Pain spasms in back and sternum

[exbayou]

Hi, I'm new to posting... MRI in December showed myelin sheath degen, as well as white matter in brain, so report came back saying could not rule out MS. However, my neuro says although the markers for MS are present, they just aren't following the pattern that she typically sees in her MS patients. So having another MRI done next month to see if any progression, etc. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone out there suffers from the same weird spasms/pain that I do... The spasms/pain are random, but occur in upper back and also in my sternum area. I get tingling in my hands and sometimes in upper back area too. Doc prescribed 10mg Baclofen and Soma (to be taken together), but sometimes that doesn't even help. Also visiting chiropractor several times a week, taking supplements... I've been having these symptoms off and on for years, but they seem to be occurring more frequently lately. Causing lots of anxiety as well; I'm feeling so overwhelmed. If anyone out there has experienced the same thing, I would love to hear from you and any advice or feedback you may have on what provides relief would be very welcome.
Cheers and blessings to all,
Exbayou

[Trekker]

My Wife started having severe chest tightness/pain in December. It comes and goes, and like alot of things related to MS, the Doc's couldn't really put a finger on it. They gave her prilosec (doesn't help) and Xanax (doesn't help). They are coming less often now, but She still gets them from time to time.

Like you, Her MS Doc says that her's is not following the normal pattern He see's in his MS patients.

Round and round we go.

[Azaelea]

Wow, I'm seeing more and more about this sort of pain. Maybe it's just that I'm paying attention since it happened to me.
How it started for me was tightness on the left side of my neck and periodic stabbing pain in my scalp.
Then I started to feel an aching pain/soreness in my sternum and a pain running under my right shoulder blade with a periodic stabbing pain in my right ribcage at the level of my right shoulder blade and trouble taking deep breathes, all of which sent me to the hospital in a hurry.
I told them I had MS and said I wondered if this could be "MS hug" or spasticity related.
I got a "deer in the headlights" look from the hospital doctor who was saw me, and said that he had never heard of the "MS hug"
But he did send me for an xray as he thought I might have pneumonia or pleurisy. When the xray turned out negative, he said that it all must be muscoskeletal and prescribed 10mg flexoril 3x daily for me - saying I shouldn't drive hwile I was on it. I got my 1st dose around 7pm at the hospital and my husband drove me home.
By 8pm I was like a pile of jello (mentally & physically) and wouldn't have been able to get out to my car much less drive it.
Not wanting to be jello for the next week I phoned the pharmacy and they concurred that this would be a typical reaction to that dose of flexoril for me and that I could halve or quarter the dose and that I might possibly try that smaller dose just overnight and only take more if the pain came back.
Good thing is the pain did subside & I slept like a baby.
Since then I've only had occasion to take the flexoril a few times when I got the tightness back in my chest.
As I have no GP I'm just monitoring things as I go and I was told by a nurse at the local MS clinic that if things get worse again to go to a different hospital and ask to see the on-call neurologist. Apparently they didn't have a neurologist at the hospital I went to.
Luckily it hasn't come back like before.

[exbayou]

Thanks for your replies and feedback, Trekker and Azaelea! Although I would never wish this aweful pain or feeling on anyone else, it is nice to know I am not going crazy. I also went to the hospital from a different kind of chest pain one day, and doc said it was esophageal spasms and gave my Rx for Prevacid. I too have also had the weird stabbing and spasming pain that moves in location, anywhere from mid-to-upper back and collarbone, to front of chest and sternum.

The first time I even heard the term "Hug Syndrome" was from my pharmacist when I was prescribed 10mg Baclofen to take with Soma. The term almost completely hit the nail on the head with what I get from time to time.
Trekker, tell your wife best of luck to her and I can relate to any frustration.
Azaelea, best of luck to you too.
Hope your symptoms will stay at bay!