Navigating Life with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis provides accessible, comprehensive, and up-to-date information about the challenges patients, family members, and caregivers face when confronted by ALS, a disease that affects approximately 5,600 Americans every year, with as many as 30,000 people managing the disease at any given time. ALS is a difficult disease for the patient and is also challenging for the caregiver and family as there are many questions, issues relating to care, and problems to manage. This guide covers all aspects of managing ALS, from the onset of symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, and coping strategies, to the use of home health care or hospice, and new research in the field. The book also sheds lights on difficult topics, such as end-of-life care and managing legal affairs.Navigating Life with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is unique because it covers two perspectives: one author is a neurologist with 30 years of experience treating ALS patients, and the other author experienced first-hand the issues in providing care for a parent with ALS. Formatted in a question-and-answer style, peppered throughout with patient stories, and with sections devoted to family members and caregivers, this compassionate resource provides guidance to those seeking to understand how to live with this disease.

About the ANN's Neurology NowTM Books SeriesLisa M. Shulman, MDDedicationPrefaceAcknowledgementsChapter 1- IntroductionWhat are the Basic Features of ALS?How it Starts - Patient StoriesHow to Use this BookChapter 2 -ALS OriginsWhy the Name ALS?Is ALS Different from Motor Neuron Disease?Is ALS a New or Old Disease?How Common Is ALS?Who Was Lou Gehrig?Who Else had ALS?Chapter 3 - The Diagnosis of ALS DiagnosisWhat Features Make the Diagnosis?What Does the Neurologist Look For?What Are the Symptoms and Signs of ALS?Bulbar DifficultiesUpper Extremity DifficultiesLower Extremity DifficultiesWhy So Many Tests?What Are the El Escorial Criteria?What Are "Rule Out" Tests?Why Does it Take So Much Time to Make the Diagnosis?Do I Really Have ALS; What Diseases Mimic ALS?Multifocal Motor Neuropathy with Conduction Block (MMN)Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM)Kennedy DiseaseCervical Spondylitic MyelopathyLumbosacral Spondylitic RadiculopathyLyme DiseaseCarpal Tunnel SyndromeUlnar Neuropathy at the ElbowShould I Get a Second Opinion?How Was the Diagnosis Given and Received?Chapter 4 - Causes of ALSWhat Causes ALS?Why Do Neurons Die in ALS?Glutamate ExcitotoxicityOxidative StressMitochondrial DysfunctionProtein AggregationImmune DysfunctionGene MutationsChallenging Facts About ALSWhy Do I Have ALS?Environmental factorsClustersMilitary ServiceWhat Is Familial ALS?How Is ALS Passed On?Autosomal Dominant InheritanceAutosomal recessive InheritanceX-linked InheritanceHow Many Genes are Associated with Familial ALS?Are There Genes Associated with Frontotemporal Dementia?Are Genetic Causes of ALS and Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia Related?How Do I Know if I Have Familial ALS?Should I Have Genetic Testing for ALS?Should Family Members of Individuals with Familial ALS Have Genetic Testing?Chapter 5 - Motor Progression of ALSHow Does ALS Progress?How Is Progression Measured?Muscle StrengthFunctional Rating ScaleHow Fast Am I Progressing?Does ALS Ever Get Better?Are There Staging Scales for ALS?Chapter 6 -Non-Motor Features of ALSWhat Is Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia?What Are the Features of Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia?How Is Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia Diagnosed?Why Is It Important to Diagnose Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia?How Are Symptoms of Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia Treated?What Is Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA)?What Are the Features of Pseudobulbar Affect?How Is Pseudobulbar Affect Diagnosed?Why Is it Important to Diagnose Pseudobulbar Affect?How Is Pseudobulbar Affect Treated?Can ALS Cause Changes in Bowel and Bladder Function?Why Do I Feel so Fatigued?ALS Can be Depressing; How Do I Know if I Am Depressed?Why Have I Noticed Changes to My Skin?Why Do I Have Scaly Skin?Why Do I Sweat so Much?Why Do My Eyes Sting?Why Do I Bite My Cheek?Why Are My Hands or Feet Red, Swollen or Cold?Do I Have to Worry About a Deep Venous Thrombosis (Blood Clot)?Do I Have to Worry About Skin Pressure Sores?Chapter 7 - Treatment of ALSDo I Need a Primary Care Physician?Should I Continue with My Current Medications?Where Can I Get the Most Comprehensive Care?What Happens in a Multidisciplinary ALS Clinic?NeurologistNurseSpeech-language PathologistOccupational TherapistPhysical TherapistRespiratory TherapistDietitianSocial WorkerGenetics CounselorPalliative Care and HospicePulmonologistGastroenterologistPsychiatristPsychologistOrthoti stHow Often Should I Be Seen in Clinic?Should I Attend a Support Group?What Is Available on the Internet?What Should I Take for My ALS?What About Rilutek or Riluzole?What Else Is Available?What About Stem Cells for ALS?What Can Stem Cells Do?How Are Stem Cells Delivered in ALS?Where Can I Get Stem Cells?What About Dietary Supplements and Alternative Therapies?Will Protein Supplements Build Muscle?Can Creatine Give Me More Strength?Can Chelation Therapy Get Rid of Toxins?Should I Replace My Amalgam (Silver) Dental Fillings?What About Massage and Acupuncture?Can Exercise Improve Strength?If I Don't Exercise Will I Lose Strength Faster?Can Exercise Be Harmful?Chapter 8 - Living with ALSWhat Will Be My Quality of Life?What Can I Still Do?Can I Travel?Can I Still Have Intimacy?Can I Have a Baby?What Is My Legacy to My Family?Chapter 9 - Nutrition in ALSWhy Is Nutrition Important in ALS?Why Do I Lose Weight?What Foods Are Harder or Easier to Swallow?How Much Weight Loss Is Too Much?How Do I Stop Weight Loss?High Calorie FoodsSupplementsWhat Is Patient-Caregiver Stress over Food?What if I Can't Maintain My Weight Despite Supplements?How Are Feeding Tubes Placed?Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG)Radiologically Inserted Gastrostomy (RIG)Surgically Placed GastrostomyHow Do I Use a Feeding Tube?How Do I Take My Medications if I Have a Feeding Tube?What Can I Expect From a Feeding Tube?Can I Still Eat if I Have a Feeding Tube?Chapter 10 -Breathing and ALSHow Does ALS Affect Breathing?How Does the Diaphragm Work?How Will I Know My Breathing Is Affected?What Does High Carbon Dioxide Do?How Is Breathing Measured in Clinic?What Can I Do To Help My Breathing on My Own?What Is Air or Breath Stacking?Stopping SmokingWhat Will Supplemental Oxygen Do?What Breathing Numbers Concern Doctors?Why Is My Cough Weak?What Is a CoughAssist Device?What Causes My Throat to Tighten and Make It Hard to Breathe?What Happens When My Breathing Becomes Weaker?What Is Non-invasive Ventilation?What Can I Expect with Non-invasive Bi-level Ventilation?What Is Diaphragm Pacing?How Is Progressive Respiratory Failure Managed?What Is Invasive Ventilation?What Can I Expect with Invasive Ventilation?How Do I Make the Choice For or Against Invasive Ventilation?What Does Locked-in Mean?What If I No Longer Want to Continue Invasive Ventilation?Chapter 11 - Communication and ALSHow Does ALS Affect Speech?How Can Speech Be Optimized?What Are Low-Tech Speech Aids?HandwritingAlphabet BoardWhat Are Medium-Tech Aids?Speech AmplificationMobile TelephonesDigital TabletsWhat Are High-tech Speech and Writing Aids?Head and Eye Tracking DevicesWhat Is Voice Banking?What Is Brain-Computer Interface Communication?Chapter 12 - Mobility and ALSHow Can I Pursue Athletic Activities?How Can I Manage Dressing?Button HooksVelcroZippersLoose-Fitting ClothesShoesHow Can I Get On and Off the Toilet?How Can I Get In and Out of the Shower and Tub?ShowersBathtubsHow Do I Manage Personal Hygiene?How Do I Manage Brushing My Teeth with Weak Hands?How Can I Turn Over in Bed?Blanket TentSatin Bed ClothesBed HandholdsHow Can I Support My Head and Back?Why Do I Feel Unsteady and Fall?What Can Be Done to Aid Walking?Ankle-foot ArthosisCane or Walking StickWalkerLift ChairsMedications for SpasticityWhat If I Fall and Cannot Get Up - Medical Alert Signaling Systems?What About Wheelchairs?Manual WheelchairsPower WheelchairsHow Do I Get a Power Wheelchair In/Out of the House and Car?Does Insurance Pay for a Wheelchair?How Do I Order a Wheelchair?What About a Scooter?Why Are Patients Frequently Reluctant to Use Mobility Aids?How Can I Transfer Safely?What Is a Lift?Floor LiftsCeiling LiftsWhat About Changes to the Home and Renovations?Can I Still Drive?Chapter 13 - Managing ALS SymptomsHow Can I Manage My Saliva?How Can I Manage Thick Phlegm?What Can I Do About Muscle Cramps?How Can I Stop Muscle Twitches (Fasciculations)?How Can I Reduce Leg Stiffness?How Can I Manage Sudden Urges to Urinate?How Do I Manage Constipation?What Are Anticholinergic Side Effects of Medications?How Can I Manage Pain?How Can I Treat Depressed?How Can I Treat Anxiety?How Can I Get Better Sleep?What If I Can't Swallow Pills?Chapter 14 - The Caregiver and ALSWho Provides Care?How Does Providing Care Change with ALS Progression?What Is the Best Way to Offer Help?How Do Patients and Caregiver Manage?How Do Caregivers Manage Changes in Roles?What Can Caregivers Do to Ease the Care Burden?Does Providing Care Affect Caregiver's Health?What Do Caregivers Really Feel?Is Depression Common Amongst Caregivers?How Can a Caregiver Manage Stress?What Are Respites?What Is Bereavement While the Patient Is Alive?Can a Caregiver Have Survivors' Guilt?How Should the Caregiver Prepare for Being Alone?Chapter 15 - Events at the End of ALSHow Do People with ALS Die?What if I Want to Continue Living?What if I Can't Make Up My Mind About Ventilation?What if I Don't Want to Continue Living?Do ALS Patients Take Their Own Lives?What Are Palliative Care and Hospice?When Should Hospice Be Considered?How Can Spirituality Help?Chapter 16 - Planning AheadWho Should I Tell?How and What Should I Tell My Family?What Should I Tell My Children?What Are Medical Directives?Living WillPower Of Attorney for Health CareDo Not Resuscitate OrderWhat Do I Need to Know About Estate Planning?WillTrust AgreementPower of AttorneyLifetime GiftWhat About Computer Passwords and Safety Deposit Boxes?What About Health Insurance?MedicareMilitary Veteran BenefitsShould I Keep Working?What Is Family and Medical Leave?What Are Other Financial Considerations?Chapter 17 - Research in ALSWhat Is Going on in ALS Research?How Are Drugs Discovered and Tested?Where Can I Get More Information About Trials?Should I Participate in a Trial?What is Informed Consent?Let Me Try It; What Do I Have to Lose?Chapter 18 - Concluding ThoughtsNeurologist's PerspectiveCaregiver's PerspectiveGlossaryIndex