How to describe?

[Portia]

Maybe someone can help me describe to better explain to docs and others. Sometimes I have what feels like a wave of discomfort down one side or part of one side of me. About 1 1/2 years ago I had a flare, the first major flare I've ever had. I lost most coordination and a lot of strength in my left arm and leg. Very shortly after it hit me, I regained almost all of my strength and coordination back. But for the first couple of months afterwards my left leg would kind of seize up either when I was about to initiate movement or during the first few steps I'd take.

That eventually went away and until recently I've not had any issues of the sort. Now though I've got this wave of discomfort that spreads down my left side. It's very hard to describe, but it feels very uncomfortable. I have to stop whatever I'm doing and just kinda hold on. It feels like a slightly warm ache and reminds me of the restless leg syndrome weirdness only much more intense. It also happens more often when I have just got up and started some activity or when I am just initiating movement like those strong cramps and seizing muscles after my flare. It lasts only a few seconds each time and then passes.

Can anyone relate to what I am trying to describe? How else can it be described to help my doc or my loved ones understand? I'm at a loss

[misslux]

It sounds like spasticity. I have that on my weaker side.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasticity

[Kimba22]

Portia,

Here is another link to the NMSS that explains spasticity and the medications used to treat it: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...ity/index.aspx

Hope you find this helpful.

[Portia]

thanks

Thanks, I'd never heard before that spasticity could be aggravated with position changes. I thought I could only blame the muscle tightness and contractions on spasticity. This new thing in my arm doesn't seem like a contraction or even tightness, but it does make me feel like I want to hold my arm against my body for the duration of the 'spell', and it does come on like the strong contractions I used to have right after the flare. I hope it doesn't get worse.

[misslux]

My spasticity can kick in with position and often when I have been sitting or lying down and then initiate movement.

[Portia]

yep

That sounds about like it. It's weird, i can be sitting at my desk and just think about getting up, and then a second or two later that wave passes through the left side of my body.

[misslux]

Yep! It lasts for a few seconds (sometimes it seizes up my entire body, somestimes just a wave or weirdness on my right side) then gets better. Well still spastic but better than the first movements.