My husband was just diagnosed with Bulbar ALS at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. His symptoms of slurred speech started upon waking in June 2011, and progressed to some swallowing difficulty and a slight slackness near one side of his mouth in Aug. 2011. To date Jan. 16, 2012 the only other symptoms occurred in the last 2 weeks with some quivering of muscles, but no loss in strengh or muscle tone. The results of the EMG was the determining factor.

He started taking riluzole/Rilutek just 3 days ago and after the 3rd pill his swallow was improved. The slight lackness on one side of his mouth is improved and his speech has improved slightly. Is this typical of riluzole? I understood it does not reverse damage, but only slows it.