Spams including MS Hug help please

[sunnyweather]

Hello everyone. Like many here you get to a point where frustration sets in and I guess I have landed. I have clear of any new symptoms for years was dx with Benign Ms, mine started with TGN of the face for 3 months, then 10 years later my left arm would not work for 3 months then my right foot spasms and ice and a feeling of walking on sharp rocks and heat senistivity too boot. A month ago I was in a flare then two weeks ago I was experiencing MS hug the intensity for all three just increased with each hug started in my back then moved to the front just under my breast bone, breathing was difficult. Experienced foot spasm with pain out of this world and now today leg spasm that very intense, it has left my leg feeling tired and getting redsule sharp pain on the top of my foot. In bed now took lorazapam. Question anyone else feel this and is this normal. With exp. the MS Hug would that mean that I'm now in a new exacabation?AThank you for your help, greatly appreciate. Hope everyone is having a good day.

[sunnyweather]

Great that you found a pain clinic that is working for you. I want to try and get back to yoga when my balance is a little better. Take care and thank you for responding to me. Sunny

[sunnyweather]

My MSHug is more upper back around my side to upper rib cage where I exper ience shortness of breath it lasts a few minutes then it is gone.When it happened the first time I was getting out of a chair and I thought that I pulled a few ribs my breath was not shortten but what I did notice that my ribs were not killing me afterwards like if you
really did pull them. HOpe you are having a good week and thank you for caring!
Sunny

[sunnyweather]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to me. I finally do not feel alone. I keep getting the spams but started taking Lorazapam which seems to be helping and I agree I need to stay in bed with the MSHug and I am trying to focus on my breath and not pain. Not working yet :(

[supermum_ms]

I concur with most of everyones thoughts but i disagree with a couple of things (sorry!!) thats been said, because the MS Hug is described as a banding or restrictive feeling of the trunk, sort of like wearing a corset but pulled way too tight. This can be fully or partially surrounding the trunk, commonly from as high as the rib cage to as low as the pelvic area.

Mine is the ribcage, the intercostal muscles which are the little muscles between each rib, (who's job is to enable the ribcage to expand and contract) spasm and get stuck in the contracted stage. This causes the constricted banding feeling and or intense pain, as the rib cage is basically squished until the spasm lets you off the hook, give you peace until it starts again.

The Hug is a sx of spinal lesion(s), depending where the lesion is located, will determin where on the trunk you experience the Hug, dont quote me but i think its directly below the lesion, agh not sure if thats above or below lol. It is generally recommended, that a person lays down or in a fully supported position, if experiencing intercostal spasms. It takes the pressure off their skeletal frame, standing, walking, sitting basically being up right puts the ribs under more preasure or strain than laying down which takes the preasure off and reduces it.

From my experience, i would not ever recommend moving around, the only relief i get when it hits, is when i'm fully supported from head to tippy toes, either laying in bed or in my recliner. If i stand it doen't take very long before the spasms are off and runniing, locking down my ribcage again, the pain is worse than natural child birth. When mine are acting up for days on end, i literally crack, boy its loud lol i sure can freeze a room, so weird!

Gentle Hugs.........JJ

oh no pun intended lol

[HVAC]

I got to a good pain clinic. Private not a big hospital run one. The best thing that ever happened. They think outside the box. A lot of trial and error but I have so much less pain.

Alex

[jensequitur]

Sounds like you might have a bit of a flare.  I've noticed that spinal symptoms go together - I have spasms as well as weak legs when my back is a problem.

[Pebbles2u]

Sunny,
This MS HUG is usually described as symptom, where the pain is so terrible at times, we experience it as from the neck and the lower back area and it is so intense that "that you don't want to eat". It was also printed in the MS Society Forum magazine ....trust me I can't and don't want a thing to eat all day long.....the pain is that intense...That's when I get up off my butt and MOVE!  I don't lay down ,,I fight MS ....I am still here today because of it ...and NO I don't take Cannabis ...I still want my Brain cells thank you ....If anything I always Want to keep my memory...I hope this helps!

[Guitar_grrrl]

Hi, Sunny,

Sorry you're going through this!  If these symptoms are new, or worse than usual, and have lasted more than 24-48 hours, then I'd say "time to call the neurologist".  It may be a flare if more than 30 days has elapsed from the last flare.  But since you flared a month ago, and had these symptoms two weeks ago, my guess would be you're still in the same flare.  

Spasms and the dreaded "hug we all hate" are a regular symptom for me, and one of my worst three symptoms.  I take Baclofen and at night when my spasms are at their worst, I alternate between Diazepam and medical Cannabis. Lorazepam is a good one, too.  I still get some breakthrough spasms, but not as intense as when I wasn't taking anything for them.

I hope these spasms calm down for you, and soon!