Spasticity in lower back?

[Rena705]

Hey people...hope everyone is enjoying spring....finally!  It as 30°celcius here on Monday and I felt like I would die...but it didn't work.  Instead, I got up yesterday a.m. and got in the shower and shortly thereafter I couldn't straighten up due to unbearable pain in my lower back!  

What I would like to know is if anyone has experienced spasticity in their back?  This is about the worst and most debilitating pain I have ever felt.  Is there any way I can know if this is spasticity or not does anyone know?  I increased my Gabapentin last week by 300 mg/day so I am thinking perhaps that if this is spasticity the increase would help something like this but I don't know if it would make any difference?  

I am in soooo much pain and can't really do anything...and I mean anything.  I could hardly get a cup of coffee out of the cupboard because I couldn't straighten up enough!  

PLEASE HELP ME!

Hugs,
Rena705

[Poppy7402]

I've got the same sort of thing today Rena.  I've had this pain for months but it's been steadily increasing in severity over the last few days until now when it's like someone sticking a knife into my lower back.  I just don't know whether I'm becoming immune to my pain meds again, or whether it is genuinely getting worse.

I tried using a hot water bottle on the painful bit but then discovered that I've lost the feeling in my lower back somewhere along the line as I couldn't feel much of the heat!!  This damned disease seems to surprise me on a daily basis at the moment.

Poppy

[Rena705]

Thank you for your responses, they are much appreciated.  I have been icing it and it's still just plain nasty.  I wish I could down a few muscle relaxants but I have horrible gastro results from them...would prefer to be in pain.  

I will continue to ice this evening and if it hasn't improved I will go see someone tomorrow.  Why do these things always happen on a Friday?!? Grrr

I will let you know if I figure this out and thank you again!

Hugs,
Rena

[doublevision1]

If spasticity is the cause of this pain, I'm not sure that gabapentin would be of much help.  One of the meds indicated for spasticity might be worth trying, such as baclofen or zanaflex.

I've had lower back pain unrelated to MS, which involved osteophytes impinging on nerves in the spinal cord.  It was agonizing and occasionally crippling.  I did take gabapentin for it, which didn't help, though I now know the dose was way too low.

If you increase the gaba and get relief, my guess would be its not spasticity and possibly not even MS related.

In any event, pain as bad as that needs to be evaluated.  You may need a CT scan or other testing to figure out what's going on in there.  Hope it's nothing serious or chronic.

[kwarendorf]

I suspect that it might not be MS related, but I've never been licensed to practice medicine :-) It sounds more disk/spine related.

Kyle

[Rena705]

I am only on 1200mg/day Kyle.  The thing is that I am not sure this is MS related or not.  I am thinking that this would have to be caused by new lesions but not sure.  All I know is that I am one hurtin' unit and don't know what to do:(

[kwarendorf]

Hi Rena-

I have felt your pain :-) My experience with lower back spasms was not associated with my MS. Rather it was in the first few weeks of recovery from back surgery. It is the worst pain I have ever experienced and I'm sorry your going through this.

As to your gabapentin dose, I'm at 3600mg/day so you have some room to work with, but talk with your doc first.

Feel better,
Kyle