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Smooth Muscle Spasms
I have smooth muscle spasms in my gut, mostly in the diaphragm area, though they often spread up my chest, and sometimes affect my lower abdomen. A colonoscopy has shown no organic disease in the colon, and u/sound scans and MRI scans have ruled out any disease in other abdominal organs.
The spasms have a severe effect on my breathing, making me constantly breathless, and I am woken several times a night struggling to breathe.
I have been prescribed several drugs in the past, at different times, to treat the problem. None of them helped, partly because of the side effects I experienced . The drugs were a small dose of benzodiazipine, which made me too tired to do anything all day. Later I tried a very small dose of Amitryptiline, but it made me too agitated to continue with it, and did little to relieve my symptoms.
I do not suffer from diarrhoea or constipation. But when I tried taking one of the smooth muscle relaxant drugs (cannot remember the name of it) it gave me terrible constipation, which was a nightmare to resolve. There is just no point in me taking a drug that makes my quality of life worse than it already is. Can anyone recommend a drug that might relax the muscle spasms, without giving me constipation or other intolerable side effects?
Thank you.
The spasms have a severe effect on my breathing, making me constantly breathless, and I am woken several times a night struggling to breathe.
I have been prescribed several drugs in the past, at different times, to treat the problem. None of them helped, partly because of the side effects I experienced . The drugs were a small dose of benzodiazipine, which made me too tired to do anything all day. Later I tried a very small dose of Amitryptiline, but it made me too agitated to continue with it, and did little to relieve my symptoms.
I do not suffer from diarrhoea or constipation. But when I tried taking one of the smooth muscle relaxant drugs (cannot remember the name of it) it gave me terrible constipation, which was a nightmare to resolve. There is just no point in me taking a drug that makes my quality of life worse than it already is. Can anyone recommend a drug that might relax the muscle spasms, without giving me constipation or other intolerable side effects?
Thank you.
I had the results of all the blood tests I had recently. Everything was within normal range. I do not have hypokalemia, or hypocalcemia. My B12 is normal, as is my ferritin. There were no inflammatory markers. Nothing the least bit suspicious.
So my GP decided it is IBS causing the pain under my ribcage, and he prescribed hyoscine butylbromide, a smooth muscle relaxant. I took 40 mg for 4 days and it was a disaster. It messed up my BMs, which are usually normal, and gave me terrible griping pain in my abdomen that kept me awake at night. Also it gave me severe eye pain, visual disturbance, dizziness, copious sweating, itching, breathlessness and horrible fatigue.
It also triggered several asthma attacks. The area under my ribcage became stiff, so that kind of numbed the pain a little bit for a while.
I felt too taking the hyoscine to continue. Have felt much better since stopping it, but of course I have the pain under the ribcage back again in full. I cannot see how my pain can be due to IBS if I get such a bad reaction to a medicine that helps many people who have IBS.
One doctor in the past suggested I might have an adhesion (from the stomach to the transverse colon) as this could account for the painful pulling, stretched feeling I have. However, as I have never had abdominal surgery it was unlikely.... do you agree?
Another thing mentioned in the past was possibility of a small hernia not visible on the xray. However, usually there would be acid reflux with this (which I do not have), and PPIs would help, whereas they did not help me with the pain.
Although I have mild diverticular disease in the sigmoid colon, the docs are sure I have none in my transverse colon, as they say it would have shown on the xray. Or at least some narrowing or widening would have shown up.
So it continues to be a mystery.
So my GP decided it is IBS causing the pain under my ribcage, and he prescribed hyoscine butylbromide, a smooth muscle relaxant. I took 40 mg for 4 days and it was a disaster. It messed up my BMs, which are usually normal, and gave me terrible griping pain in my abdomen that kept me awake at night. Also it gave me severe eye pain, visual disturbance, dizziness, copious sweating, itching, breathlessness and horrible fatigue.
It also triggered several asthma attacks. The area under my ribcage became stiff, so that kind of numbed the pain a little bit for a while.
I felt too taking the hyoscine to continue. Have felt much better since stopping it, but of course I have the pain under the ribcage back again in full. I cannot see how my pain can be due to IBS if I get such a bad reaction to a medicine that helps many people who have IBS.
One doctor in the past suggested I might have an adhesion (from the stomach to the transverse colon) as this could account for the painful pulling, stretched feeling I have. However, as I have never had abdominal surgery it was unlikely.... do you agree?
Another thing mentioned in the past was possibility of a small hernia not visible on the xray. However, usually there would be acid reflux with this (which I do not have), and PPIs would help, whereas they did not help me with the pain.
Although I have mild diverticular disease in the sigmoid colon, the docs are sure I have none in my transverse colon, as they say it would have shown on the xray. Or at least some narrowing or widening would have shown up.
So it continues to be a mystery.
