MS Symptoms Exaccerbated by Exertion

[Sarahsmom46]

I don't mind doing polls as they can be helpful, but never in a million years thought I'd put one together for myself.  

The purpose of this poll has to do with a recent appointment I had with a neurologist (not MS neuro) who thinks pain and breathing problems with exertion are typical of MS.  I wanted to see how many of us actually have these problems to see if this is true.  I am very grateful for your taking the time to give your feedback.  

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51%

 (23) 

I get burning pain in legs within minutes after exertion i.e. exercise, waling up stairs.

20%

 (9) 

I have shortness of breath with exertion.

28%

 (13) 

I have significant weakness but no pain in legs with exertion.

45 Members voted

[essdipity]

I also get super tired, way out of proportion.

ess

[meg321]

It would only let me vote for one, the first one....iwas going to check all

meg

[tick123]

  me 2  all the above- not fun- cant finish -well takes a while!...tick

[puppythreads]

Me 2, I would vote for all three because sometimes it is pain and sometimes weakness in my legs

[Sarahsmom46]

I don't quite know how to fix the polling so we can vote more than once, but provide the feedback and that will still be helpful.

Thanks you guys. -Julie

[Wobbly]

Hi... I would vote all three as well.

wobbly
dx

[twopack]

Yes (often) to questions #1 and #2.  Sometimes also have weakness alone.

As a side note, I also have degenerative arthritis and stenosis of the lumbar spine--it complicates separating out what causes what.  Grrrrrr

[biowham]

One and three for me.

dx = cervical myelopathy, not mechanical

Bio

[Sarahsmom46]

Your feedback is really helpful  Thanks and keep it coming.  

[doni54]

yes, to all 3.  After this move we just finished, I'm in constant pain!!  Feel like I'm walking on exposed nerves in my feet!!

[Quixotic1]

I get extremely weak all over, no matter what muscles I used during the exertion.  Even my hands lose their grip.  I get irritable and feel like the only thing I can do is lie down.  But, as usuall, I don't have pain.  If I really overexert the weakness may last for a couple days.

There is no current way to allow for voting of more than one item.

Q

[Lulu54]

Julie,
I count myself among the fortunate that I don't experience pain but I do suffer from weakness from exertion.  It can take hours or even longer to recover.

Hopefully all these answers are making sense and some sort of pattern that you can share with your doctor.

be well,
Lulu

[supermum_ms]

I;m a limbolander so i wont vote if you only want dx in your count.

I experience fatigue from most activities now but if i'm just walking around theres no pain as such, tightening leg muscles and overwhelming fatigue. If i do an activity that has a physical elliment then i get pain + fatigue, weeding seems to tighten too many conflicting muscles and i walk like a puppet all over again.lol

I do get breathless really easy but i'm putting that down to being below my fitness levels due to loosing mobility for so long, cant say thats here to stay, still working on getting fit again. My core is not as strong which is new for me, lost my butt some time ago i think it melted into my feet, i'm sure there a name for that, ohhh i remember it's called gravity :-) rofl

Cheers.....JJ

[Sarahsmom46]

JJ - It doens't matter if you have been dx or not as every response will help.  Throw your vote into the poll.

Lu - I do plan to share this with my doctor.  The results are very, very interesting and I had no idea it would turn out this way.  This is encouraging to hear.

[steph74]

I have shortness of breath and weakness with exertion.

[shawnie31]

1 and 3 for me.

Stairs can be your worst enemy... but without them I don't think I would get any exercise at all. I agree with some other posts. Exertion makes me weak and exhausted, my legs burn/hurt beyond what I think is a normal sensation for simply climbing one flight of stairs.

Shelley
un dx

[Erin0313]

  #1 and #3 for me I only get #2 if I am really doing too much and then I'm down for the count for hours/days

Erin :)

[poker247]

After exertion I have all all 3 symptoms usually. I have had to learn to slow down and not over exert myself to help prevent the negative things. Easier said than done and I am a "work in progress".

Like Quix I can have grip issues as well and it is very frustrating, and when I am frustrated about it of course it gets worse. Not good for someone like me that draws other peoples blood 8 hours a day! Thank God for the invention of plastic tubes! When I first started drawing blood 13 years ago the tubes were glass, and every time I lost grip and dropped a tube they would break. Not only would I have to clean up a blood spill with glass shards, but I would also have to re-draw the patient.

I have also found on days I have done yard work or lots of walking, that night while in bed I have constant leg spasms as well as twitching and kicking. I want to continue working, and not take anymore meds than I have too so I just deal with it and it eventually passes.

