Cramp or muscle spasm

[twist330]

Ok so yeaterday I had an appointment with GM medical consultant, except when I got their I got the distinct impression I was going to the registrar, I commented to my husband while waiting that if that was the case i would be having to go through the whole history of symptoms again. With no dx you can't just say i've got ******** you have to go through the why's and wherefore's and yes no one no's what's going on and yes all the tests are normal.

My heart sunk when an unknown woman called my name to the point I was on the verge of tears, thankfully the first thing she said was I've read your note's and I know what's been happening and then asked how things were going.

I explained I still had problems with the tingling & burning feeling in my limbs constantly, at 4am in the morning I wake up with cramp, 4pm ish my symptoms increased tingling etc... when I walk I cramp on the top of my foot which continues with rest. I get cramp in my legs and hands particularly if the day before has been very busy.

It would appear they consider 400mg pregabalin the highest dose they will give at the momment. So she has added amitriptlyne to start at 10mg at night, but when i asked if this would ease the cramp she said, no but they must deal with one thing at a time also I explained the bladder problems I have and would this drug make thing worse. I was told we need to try it to find out. But no suggestion on what to do about the miss behaving bladder

Explaining the drug she meantioned it was some times given to elderly at night this hit a nerve ( only because the last few weeks I've been feeling like a geriatric, and when I look around the hospitals I'm surrounded by old people) the tears rose again.

She went check she was OK to prescribe the amitriptlyne and my consultant popped in agreed the drug but I wasn't to start it until the follow week so we could see how the botox injections I had in my work without any other interference. It was nice to see him a friendly face but no time to talk thing through with him.

There was lots on my list of things to talk about that I couldn't and though not a total waste of time a bit of a lost opportunity I guess.And now I wonder if I should have used the word muscle  spasm instead of cramp? is there a difference ?
This is turning into a rough week.

[RedFlame]

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Multiple-Sclerosis/Muscle-Tone-And-Spasticity/show/159?cid=36

[RedFlame]

Right, a spasm is a 'cramp' and spasticity is an increase in the tone of the muscle, sort of a hardness of the muscle.  They are two different things, it took me a while to learn this and get it straight.

Quix has a great health page on this, I will try to find it.

Red

[twist330]

Thanks for the info, I was therefore correct in calling it cramp! I've now learnt that those weird sensations I have no rel name for is a spasm! I have learnt something today.

I must admit i find I am totally inadequate when it comes to explaining stuff to Dr's I just cant find the right words.

[supermum_ms]

Hey there, sorry you didn't get everything sorted, I dont blame you for getting a tad weepy, your human and you feel!

I think generally when people think of cramp it involves a hard contracted tight muscle, quite painful, hands and feet can twist until its over but spasms are commonly thought as not always involving pain, a rippling muscle like jelly. Dont you like the technical gargon i used.lol

I did a site search because i know that question was asked before, couldn't find it but i'm sure Quix gave an explanation, it might even be covered in the health page on 'muscle tone something or other' sorry my brain is fried at the mo.

When i get woken in the night with pain and foot twisted like a pretzel, i call it cramp, same with my hands but if my thigh muscle is going off like jelly on a plate, which for me has no pain at all, then i call it spasm. Though when my intercostal muscles spasm it hurts hurts hurts most of the time, other times i feel a muscle fluttering or after a while the muscle that has been spasming it can get stuck in the constricted faze and it hurts and i think its gone into 'oh carp i've lost the word' but i still think of it being spasms as aposed to cramps.

See its confusing lol i dont think i've been of much help, sorry!

CHeers........JJ