Help with talking to doc tomorrow.

[ghostgirl]

Hey all. It's been a little while.

Last night I had a "hug" that was from the right side of my back and wrapped around to the left side of my ribs in front. So only the left quarter of my back wasn't involved. It lasted from 9pm to 4am. OMG! I maybe slept two hours total and the pain meds didn't help.

Today the right side of my back, at my bra line really hurts. My ribs are sore, but manageable. I called my neuro because my Primary said it sounds neurological and I do have my six months with him tomorrow afternoon. My neuro said it sounds muscular and we can talk about it tomorrow. He also said, "You do realize that a lot of doctors don't believe in MS hugs?" He has never said that before to me. In Nov. he told me to keep track of them and write down when and how long they happen and to call if the pain gets too much (which I did). He said there is no lesion on my thoracic area at all. Just neck and brain so it doesn't make sense to him that I am having a pain point of origin in my back. =(

Any suggestions on talking to him tomorrow? He left me with the advice to alternate heat and cold and continue with my ibuprofen for today.

[MarkLavelle]

He said there is no lesion on my thoracic area at all. Just neck and brain so it doesn't make sense to him that I am having a pain point of origin in my back. =(

Any suggestions on talking to him tomorrow? He left me with the advice to alternate heat and cold and continue with my ibuprofen for today.

I have two suggestions (but no hug experience!)...

I have always heard that spinal lesions can affect any location served by nerves that exit the spine below the lesion. Since you have lesions in your c-spine, you should ask whether what I've heard is true.

I also think you ought to take his self-treatment advice. If it helps noticeably, he's probably right about it not being an MS thing.

[ghostgirl]

Thanks Mark

Between my neuro and the head of neuro, who was pulled in to my appointment, I will be getting more MRI's next week of head and neck. They want to switch me to the GB-12 off of my Copaxone as they both noted a significant left side muscle weakness. I had the flu in Jan and apparently I should have called them, who knew? They would have run a course of steroids at the same time just as an in case. If there is no change on those images they will order another thoracic. After actually listening to me describe the "hug"/ vice grip they do both feel that it does sound like a lesion near that area and perhaps it has grown since my last images and can now be seen.

I hate the MRI machine. Ug!
At least they listened though.

[carriefromMI]

Hugs and drugs

I had the hugs bad at my first ms flare. I had(have) a cspine lesion that caused it. Neurontin helped and elavil at night. Good luck