muscle tightness

[maryann v]

Any advice- anyone felt this way....
I have had numbness, tingling, the feeling of rocks under my feet, those lovely electrical shocks, trouble with word find, even tremors. My neuro seems to get all of that and helps me with it.

Now I am having muscles tighten, I mean really tighten! It's kind of like a charlie horse that won't go away. My daughter will touch my stomach (where it happens most often) and she tells me it's as hard as a rock. I'm not tensing the muscles.

I've tried soaking in the tub, heating pads, relaxation, visualization. I tried diazapam.... I'm at a loss.

It hurts! It's usually around the middle mainly on the right side. But then at times it has been in my upper arm and shoulder.

Anyone have any idea? Has anyone else felt like this?? Has anything helped?? If I look at my mid section in a mirror you can actually see where the edges of all the muscules are- that would be great if I was working out....
but this isn't by choice- it hurts!

Any thoughts??

[KoKo]

Hello Maryann

Tightening of muscles sounds like spasticity/muscle spasms. There are medications for spasticity. Be sure to report this to your neuro so he can help you.

Also, because of the tightness in your mid-section, it sounds like it could be what is called MS hug.

Take care,
KoKo

[CasinoKathy]

Hi maryann, I agree with KoKo, the tightening of the muscles sounds like spasticity. I remember that all too well!

My legs felt so tight I could hardly walk. I wanted to rip the skin right off! Hubby went and bought a couple canes to help me. I remember saying "one would have been enough-I'm not going to need them forever" I think it was the pain talking. I'm usually easy going!

Poor guy, he was only trying to help! He got a regular one and a fold up one for traveling or to carry in a bigger purse in case I should maybe keep one with me, just in case.

After I did some reading, and thought what I was experiencing was spasticity, I called and talked to my neuros nurse. Told her about the horrible tightness and the doctor put me on baclofen. It has controlled it beautifully, going on 3 years now. I started with 30mg a day. Now take 40mg on most days.

You do need relief and the sooner the better, right? Ask your neuro about some meds for your sx. Good luck, and hope they do the trick if you do go on something. The baclofen started working for me in about 3 days!

[hunterd]

CATHY,
THE SECOND CANE IS FOR HITTING PEOPLE!!!!!!LOL
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED BACLOFEN? WORKS WONDERS FOR ME. GOOD LUCK

DAVE

[GayGay]

STIFFNESS IN LEGS

[B][SIZE="4"]At my last visit to my Neuro. I gave him my list of new symptoms. One of them was the tight, stiff, spasms in the legs. He suggested a physical therapist then said to stretch the parts of the body that I feel this in. It has not really helped my legs but it feels really good to do the stretching exercises.I have them from the last PT I went to.

[Sir-Voor]

The numbness and tingling likely is what is called paresthesia, there a few causes and you can google for a complete list. Lack of blood flow and prolong low B12 are common causes, by increasing your exercise, stretching, and massaging the areas may help. Also have your B12 level checked, I’m on monthly B12 injections myself.

On tightening of muscles I agree with KoKo, and think you report this to your neuro.

[BigA]

Maryann,

welcome to our nifty club. I have same as you and was in the bath every night before being DX'd. Somehow the heat didn't bother me, but people shudder when I mention it.

As for the numbness, if they'll allow, here is an excellent post by a doctor who has MS. She talks about Numbness and tingling. The biggest problem is that Doctors don't take it seriously because it's not debilitating - but it can be some sort of torture.

http://ms.about.com/od/signssymptoms...bness.htm?nl=1

Also, as for the tightness - I have it in increasing amounts in different, moving parts of my body. I have found that sleeping with a heating pad works well. For me, stretching makes it worse the next day. I do have an appt with a PT.

Ironically, muscle tightening is listed as a side effect of Avonex. Does that make sense? How could anyone know if it was Avonex or the MS. But My arms, hands and legs are tight and for now, I'm just putting up with it. Baclofen did nothing for me.

Let me know if you get any good tips. I'll tell you what I experience in the PT. Good Luck.

[GayGay]

Physical Therapy

Going to a PT has done wonders for me. Especially the time I fell backwards off a step stool.
BigA: luckily not everyone seems worse from stretching. Just find the happy medium with the PT. Sleeping with a heating pad would not work for most as MS causes many to get extremely warm or even hot flashes. Includes men also because I did a study on this site about it.

[Deer In Headlights]

My legs are getting tighter as I type. I don't know what to say, but it sounds like other people on this site have some, or a lot of experience with this. I guess just listen to what they have to say and tell your neuro. I think that I need to talk to mine.

[maryann v]

thanks

Thanks for the advice. I will call the neuro again and see if he will listen. Last conversation with him, he just really seemed to feel like the "typical" symptoms like numbness, trouble with word recall, that type of thing he could/would deal with.

The tightness he just kept saying it wasn't the MS. Well- then what is it?? He said for it to be an MS hug it would need to be all the way around the mid section rather than 1/2 or 3/4 of the way around.

I will call again and see if he would be willing to try something. I had never heard of the drug mentioned for muscle tightness, so I will ask him about it.

Honestly, if he is so convinced the muscle issue isn't the ms, then I wish he would tell me what it could be and what type of doctor will help with it.

I'm trying to stay positive. It's just been a bad month. This has been going on for 35 days plus. I need some relief!!

I did get a lovely cane! It's purple paisley! At least I kind be styling while I walk so slowly around with the stiff muscles! Something fun needs to come out of it.

I just would like to get off of some of the pain meds. I wake up in the middle of the night when they wear off, take more and wait to go back to sleep until they start to kick in.

Hopefully my neuro will be open to new ideas, or thoughts. Maybe the last time I talked to him, he was just having a bad day. It happens to all of us, right?

Thanks again- I let you know if anything works- or if the dr has any other ideas....