What medicine do you take for spastic muscles?

[lovemy6monkeys]

I have not had a doctor confirm I might have spastic muscles, but I have had issues with both behind my right knee and my right shoulder and neck. Right now it is my shoulder & neck.

This is the 3rd or 4th time in the last year that I've had this. Basically, it starts off as a sore neck, almost like I slept weird. Over a period of time, usually days, it will get increasingly tight feeling and more uncomfortable. Then it will gradually start to ease.

This time started on Saturday. Today it is to the point where it hurts to move my head at all. If I look straight ahead it is uncomfortable. If I turn my head just the tiniest bit it is bad. My whole neck, shoulder and upper back will feel like it is tightening into a great big charlie horse.

I have taken Tylenol (I avoid taking ibuprofen due to stomach issues) and I have an icy hot patch on. It is making it tolerable but I doubt I'll be getting many chores done today :-(

Due to my DH's work schedule, I won't be able to see my neuro before my scheduled appointment next week. At that time I will talk to him about this muscle issue. In the past he has concentrated on my other issues.

I'm wondering what the usual medicine for spastic muscles is. I was thinking if it is gabapentin, I might call my neuro today to see if he would ok me taking it during the day. If it is another medicine then I will wait until I see him next week since he wouldn't prescribe it without seeing me first.

Thanks for your help!
~Jess

[lovemy6monkeys]

Hi Mary :-)

My neuro is very good about answering questions & seeing you right away if you have an issue...it's the reason I feel it is worth an average minimum 2 hour wait on your appointment. I know I've (more then once) been that patient that called because of a symptom and was told "Can you be here in an hour?" I'm willing to wait, even with having 2-4 kids with me most the time LOL

Anyway, he said it sounds typical MS to him. He stressed that he wants me to get in to see him right away if my muscle issues get to that point again. And, if they get worse he will be wanting to do further testing.

As for right now he has given the ok for me to take gabapentin during the day as needed. He suggests I start with 200-300 mg. I was hoping he would be ok with the gabapentin, because I already take it at night before bed and I'm comfortable with it.

thank you for thinking of me! I hope you are doing well!
~Jess

[twopack]

What did your doc think about these problems Jess?  Did he address them at all or did you run out of time?

Mary

[johnnymutt]

Zanaflex works OK on the low dose. I've been thinking of asking for the higher doses, but fear any liver damage. You have to take it every 8 hours on the money!. Valium actually works pretty good, but really makes you tired. I was taking the high dose of Valium before I switched to Zanaflex. According to my doc, you can use the Zanaflex on a normal basis, and then compensate any pain with the Valium, something I haven't tried yet.

Stretching actually does wonders for the leg spasticity as well. I'm not talking about the kind of stretching you do for a warm up, this kind of stretching brings tears to you eyes at times. Stretching helps especially if you don't have any meds for it. 2 minutes of stretching can offer you 2 hours of semi-relief.

Just curious, how is you hydration? The biggest trigger for my spasticity is dehydration. Even the slightest bit of tipping the scale to dehydration can cause mayhem. Most of us here have bladder problems anyhow, it's easy to lose that water and not get it replaced. Itchy feet is usually a good tip off that I'm starting to not have enough water. When you start to dehydrate, your kidneys will start to store water in your body. That water will go to the lowest point in the body, and that's usually the feet. The itching is actually the feet swelling up and stretching the skin. I go through it every now and again.

Hope you are making some headway, sorry to hear you are in pain.

[twopack]

What did you decide Jess?  Hope you are feeling better.

Mary

[Guitar_grrrl]

It's Baclofen, for me.  20 mg 3x/day (total 60 mg).  I ramped up slowly over some weeks.

