mg for a cubic meter for chronic and this is for inhalation and the range is 30 so I am assuming we are talking the same measures but being that I am not a doctor I am not sure. Also I have been researing and I know everyone thinks I am crazy but I wonder if it is possible husband is having mercury poisoning due to fillings in teeth, first tooth cracks and where did filling go? Husband does not know. According to world health organization website people are inhaling vapors from mercury in silver fillings (amalgams) and can cause all kinds of symptom, one being ALS because mercury vapor passes blood-brain barrier and wraps around tubular genes or something - very confusing but also makes sense. Also Husband said in September he had a metallic taste in mouth (mercury poisoning can cause this). Anyway I just would like to know how many people with MG or ALS had dental work done before getting symptoms - I cannot find an answer to this question no matter where I look. This is the first chat site I have ever been in. Thank you.
P.S. I need to ask neurologist what mercury level was although some things I have read says you cannot always tell from the blood.

I am not sure but can hear the concern in your post. I know there are probably many with the same fillings who don't have symptoms, me being one. However, that's not to say your husband isn't.

I hope you get answers soon and will keep him in my prayers.

It does seem to have a complicated situation on your hands--and you're right, heavy metal poisoning can lead to a host of both central and peripheral nervous system symptoms; it's proving the link that's the problem.

I'm not an expert on this, but you might want to try copying your post over to both the Myasthenia Gravis and ALS forums:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum77.html

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...sprune=-1&f=34

--to see if any of those empathetic people might have some insight into the situation.

Hiya,
I am so sorry about what you and your husband are going through ((hugs))
If you need anything just ask
Many thanks for becoming a member of neurotalk

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Great to see you have come to be with us. You will find a great number of caring, supporting members here willing to help each other as they can.

I see Glenntaj has given you some links to help out.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene

Hi, TKR! Welcome to NeuroTalk!

Ugh, the diagnosis process is certainly long and difficult for most of us. I hope hub will get some answers soon.

Since Glenn has given you some starting points, I'll just add that you are welcome to join in anywhere and do let us know if we can assist you in any way.

Welcome To The Boards!