Paresthesias

[jamilea]

How come they are worse at night?

How do some of you sleep while this is occurring on your head?

[Shashi]

I think paresthesias seem worse at night because you aren't as distracted with daytime activities and are more focused on what you are feeling (the same with pain being worse at night.)

Are you taking any type of medication for nerve pain and paresthesia? Neurontin or Lyrica? Those can help make these sensations bearable.

Right now, I'm about ready to kick myself. I had the bright idea of trying to wean myself off of the 1,200 mg of gabapentin (Neurontin) I've been taking for several years. And I'm paying for it! My left hand and left foot feel like I've dipped then in blazing hot oil, and the rest of my body feel like fire ants are marching all over my skin and occasionally biting me! It's so frustrating and so painful I could just scream! Needless to say, I just upped my dosage to what it's supposed to be, but it's frustrating! I want off of all these meds, but I can't do without them.

I hope you get some relief and some sleep soon. At least if you don't, you'll know that you're not alone - I'll be up too, trying to put out the flames on my skin!

[jamilea]

Maybe we should start an insomniacs club lol

Thanks Shashi for making me feel not alone. I do take Neurontin, 1200mg per day right now. The paresthesias started getting worse about 2 weeks ago and I have been unable to sleep properly since.

When I ever get to the doctors, I will see about getting a real and prescribed sleep aid. The otc stuff doesn't make me tired. It works opposite.

[jamilea]

And I totally know what you mean about ants dancing. Mine feel like microscopic spiders LOL

I swear I can hear them dropping off onto my pillow or something but I figure that's my mind playing tricks on me.

You know, I never knew the brain can turn on someone in this way. I always just thought it was psychiatric stuff.

I didn't know Neurology existed until I started having problems. Weird.

Do you become afraid at night to even try to sleep until you are completely and utterly wiped? I do. The sensations really creep me out and make me feel like I'm going crazy. Pure emotional turmoil in my opinion.

[JoanFrances]

Sorry

That you are going through this Jamilea. Hope you get some relief soon.

I get the creepy crawlies on and off. One night I said "you are not gonna get me to swat at one more non-existent bug again". Well I wish I had, cause there was actually a wasp on me, and ended up in my bed behind me. When I rolled over, he stung me on the back.

Not fun in the middle of the night.

[gomer]

Aint MS FUN?...............

I have had a variety of wierd stuff happen, more-so in recent years, not all of it painful.

BURNNING.. don't ya just loe it when a big patch of an arm or leg catches FIRE?

Song-&-Dance...I have had my left arm/hand put on quite a show, like a silent song-n-dance show while I just sit there and watch, amazing.

Waterbed...... Last year for about a week, I would hit the sack and it felt like I was on a water bed. The waves just kept coming wave after continous wave. Actually I enjoyed it, put me to sleep in zero sheep, almost. Funny thing is NO sea-sickness either, yet I often get sea-sick now on terra-firma.........now that is WIERD!


Doc Gomer

[0485c10]

[QUOTE=jamilea;1248166]How come they are worse at night?

I read an article that said because during the day your nerves are busy doing other things--so they are not as "available" have as much free time for things like Paresthesias or restless legs. At night more nerve time becomes available for that kind of thing and the nerves don't waste that time

[Mamie]

I just now remembered my password here to log in.
But this morning at 3am I woke up from my limbs and face burning like fire and a feeling of thousands of tiny pin pricks .

I was not able to get back to sleep, so I grabbed my lap top on the night stand and checked this board to distract me and thus pass the early morning hours.

I thought it was rather funny ( and fortunate) to find this post bumped to the top, and the first thing I saw.

Don't have any words of wisdom, but just wanted to share the experience.

I took my neurontin this morning.
But I feel affected from the continual lack of restorative sleep.

It's a drag. Plain and simple.

But it is comforting to know I am not alone.

Thanks for the post.

Mamie

[minivanmama]

Bless your heart. I know how it can drive you crazy. You are not alone as you can see.

I call mine the "ants" they craw on my face and down my legs. I also have the burning feeling on my back and i feel like i have a sunburn.

I hope that your sx will calm down soon and you can get some sleep. I don't know why it gets so bad at night. I hope you can find away to sleep.

Lots of (((((hugs)))))

[jamilea]

That you are going through this Jamilea. Hope you get some relief soon.

I get the creepy crawlies on and off. One night I said "you are not gonna get me to swat at one more non-existent bug again". Well I wish I had, cause there was actually a wasp on me, and ended up in my bed behind me. When I rolled over, he stung me on the back.

Not fun in the middle of the night.

Well, that was reassuring Joan LOL!

[jamilea]

Aint MS FUN?...............

I have had a variety of wierd stuff happen, more-so in recent years, not all of it painful.