[drsdonthelp]

Recently,I was put on zanaflex . I have neck pain, upper back and shoulder pain, cramping in my leg from time to time and buzzing in foot. I take it at night, and haven't really noticed a difference, except for couple of days ago, I had that spasm cramping feeling in my upper back (out of control pain). I had to take a pill right away.

luckily , the pain eased up enough for me to have some sort of a productive day. I had the dull pain all day though,

Hugs,  Pamela

[RedFlame]

I use a hefty dose of Flexeril 3 times a day for spasticity and spasms.  It does help as long as I keep the dose up like I am supposed to.  I recommend calling the doctor and having him call something in.  Eventually you should be able to see which drug is right for you.

As far as the facial pain, I don't have any idea.  

I hope you get some answers soon and get some relief!!!!

Hugs,   Red

[COBOB]

I have an issue with spasticity in my feet and lower legs, especially at night.  So far Flexeril has been a nightly ting that seems to work pretty well.  During the day, I try to stretch them out.  Sometime they bother me, but not to the point I need to medicate during the day.

I have managed to keep my daily routine down to 200mg of Tegretol every 8 hours and flexeril at bedtime.

Bob

[twopack]

I find this very interesting Jess.  I've had something similar recently.  A group of problems surfaced within a few days of each other.  First there was pain in my right lower gum, just behind the last molar.  

When I woke up a day or two later with a sore and stiff neck that was difficult to turn fully to the left and a slight right earache, I called the dentist as the gum was still tender and a little red.  I was afraid I was getting an infection.

The dentist said something about a pericorona(?).  I thought that had to do with wisdom teeth but I haven't had those for ~ 40 years.  Maybe some food got caught between the gum and last molar?  Anyway, it was inflamed but I don't think infected.  He did numb the area and clean it well and give me a course of antibiotic as a standard precaution ordered by the surgeon since my knee replacement.

I'm not sure if the dental problem triggered the rest or if it's even connected, but spasms seized my neck and shoulder area (right>left) for several days.  I went for a myo-facial release treatment with my therapeutic masseuse.  He doesn't hold out much hope for MS spasticity as even if he can get them to release, there is a good likelihood that they will just reoccur.  I was willing to try anything though.

It's been two weeks now.  Everything is cleared except some lingering tightness running down the right side of my neck.  Oh, and now that I'm putting this all together, the return of some blood pressure and heart rate irregularities I was treated for last winter.

I'm wondering if any of this is connected to MS scarring of cranial nerves.  There has already been some suspicion of vagus nerve (CNX) involvement with my history of cardiac and gastrointestinal symptoms.  (At least I strongly suspect that and the docs have finally said 'maybe' since they have no other explanations.)  

The spinal/accessory (CNXI) serves motor function of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles in the neck, shoulder and upper back.  It can certainly cause weakness in those muscle when turning the head to the side.  I'm guessing it could also result in spasms in those muscles if the signals are interrupted or overfiring.

Baclofen and Zanaflex are the drugs more often used to help decrease muscle spasticity.  They don't always act quickly unless you take enough to drop you on your keister.  I have some baclofen and have used it here and there but have been able to resist adding it to my routine lineup to date.  I just hate to add even one more thing, especially one that can increase the wipe out factor.

Your gabapentin helps relieve nerve pain.  I don't know that it would help here but if you call your neuro I think he would be willing to let you try it before you come in.  Hadn't you been thinking you needed to do that for a long time anyway?

I wish Quix wasn't out of commission herself and was up to adding her input.  Maybe we can catch her up later and get an opinion.  In the meantime, I'll be eager to hear what your neuro thinks next week.  I don't have an appointment to see mine until closer to the end of the month.

Sorry to get so windy about my S&S.  Hopefully sharing our misery helps us both.  I did find that some local heat application and firm but gentle squeezing along the tight SCM muscle running down the neck brought some temporary relief.  That, and some Darvocet :)

Mary

[msgrigioilcavallo]

I have taken Baclofen which I couldn't tell much difference.  It also caused my bladder to hold urine which was not good since I get alot of UTI's.  I then took Carbamazapiem(sp) and couldn't tell any difference at all.  Last night, I began taking Soma and am hoping it will help me.  

I'm sorry you're in so much pain.  I really understand how painful the spasticity can be.  I am just hoping this Soma will help me.