Didn't see that one coming...

[bettebelle]

For those of you who are unfamiliar I will give a brief recount of what happened to me a few weeks ago. Went to GP for abdominal pain... dx was muscle spasms of xyphoid and muscles and cartalidge of the rib cage. He said it was stress or anxiety or from insomnia or MS. He sent a note and the write up to my MS specialist.

Well a few weeks later, yesterday, I get a call from my neuro office saying that they just saw the paper work and they were sorry that they hadn't seen it sooner and ordered a stat MRI and 5 days of IVSM! Talk about a whirl wind... Still in denial today that I go in for an MRI today and had to cancel Easter plans so I could be in the city for the infusions. Bummer!

[bettebelle]

Couldn't move without it taking my breath away and with terrible asthma like I have was terrifying.

[bettebelle]

Kelly,
Baclofen is definitely one of my best friends! Muscle spasms have been probably the most distruptive constant symptom that I cope with. Without it I felt like I was losing my mind. I just hope they can give me something for when the hug effects my breathing....that was the scariest thing of all.  We almost called an ambulance because I could move

[bettebelle]

Guitar- I haven't gotten the results from the MRI yet. I have a follow up some time this week with my neuro.  I didn't even see her before she ordered the MRI and IVSM. I was seen by my GP who sent her the write up. In the fall when I had an episode they scanned my brain and cervical spine and gave me IVSM.  Then did a thoracic spine MRI a couple weeks after the IVSM and found a lesion at T4. So we will see what happens it was quite the unexpected whirl wind.

[anon07072023]

Yes, Baclofen is my friend. :-D  When I had a severe bout of spasticity on my right side of my ribs, I went to the ER. I was hoping it wasn't a blood clot because it hurt severely to breathe for 3-4 days. I ended up increasing my Baclofen.  This was before I was on my current dose of 80mg.  

I think 80mg is typically the highest that they like to go orally with Baclofen. Sometimes they will add Klonopin to help with the spasms. At least that's what they've done for me.

Contrary to the Baclofen, IVSM is not my friend.

[Guitar_grrrl]

It sounds to me like you're going through an acute flare.  I'm wishing you luck with the IVSM, and it should help you resolve this flare faster than if you didn't take it.

What did your MRI show?

[bettebelle]

Hey Kelly :) I'm already on 80mg of baclofen a day for spasticity. The baclofen is actually what made it feel like I wasn't going to die from it but it still didn't take it all away. Maybe they will add to the baclofen or something.

Another question... I haven't ever had any numbness in my left leg before but yesterday after the IVSM my leg felt like my arm does when it's flaring....like someone has put something tight by the joint that is cutting off the feeling and makes my arm... But in this case my leg really really clumbsy and heavy and numb..., I looked up IVSM side effects and didn't see numbness listed, but good thing its gone this AM...knock on wood.

[anon07072023]

Hi, if you're not already taking something for spasticity, you may want to ask your doctor to try a new med for it. They first started me on Tizanadine (Zanaflex) and it only made me feel sick. Then they switched me to Baclofen and it works much better.

Hope you feel better soon.
Kelly

[bettebelle]

Thanks Lulu :) I just had my MRI.  I still get the spasms they come in different levels of pain some are not so bad and I have had another where all I could do was lay flat on the ground and do breathing exercises til it passes. I've also had memory issues, but thought maybe it was a side effect of Avonex.  
I start the IVSM tomorrow.  I'm not really sure what to think of everything. I just hope I get my memory back ;) this disease makes me feel absolutely crazy sometimes. Especially in the last 48 hours. I figured everything was fine until yesterday morning... I get all paranoid that they aren't going to find anything to explain it. Funny thing is I actually didn't call my neuro this time they called me.

[Lulu54]

Are  you still having the muscle spasms?  If not, the IVSM might not still be necessary - you might have toughed them out.   At least your MSologist didn't just ignore the notes and admitted their oversight.

I hope your mri goes well.

be well, L