are there any adults here with mild CP?

I was born with mild CP. The spacicity was in my legs and with the help of braces and therapy, I was able to walk "normal".

I am now 38. I have always had almost no muscle on the left side of my body. If I was very tired, sometimed I would get a little limp,but that's all.

Now, I have been having neuropathy, and most recently spacicity in arms and legs that becomes quite  painful.

Sometimes, I notice my fingers and toes sticking together.

What I'm wondering is do any other adults with mild CP have these symptoms?

The dr's have no idea what is causing my issues.

Thank you for reading

[eagle51]

I'm 34 and have mild right spastic cp. The only thing I can possibly think of is that the cp is taking it's toll on your body. Keep in mind, I haven't seen a doctor in years and I'm the only person I know with cp, so I'm just going by my own experiences and what I've noticed with me and my own body. I've noticed that my body has been getting worse over the past 5 years or so. My muscles seem to spasm more often with greater intensity, and it takes less to trigger the spasms too. My joints are damaged which causes the pain and spasms sometimes and also causes them to not work as well, or respond as well, as they use to. My toes and fingers seem to stick as well (i.e. refuses to move when I try to will them to move, and sometimes they don't even feel like they are there at times). Over the past couple of years, I've noticed that they also look like they're bending off to the side, possibly due to arthritis is my guess. Most of my muscles also refuse to activate as fast as they used to after resting for any length of time too.

I'm not completely sure why all this is happenning, I don't remember it being quite this bad when I was younger, but my guess is the cp has damaged and redamaged my muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons so many times over the years, that my body is just less able to cope with it all now. It just doesn't seem to bounce back as fast as it used to.  I'm guessing that's what you might be experiencing. I've been reading articles and blogs in bits and pieces online about cp and aging (on the rare occassions I can find them), and it seems that our bodies tend to breakdown a bit faster than the bodies of able-bodied people. After a while, we start to lose our laxicity in our muscles because of normal aging, plus the extra damage we deal with due to the spasms. Sounds wierd, I know, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. So I guess it's possible that is what is happening to you. But I don't know, I could be wrong.

[mommyslove]

I wrote a post about my 7 year old son who has cp and was wondering if you would read it and tell me if this sounds like somethings you went through at his age. If so what do you think will help me to better approach him and his therapist when he starts talking with one. I have never met anyone with cp as an adult so I am glad to be able to talk with someone who has been there. I need a better understanding of cp and what to exspect with my son. also mamiJ if you would give me some imput as well.

[efreish]

I am 33 years old with mild CP. I have noticed similar to eagle 51 that my CP has become worse over the last 5 yrs. I walk much more on my toes and my balance has become a lot worse. I am debating having achilles tendon lengthening surgery and mid-foot fusion to help me out. My fingers and toes aren't sticking togeher yet.

[alwaysbelieve]

My son had CP...spastic-athetoid quad. So he never walked. However...he had an intrathecal baclofen pumped placed in 2001 with AMAZING success!
He was non-verbal, so I could only judge what I saw. Since his tone was so high, it was never easy to hold him, he was unable to sit, etc. After the pump, I could hold him without a struggle...I would sit him on the side of his bed and his feet DANGLED!!!!!
With that in mind, I suggest a visit to a spasticity clinic and an ITB trial. The trial is pretty simple...they release baclofen into the intrathecal space. Totally reversible (as is the actual implantation).

[Alufa1]

I have mild Spastic Cerebral Palsy diplegia, meaning that it is in both of my legs more than in my arms. I am fifty years old now and soon to be 51,and yes I have noticed many health complications too that are really affecting my life. The latest is not being able to hold a baking pan for more than a second without it falling. I have also had probelms with conspitation and dirreahra as if my body can not make up its mind as to what it wants to do or not do.  I still reflux from time to time but it is not as bad as it was in my childhood. My weight is a constant problem since it goes up and down, and I have probelms with leg cramps.  My fingers and toes are not sticking together as of yet, but I have had problems controlling my fingers on the keyboard.

[hoagie337]

I have a friend with CP,but I never knew it in high school.She seems to have problems walking now as she is now in her 50's. Why

[steveh471]

I am a soon to be 50yr old wiht mild CP. I too have noticed changes in my overall health. I have noticed more muscle tightness and spasms in my neck and shoulders. At 38 I had a two level cervical fusion from a car accident that has certainly accelerated many of the aches and pains. I have found it more difficult doing everyday activities.
I have a great job and live a fairly normal life and learning how to adapt as I get older I feel is the key.
I am thankful to have found this forum as I think we can all benifit form eachother.

[Nancy8622]

We have a family friend, 36 with cp.He has been getting progressively worse the past couple years - has been seen by Mayo with so far little to no progress.  He is in constant pain with headaches, lower backaches and can't even remember conversations.  He suffers with eating disorders and has lost a lot of weight.  No one seems to be able to get the pain under control. He still lives independently but has been approved for a caregiver.  I am not sure if he should be in a home care environment or how to help him with his pain.  Any ideas.  He is currently in the hospital and being checked out by a neurologist at barrow's so we hope for thebest.