Hi Jess
Great to hear from you and i'm glad your vacation went well. I hate the diazapam which is like valium it is addictive and i find it zones me out and brings me down i am on the patches at the moment fenntanal 100 change every 3 days and setraline an antidepressant so dont like the idea of trying something else but i cant go on like this really i'll see.
sam x
Hi Sam,
Its funny you should ask about Baclofen... I just started it this week as well and am titrating up the dose over a few weeks to see if it will help with spasticity.
I just got back from vacation too, and am stiff as a board and all my muscles feel like concrete and I can hardly walk.I don't get individual spasms just overall stiffness. My hands get like claws and all curled up. Ouch. Call me robot woman! Like you I was more active than normal and ate a lot of wheat and other "not so" goodies. I am hoping that getting back to normal life with concentrated exercise and stretching and adjusted meds will help me loosen up. Rest might help as well. I think for me there is a stress factor involved that makes the spasticity all worse.
I would make sure that baclofen goes well with any other meds you are taking. I only take one thing at a time if possible to see how it works. My neuro gave me an assortment of drugs to try (skelaxin, flexeril, soma, valium, baclofen) so I am working my way through them one at a time. Am getting off the valium as I didn't find it helped much and its too addicting for my tastes. I am hoping the baclofen works well enough that I don't have to move on to something else. At least for a while.
Good luck to you and I sure hope the baclofen gives you some relief!
Cheers!
Jessica
Thanks all
Does everybody suffer with these all over spasms or contractions at the same time or do you feel them in one area? mine is in my jaw,face,feet,hands,calves,thighs and tummy they all twitch and jerk and the muscle feel like concrete i cant release my hands very well. so odd.
sam
Lulu, I only take Baclofen before bedtime and only when needed. I don't take it throughout the day. This medicine does make me sleepy and I'm not having near the problem with spasticity that I used to have. I notice the pain and spasticity mostly at night when I have a tendency to be too hot or cold or fatigued. The pain in my legs at night, when I'm still, can be unbearable and I need something.
OH MY GOSH I for got about the Blacolfen, please don't forget to tell your Dr, when you started it and how you have been increasing the dose. I hope this wasn't part of the problem the other evening...
I try to keep a running log of how the MS is expanding it's range so to speak... I tend to forget the short lasting things and hit on the longer lasting stuff... If you can figure out what I am trying to say.. The heat is so bad out here... I feel like my brain is going to get cooked..
No that isn't a joke... :-(
Nothing works in the heat... Nothing...
Hope all of you have a relaxing cool day.. Lulu, sweetie, PLease REST until you see your Dr. tomorrow... Please!!!!
Love & Hugs your crazed Friend{{{{{~!~}}}}
Deb,
Interesting that you take the baclofen at night - my neuro is working me up to a three a day dosage - today is the first time I have taken it morning, noon and night.
Sam,
good luck with the doctor - be sure and get clear instructions on the dosage and when to take it.
L
I am sorry to hear about your pain. I am going through this right now with my hip. Definately triggered by both sitting too long as well as walking too much. Working on a happy medium there.
I was taking baclofen and my Neuro switched me to xanaflex. I just wanted to throw that name out there because I didn't see it on your list.
I was taking 20mg of baclofen 3x daily.
It did make a huge difference in the beginning. I am not sure if my symptoms got worse or the meds just get less effective but I switched. I do recommend trying it.
I feel drowsy a bit all the time so I am not sure if that is from the meds. My Neuro says it is froim the heat.
D
Hi lulu and Deb
Thanks for your replys, lulu i think too once the spsams are under control the fatiuge will lesson.
Debs i cant think what triggars them off but i have just got back ogg holiday was more active then norm prob pushed myself to much they may go like last time or they may stay for the rest of the yr like last yr but who knows my diet has been not good either been eating more wheat again and not taken my vits as run out on holiday maybe something as simple as that could set them off. But they hurt so much!!
sam
Baclofen is what is prescribed and it does help. It does make you sleepy, so I'd take it at night and there's no chance of needing to drive a car.
Spasms are horrible. It does play a huge role in making life miserable. In addition to finding the right medicines, you may also want to see what makes them worse. I've found that when I'm too hot, too cold, sitting too much, or have done too much they are worse. You may want to analyze what set them off and try to fix whatever it is that may have contributed to making them worse.
Deb
Sam,
I just started baclofen this week - the dosage has to be increased gradually to lessen the side effect of sleepiness and I'm on an 18 day schedule to get to a full dose. So far I don't notice much difference. I do know that baclofen is very commonly rxd and if you haven't tried it yet, it might be worth checking it out.
If you can get the spasms quieted down, that should help with part of your fatigue - at least that's what I'm hoping for with my treatment.
good luck,
Lulu