HELP PLEASE!!!!!

[Brianna495]

Has anyone experienced the MS Hug? If so, what did you do go help with the pain? I keep having to go to the ER and get dilaudid and valium. I have already had a round of solumedrol and it hasnt seemed to help at all. Any suggestions? This pain is unbearable.

[Andy75]

Hi,

I have the MS Hug on occassion. Usually, a round of steroids lessens the pain or Baclofen. There are a few threads on here about the hug. I don't know how to link to the threads unfortunately.

So sorry that you are experiencing this and I hope that you feel better soon.

[Brianna495]

Help please!!!!

I am now, unfortunately, in the hospital for pain management. IV dilaudid and Oxycontin and still hurts and feels like I can't breathe. I could really use some options from anyone who has ever had the hug.
Thanks

[Beachcomber]

Hi,

I understand your pain--help is available. I've had many MS Hug ribcage intercostal muscle (between the ribs) attacks, both sensory and motor. The tightness was unholy, and the pain was ungodly. A knife was stabbing me under my front ribcage, an elephant was crushing my chest, a shark was biting my left side, and a boa constrictor was squeezing me to death. Here is what saved me from jumping off a bridge:

1. Pain Patches: Call your primary doc or neuro and ask for "Lidoderm 5% lidocaine patches" which work great--three can be worn at a time, and they are large. Docs will easily prescribe them because the med works directly on the painful area and does not go through the bloodstream so does not harm the stomach, liver, kidneys, nor brain; they are also not addictive. Trust me, these work much better than you might think.

2. Nerve Block: Call all pain management practices in your area and ask if they will perform "intercostal nerve block injections" on you.

A. Front of ribcage: I just had my first such injections on the front of my ribcage. Because frontal ribcage injections have the low chance of a pneumothorax happening (collapsed lung), I had a hard time finding a doc willing and competent to do this. These injections usually include some steroid with lidocaine and were given under fluoroscopy in order to avoid the lung. I don't yet know how long these injections will last, but I'm hoping for four to six weeks.

B. Back of ribcage: Getting these injections on my back was easier because more docs are willing and competent to do this. The injections are very easy and usually include some steroid with lidocaine. Fluoroscropy is not needed. If my frontal injections don't work well, we're going to try Botox. These injections usually last four to six weeks.

Best of luck!

[mjan]

Wow, Brianna I FEEL for you~!!! the "hug" used to be my worse symptom. I do not have it anymore. What I used to take was Methocarbamol 750mg with 600 mg ibruprofin AND I would wear this lumbar back velcro wrap tight around my rib cage to hold the spasming muscles still so I could work. I had strong muscle relaxants too, but to work took the Methocarbamol.

Now I do not work, but on Baclofen WITH Diclofenace an anti-inflammatory and THAT combo seems to have been the key. I rarely if ever get the hug now. And when I did it literally squeezed sooo hard that it seem to squeeze my breath out of my lungs!! I could literally NOT MOVE!!
I never had such a strong spasm in my life!!

Diclofenac is a miracle med if you ask me. I am used to it and just get a little drowsy at first, but not like those dang anti-muscle spasm drugs.

TRY that wrap. You can get it at a drug store. I got the largest I believe in order to wrap it around my rib cage.

Hope you get relief.. also do "labo breathing" to calm those spasming muscles...aaahh.. breathe...breatha...

Let us know what works for you and how you are doing ok?

Warmly, Jan

[mjan]

Oops misspelled that med. It is RX Diclofenac.

Extra Baclofen works for me.

[Brianna495]

Thanks for suggestions

Thank you all for the suggestions
I am now on IV dilaudid every four hrs, oral dilaudid offset from that every 4 hrs, oxycontin 20mg twice daily, and flexerol which they are changing today to try out the baclofen to see if it works.
Wish me luck!!

[dennissr]

My hug lasts 10 to 15 minutes and do not come very often. The pain is brutal though so I pop a neurontin as soon as I feel it coming on and that works to either stop it or reduce the pain. Could very well be a placebo effect but I am good with that.

I try to keep my hands away from my face. I think I have seen other triggers but they did not relate to my case. A thorough internet search will turn up a great deal of info.

[wally8]

I have seen many a thread on here about medical MJ helping with severe pain, if I was in as much pain as you seem to be in , I'd be giving this a go.
Hope you find some relief soon.
Cheers
Kathy

[fishead]

Brianna,

Not sure if this will help you, because I am not EXACTLY sure if I get the "MS Hug" (after reading about it here, I think that is what I have), but will tell you what helps me when I get what seems like it is the hug:
I take Flexeril (a muscle relaxer). Typically, after the 2nd dose I feel some relief.