MS hug - severe

[Katie626]

I've had this horrible "hug" pain for over two days/nights. I've had it before but never this bad or for this long. Feels like my ribs are being crushed and it hurts to breathe. My Butrans patch and baclofen are doing nothing. Could this be a relapse? Anyone have tips for relieving the pain even a little? I'm becoming weak and delusional with pain ...

[Camsue]

Hi Katie626

sorry to hear you're having pain too..I used to get that feeling often and my friend dubbed it 'a gorilla sitting on your chest'. One thing that worked for me is to remember it's just 'a feeling', nothing is really squishing, sitting on or smashing you..it's just a feeling.

This reminder helped me redirect my thinking for a while, that feeling is so annoying!

Hope you're feeling better soon

[newbie but goodie]

Sorry youre struggling with the hug! My neuro says that a new or worsening symptom for over 24 hrs could be relapse. I have hug issues too and try all kinds of things to find relief when it gets bad.

I do a hot pad on the hug area but have to keep an ice pack on my neck so I don't over heat. I take Gabapentin and find it wonderfully helpful. I do stretches that I learned in PT and slow deep breathing. When all else fails, I call my neuro and do a round of roids (if it's so bad that roids spells relief

[mjan]

Gosh, had to hear that you are suffering so. MS hug was one of my worst symptoms for years. Finally got on a combo for another problem and this med combo worked for me. I too take Baclofen, but now have added a stronger anti-inflammatory RX Diclofenac used for my lumbar stenosis.

Also I used to use a less drowsy muscle relaxant, Methocarbamol with ibruprofin (800) and that helped too. But when I could not breath or MOVE or even talk with those spasms, I would wrap a lumbar velcro wrap around my rib cage and that seemed to offer SUPPORT while I was recovering. It helped enough so I could function as it would last days too.

Hope you find a combo that works for you. Don't be afraid to ask for something besides just Baclofen.

Hope you feel better soon,
Jan

[lusciousleaves]

Someone mentioned drinking a big glass of ice water for mine. It worked like a charm. They were gone within 2 minutes of drinking the water. But mine are more diaphragm spasms that rib spasms. It still isn't confirmed what's spasming.

I went to the ER when they couldn't be controlled, got referred to a GI doc for possible gallstones, found out the pain meds I'd been using for it had likely damaged my liver. His advice was to take a levsin and wait a half hour. If it didn't clear it up, take another one and wait a half hour. If that doesn't clear it up, go to the ER for better pain management.

I had been taking 60mg of baclofen a day that week for those and it wasn't enough, yet too much for my liver. They're still thinking it might be smooth muscle spasms. I'm not so sure. Time will tell.

So try it. Ice water! It's cheap and healthy, and it might work for you too!

[dennissr]

I deal with a completely different kind of hug. But I would be in a great deal of trouble if mine stayed with me for longer than 15 minutes or so.

My hug starts in the face and goes to my torso. I find that keeping my hands off of my face has reduced the number of them that I have.

If I feel one coming on, I take an extra neurontin immediately. Seems to work or the placebo effect takes over.

[nappy]

My hug gets so tight that I feel like my back needs to crack to relieve it.

I have a baclofen pump, but the medication doesn't travel high enough for relief.

I tried got showers, but that proved to add to other troubles.

I already take 1200 of Neurontin daily but I do take extra of that and oral baclofen when I can't stand the hug.

I finally found this back support that is hard, but cusioned on the outside. It is kind of an arc.

I can be used in chair, the bed or where ever. It feel great on the lower back and is curved the perfect amount.

One day I placed it on the floor, and put the curce right at my bra line and laid on it until I sort of relaxed. It took some time, but if did help.

Once I get into "position" then the kids place pillows under my head for support.

It is a group effort and a bit of a scene but it does help.

Maybe you can find something similar.

Good Luck,