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Clonus anyone?

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    Clonus anyone?

    Yes - add to another irritating list of sx! Does anyone else suffer from this?

    For those of you who may be unfamiliar with this term, it's when the muscles contract and the nervous system can't initiate the "turn off switch" to stop it. It mostly affects the legs - at least mine does and it's a huge deal!

    One time when my neuro was doing the standard test of tapping on my knee, my leg shot up and kicked her in the shoulder! No kidding!

    Sometimes it hits for no reason at all.

    But the strangest thing happened today. I was out watering my garden and my feet got really hot so I turned the hose on them. Yikes~~ My now cold feet and ankles were jumping all over the place and I ended up falling.

    Is there anything that can be done to stop or alleviate this sx? Any meds or ??
    1st sx '89 Dx '99 w/RRMS - SP since 2010
    Administrator Message Boards/Moderator

    #2
    I CAN RELATE TO THAT. IT IS WHAT HAS STOPPED ME FROM SWIMMING. ANYTHING COLD TOUCHES MY FEET AND MY FEET AND LEGS JERK. AND IT SEEMS TO GO ON FOR A TIME. I'D BE INTERESTED ALSO IF ANYONE HAS ANY ANSWERS. GOOD LUCK AND TAKE CARE.
    Kathye

    MS since 1984
    DX Fibromyalgia 2003

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      #3
      Yeah it's like when you scratch a dog's belly and his leg goes. It's another lovely thing to have to deal with and explain. I laugh and tell people "at least I've still got legs". It was one of the symptoms that really started to freak me out before I got diagnosed.

      Mostly it's just an uncontrollable bouncing. I let it go for a long while sometimes. I consider it as exercise.

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        #4
        I get this in my shoulders, arms, hands. It's brought me to tears more than once, not because it's terribly painful, but because it is very erratic and will continue on indefinitely, exhausting me literally to tears. My neuro rx'd clonazepam and it has helped tame the beast.
        Dee
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

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          #5
          I just learned of clonus recently. i have severe contractures/spasms and spasticity (different than clonus as I understand) and the contractures/spasms are definitely affected by temperature or touch (i.e. when water temp changes in shower or anything that touchs my legs (even a sheet in bed) triggers the contractures/spasms.

          In the past few months I started having the shaking/bouncing(clonus) in my feet/legs first thing in the morning. I fine I can stop it if I attempt (can't always do it) to position my foot by putting some pressure at an angle.

          Not sure if that can help others but may want to try it.

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            #6
            Yep, I have had this especially in the shower on winter mornings. I have to run water until it is warm and has warmed the floor of the shower. If I get too rushed and turn on the hot water then the muscles turn to jelly in my legs and I end up on the floor of the shower. Since I can no longer take baths because I cannot get out of tub on my own, I shower but that presents problems when the jumping legs and feet do their own thing.
            "...the joy of the Lord is your (my) strength." Nehemiah 8:10

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              #7
              Clonus

              Mine shows up at the weirdest times and places. Haven't associated it with cold though. In my hand, both feet, and one leg for sure.
              techie
              Another pirated saying:
              Half of life is if.
              When today is bad, tomorrow is generally a better day.
              Dogs Rule!

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                #8
                Hey all - it's good to know I'm not alone with this. What scares me sometimes is when I'm driving and it comes on in a big way, especiallyt when I'm shifting gears. I can't just stop the car on the highway, but sometimes have to slow way down and back off the pedals. Annoying!
                1st sx '89 Dx '99 w/RRMS - SP since 2010
                Administrator Message Boards/Moderator

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                  #9
                  Yes and mine are very rhythmic. I can count to a round 30 seconds each spasm. I've always been calling it spasticity but someone else posted that they had clonus and I did not know the difference. She described hers as consistently seconds apart from each other and that's when I knew that that is what I have. I have not discussed it with my doctor yet but next time I see him I will ask him if that is a normal symptom of MS. Does anyone else know if that is normal for people with MS? Or common with people with MS?
                  Be Well,

                  Dx 1995 as RRMS, 2003 SPMS Rx: Gabapentin, Baclofen, Wellbutrin, Clonazepam

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Angelea View Post
                    Does anyone else know if that is normal for people with MS? Or common with people with MS?
                    Hi Angelea!

                    I have clonus also. It can be very irritating, to say the least! Very common in MS.

                    This is a good explanation, from WebMD:

                    Clonus reflex is a set of rhythmic, involuntary muscle movements. It is a neurological condition that affects the nerve cells that control muscle movements. Damage to the nerves, as in clonus, causes involuntary muscle contractions or spasms. It leads to muscle tightness and pain.

                    Clonus causes large, noticeable movements that are very different from typical twitches. It is usually triggered by an automatic response to a stimulus. The reflex leads to uncontrollable shaky movements.

                    Clonus occurs most frequently in the muscles that control the ankles and knees. It occurs less commonly in the jaw, fingers, wrists, elbows, biceps, and calves.

                    What Causes Clonus?

                    Clonus reflex is linked with damaged nerve pathways. The damage usually affects nerves responsible for voluntary muscle movements in the legs, hands, or face. The causes of this damage are not well understood.

                    Clonus is typically seen in people with neurological conditions like:What Is the Clonus Reflex? Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment and More (webmd.com)
                    PPMS for 26 years (dx 1998)
                    ~ Worrying will not take away tomorrow's troubles ~ But it will take away today's peace. ~

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