BURNNING.. don't ya just loe it when a big patch of an arm or leg catches FIRE?

Song-&-Dance...I have had my left arm/hand put on quite a show, like a silent song-n-dance show while I just sit there and watch, amazing.

Waterbed...... Last year for about a week, I would hit the sack and it felt like I was on a water bed. The waves just kept coming wave after continous wave. Actually I enjoyed it, put me to sleep in zero sheep, almost. Funny thing is NO sea-sickness either, yet I often get sea-sick now on terra-firma.........now that is WIERD!


Doc Gomer

That is weird Gomer. That happens to me at times when I'm laying on the bed, like a ripple effect where I swear I'm moving but I'm not but I just attributed it to anxiety.

No, this isn't fun. I know you didn't mean it that way. It's really starting to affect me a whole bunch and I'm trying not to allow it. My mind goes in and out with this and I'm really worried about going insane over it lol Not funny but seriously.

Also, when stuff moves around in my head, it gives me the chills and it makes it worse, I hate the ones that run up the back of your neck and feel like bubbles in the back of your head. The sensations are getting worse, it started on one side of my head. Now it's on all sides and I can feel things flipping onto my face. I even felt it in my R eye one night.

The ones on my body started on my L calve. It felt like an electricity sensation but not the kind when you stick your finger in the light socket. Now, those are in a few places and my arm.

My eyes have been burning at night for a few days now. Last night, it felt like a burning piece of ash in the inside corner but back a bit in my eye. It hurt really bad and I didn't think I was ever going to get to sleep.

[jamilea]

Mamie,

I'm glad this topic helped you. It helps me that you guys posted in it as well. I would seriously be in a white coat if it weren't for you. I mean that in the most funny but non funny way

[Shashi]

Do you become afraid at night to even try to sleep until you are completely and utterly wiped? I do. The sensations really creep me out and make me feel like I'm going crazy. Pure emotional turmoil in my opinion.

Yes, yes, yes!! I hate having to go to bed. I fight it and stay up as long as I can (usually until 5 a.m.). I remind myself of a little kid sometimes. My problem though isn't that the paresthesia bothers me as much as it is that I have painful muscle spasms in my arms and legs and it seems worse when I'm in bed. It's difficult to get comfortable. I'm a side sleeper, but when I lie on my side, my legs and hips hurt. I wake up in pain most mornings, feeling like someone has beaten me with a baseball bat during my sleep.

This morning, the fire in my hand and foot is slowly dying out, thank goodness! I'm back on my full dose of gabapentin, but I definitely learned my lesson. Stay on the meds!

You may need an increase in your Neurontin to help control your paresthesia. Maybe you could give your doctor a call and ask to bump it up a bit.

Hugs,

Lisa

[jamilea]

That's a good idea. I don't have health insurance anymore but he might be open to just giving me the prescription for it since I'm paying for it anyway.

You know, I thought of an idea tonight that I told my husband I want to try. I told him since I forced myself to get up early this morning at 7 even though I went to sleep at 4:30, I will be able to be more tired tonight.

So I asked him if he could go to the bed 30 minutes before he plans to sleep and with him rubbing my hair laying on his chest and maybe a low volume movie playing, I can probably sleep and not in fear because he is right there.

Also, do you take anything to relax the muscle spasms? If not, my doctor prescribed Flexeril and it has been a God send to me. At first, you have to take halves because of the drowsy effect but once it builds up in your system, it really really really works. You need something for those awful muscle spasms.

And I know what you mean about sleeping on your side. My L side is the weak one and where I feel most of my symptoms. The Flexeril and sleeping on my other side really helps. I really hope this works tonight. I don't have Flexeril right now but the Paresthesia is worse than the muscle spasms. I can handle pain a lot better than my brain playing tricks on me.

I hope you get some good sleep too. My thoughts are with you and thank you for sharing your stories about this. I was afraid people would think I'm an absolute nut bag. My husband was like "Well I would tell you if that were the case!" lolol

[Tawanda]

"MILD" symptoms? I beg to differ...

Dear Jamilea,
I am glad you posted this. I think parasthesias (sp?)symptoms are totally underated when it comes to M.S. Most neuros don't seem to think they're any big deal, but that's probably because they don't have M.S.!

These are invisible symptoms that no one else can see, along with that nasty 'ol fatigue. There is simply no explaining to anyone who doesn't have the disease. We used to live in perfect bodies before all this happened, and suddenly, our perfect bodies have gone belly-up! Had I not experienced this first hand, I don't know if as an outsider, I would understand it either!

After living with this disease for 6 years after my official diagnosis, I can honestly tell you that these irritating symptoms don't bother me to the same extreme that they did at the beginning. I guess it is kind of like those guys who walk over hot coals without burning their feet. It becomes mind over matter-and that's the secret to living with this stupid disease!
-T