Stay Well!
~Scottie

[neava]

manly 2 am nd 3 for me, i am luckly and dont get alot of pain, more tired sore like ive been doing hrs of pushing weights at the gym, stairs are a killer i find about 4 steps and then ive had it, my driveway is  a pain aswell,
but i cab dance for hrs

it really weird

[Ufrustrated2]

shortness of breath. i've told the Dr's for years about this. when i could/used to run, it was like a wall or barrier i was having to get over. most times i could break through it, say after a mile or two. sometimes not. now, don't run. could be ms, could be neck/nerve damage, no one is telling me except my body.

it creeps up on me, that is the negative effects of exercise/exertion. i get into the groove thinking ok, back on track, then bam, i'm down for another few weeks/months. that is, i have no energy to exercise and body pains are freaking with me.

this is one of my constant "roller-coasters" i've been on for a number of years.

[Mand125]

Would it make sense to say that I know I am recovering from my relapse because I am experiencing that horribler weakness that can come with exertion?

I heve been barely able to walk for several weeks - or to do much of anything for that matter!

I am getting much better now and a few days ago felt that horrible weakness. I realised that I haven't felt it since my relapse started, I  realised that it is because I am now able to do more and therefore exert myself - I never thought I would be glad to feel it :)

Mand

[fdmh]

Short of breath and very weakness in legs with exertion, specifically stairs and hills.  I know this sounds quite crazy but I have always been a very active person as far as regular exercise so when I do jog, yoga or whatever else I do for that, I'm fine, but walking up a flight of stairs or hill kills me.  Go figure, just one of those things that makes me feel I won't be taken seriously in limboland.

[Sarahsmom46]

Thanks so much for your feedback and participation in this poll.  I think you all nailed this issue right on the head, so to speak and I am going to take these results and discuss with my neuro at the next visit.  

I will post a separate thread to talk more about these results.  Thanks again so much it was more helpful that you can imagine.  

Julie

[rendean]

Thanks for doing this poll. I , too, will take a copy of the graphic to show my neuro.

Looking forward to your separate thread to discuss the results.

Ren

[NiCeeGlover]

THANKS FOR DOING THIS POLL.   I HAVE PROBLEMS W ALL 3.

I'M NEWLY DX W MS.    

BUT I'M ALSO HAVING TROUBLE W  SOME CAVERNOUS HEMANGONIA/ S

THAT ARE BLEEDING OFF AND ON IN MY BRAIN SINCE 10-04-09.  SO I DON'T

REALLY KNOW HOW MUCH OF MY SYMPS/PHYSICAL PROBLEMS RELATE TO

MS OR THE (CH) BLEED ISSUES.

[truelove47]

I would have picked #3 with pain


Linda

[Trace420]

Undiagnosed, but I get #s 1 and 2.

[diemyn]

All 3 of them. It's pretty random with the weakness and no pain, but the hard to breathe is all the time. Doc thinks I have intermittent asthma, but I don't think that's it. On rare days I'll have extreme weakness when walking just a few steps, but no pain. I marked the first one, cuz I think that's what I experience most often and is most debilitating, thus important to know.

Diemyn

[jed9999]

Not sure why, but over the past 30+ yrs with MS, the pain in my legs has gotten better--I guess I have less feeling even though I am still abulatory. The weakness has gotten progressively worse.

I have separate (from exercise) times when one or the other (usually the right but can be left) of my legs just aches "to beat the band!" It generally lasts a few hours then leaves. It seems to start right where my leg joins my trunk. Nothing helps.

I voted for #3. Keep in mind, though, I don't do exertion much. LOL I also have diabetes but my burning pain is pretty well controlled by a slight dose of neurontin. Jane

Thanks for a good poll and discussion.

[britinusa]

I get SOB easily but put that down to living in CO at high altitude.

I get weak and burning with all excersize

I tried a gym as I thought I was just unfit  - although I am an EMT and get lots of exersion  - after the gym I slept for 4 hours so never went again -

I do believe that they are symptoms of MS but I dont bother  mentioning all the little bits to neuro now as he usually just says "it may be, but know way of knowing for sure " !!!

[Guitar_grrrl]

Definitely "3".  I also get lots of pain in the form of spasms in all 4 extremities.  That happens whether I exert or not.

[Udkas]

I have trouble with all 3, but my biggest issue is pain and weakness after I exercise or during.  I find when I am riding my horse that after a while my legs go to jelly, especially when I am having a lesson with an instructor and I am over doing the exertion bit.

When I am tired and doing lots I tend to get the burning and spasms more, but for me pain seems to be a big feature of my symptoms.

I am not diagnosed with MS but TM.