My GP has just prescribed Hyoscine butylbromide for me, which is a derivative of Hyoscyamine. I am hoping I can tolerate it and it will help, as I have not got on with other smooth muscle relaxants in the past..
An extended release form sounds convenient. If I am going to be taking it longterrm I will ask the GP about it. Many thanks.
An extended release form sounds convenient. If I am going to be taking it longterrm I will ask the GP about it. Many thanks.
About the constipation, yes these meds usually slow you down so I try to balance that in my diet. I have to be careful with insoluble fiber because of the IBS so it balances out
most of the time. Fat is really my enemy with IBS and is my number one trigger.
most of the time. Fat is really my enemy with IBS and is my number one trigger.
Levsin is hyoscyamine, a smooth muscle relaxer. I use an extended release form.
I also have used Belladonna alkaloid which is a combination of phenobarbital, with the following anti-spasmodics: atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine. I use the Belladonna when I am having an "attack" of pain. One of my additional problems is that my body becomes accustomed to pain type meds or muscle relaxers quickly and I have to up the the dose to achieve the same results. So the Belladonna worked well when I first used it but now I have to increase the amount. A good resource for medical info including medications is medlineplus.gov
I also have used Belladonna alkaloid which is a combination of phenobarbital, with the following anti-spasmodics: atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine. I use the Belladonna when I am having an "attack" of pain. One of my additional problems is that my body becomes accustomed to pain type meds or muscle relaxers quickly and I have to up the the dose to achieve the same results. So the Belladonna worked well when I first used it but now I have to increase the amount. A good resource for medical info including medications is medlineplus.gov
Thank you for directing me to the Vagus Nerve posts -- they were very interesting to read, and helpful. I think it could well be the case there is pressure in my diaphragm on my vagus nerve, and maybe it is this that is causing my chronic severe breathlessness. Though there does not seem to be any treatment for vagus nerve problems....
I was also interested you mentioned dysautonomia, as that has been mentioned to me before by doctors, and to that end I was prescribed a small dose of tricyclic antidepressant a year ago but unfortunately I could not tolerate it as even 2.5.mls made me unbearably agitated and irritable. The drug does this to some people apparently.
I am just about to start learning Tai Chi, as I have heard it can be very helpful for many things including dysautonomia. I will post here to report how I get on with it..
I was also interested you mentioned dysautonomia, as that has been mentioned to me before by doctors, and to that end I was prescribed a small dose of tricyclic antidepressant a year ago but unfortunately I could not tolerate it as even 2.5.mls made me unbearably agitated and irritable. The drug does this to some people apparently.
I am just about to start learning Tai Chi, as I have heard it can be very helpful for many things including dysautonomia. I will post here to report how I get on with it..
Thank you for your comments. It is reassuring to know there are others such as yourself suffering similar symptoms. I have gotten so depressed with this illness as it restricts my life so much, and being in constant nagging pain gets me down. Unfortunately as I have asthma I am very allergic to codeine based meds such as Vicadin, and all opiate derivative painkillers. Nor can I take NSAIDs as I have had gastritis. So am left with paracetomol, which I do not find very effective, especially against the agonising burning pain I get in my sternum and ribcage. I am grateful I don't have GERD on top of everything else.
3 yrs ago I was diagnosed with Chronic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction (CIPO) as on the basis of my symptoms I was a clear cut case. However when I had all the x-ray investigations
there was no evidence of the disease, so the diagnosis was withdrawn and I was instead told I had IBS. I have never thought IBS fits my symptoms as I don't have constipation or diarrhea. However it is true to say foods are a trigger for my attacks. Or I should say, were a trigger, but no longer as I worked with a nutritionist for over a year and identified all my triggers and now strictly avoid them. My diet consists of only fresh cooked organic meat (non red meat) fish, vegetables and a little fruit. Nothing else. All I drink is water.
I have not heard of Levsin -- is it a painkiller?
Which smooth muscle relaxants do you find helpful? Do any of them cause constipation? That was my experience when I used them in the past.
3 yrs ago I was diagnosed with Chronic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction (CIPO) as on the basis of my symptoms I was a clear cut case. However when I had all the x-ray investigations
there was no evidence of the disease, so the diagnosis was withdrawn and I was instead told I had IBS. I have never thought IBS fits my symptoms as I don't have constipation or diarrhea. However it is true to say foods are a trigger for my attacks. Or I should say, were a trigger, but no longer as I worked with a nutritionist for over a year and identified all my triggers and now strictly avoid them. My diet consists of only fresh cooked organic meat (non red meat) fish, vegetables and a little fruit. Nothing else. All I drink is water.
I have not heard of Levsin -- is it a painkiller?
Which smooth muscle relaxants do you find helpful? Do any of them cause constipation? That was my experience when I used them in the past.
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