Is this "Normal"?

[CarolRic]

I am experiencing my first real flare since being diagnosed 8 years ago. I have muscle spasms in my lower back with sharp shooting pain going into my thighs.

If I am sitting, I can just about forget about the muscle spasms and pain. It just stops until I stand up.

My question...is this "normal"? Do things quiet down until you being using the muscles again?

[22cyclist]

CarolRic: It all depends on where your lesions are. What is normal for your MS, may not be normal for another person's MS. You should talk to your neurologist about this as he/she knows where your lesions are.

If you have some T-spine lesions, it is probably normal. I hope you feel better soon!

Take care
Lisa
Moderation Team

[tommylee]

My question...is this "normal"? Do things quiet down until you being using the muscles again?

I don't know that there is a normal for us anymore.

As the years go by I just slowly pick up strange new twitches and weird problems that I just try to adjust and deal with.
I fear "normal" is not possible anymore.

Talk to your Dr. He may have something to help.
For myself it is always a question of do I want to live with the symptoms I have or the side effects from some medication?
It all depends on the symptoms vs side effects I guess???

Exercise seems to help me feel better but I have not felt "normal" since the mid 90's.

We are all different and you could feel better tomorrow. Who knows? I think anyone that pretends they can predict the path of MS is uninformed or worse.

[rdmc]

I am experiencing my first real flare since being diagnosed 8 years ago. I have muscle spasms in my lower back with sharp shooting pain going into my thighs.

If I am sitting, I can just about forget about the muscle spasms and pain. It just stops until I stand up.

My question...is this "normal"? Do things quiet down until you being using the muscles again?

It could be your MS, or it could be a back problem not related to MS.

Best thing to do is contact your physician, neuro, or GP, and get somebody to image the area, or at least examine you, to see if you have a back problem or back spasm, unrelated to MS, or if the MS is acting up.

Sometimes I pull a muscle in my lower back that acts like you're describing, I'm fine sitting, but getting up and getting down into the chair is a killer . It's related more to my position and is strictly muscular and hits both sides of my back and both quads.

I've been sent to PTs to help deal with it. Over the years, I've learned how to work out the spasms and kinks when this happens, and stretching will clear it up in a week or two.

On the other hand, I have hip and leg pain issues that stem from spasticity (which is MS related), and my baclofen pump handles that.

Point being if you see a doctor, they can help you figure out what exactly is happening, and the doctor may prescribe meds that will help the symptoms.

I know I do it, and it's easy to do, but not every health issue we have is related to the MS, sometimes it's something else that's causing it.

Hope you get some answers.

[hunterd]

the only thing that is normal is every case is unique. there may be similarities, but that is just coincidence.

[CarolRic]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

rdmc: I have been to the neuro and he sent me for and MRI. Everything came back negative so he concluded that it is the MS.

The one thing that is most confusing to me about MS is the "IS THIS THE MS OR NOT".

Thankfully, things seem to be calming down. I was actually able to walk in a store last night with only the numbness in my leg getting worse. The muscle spasms weren't there. We'll see what today brings.

Again, thank you for all of your kind replies.

[rdmc]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

rdmc: I have been to the neuro and he sent me for and MRI. Everything came back negative so he concluded that it is the MS.

The one thing that is most confusing to me about MS is the "IS THIS THE MS OR NOT".

Thankfully, things seem to be calming down. I was actually able to walk in a store last night with only the numbness in my leg getting worse. The muscle spasms weren't there. We'll see what today brings.

Again, thank you for all of your kind replies.

Well, glad to hear you had the MRI. When they rule out other things...we can only assume it's the MS.

I have BP and heart rate issues, and went through lots of tests to rule out other causes, but when all tests were complete, the conclusion was it was my MS causing those issues.

Frustrating! Are they offering you any symptomatic meds to deal with the spasms?

[CarolRic]

Are they offering you any symptomatic meds to deal with the spasms?[/QUOTE]

I tried Baclofen and when the neuro said to double the 10 mg 3 times a day, I couldn't handle it. He then prescribed valium but I never got it filled. Some medications scare me and that's one of them! I tried PT, which seemed to make it worse. I felt almost back to "normal" yesterday and was able to do some stuff. Woohoo!