Hot baths and crazy electric jolts

[Tumsie]

Ive been in prednisone for 5 weeks for a lesion on my cervical spine, during these 5 weeks I've noticed something crazy, its happened 3 times so far. I was taking a bath and that I could only describe as a paralysing  somewhat painful electric shock sensation would spread from the juncture of my left shoulder blade and spine down my left arm all the way to the fingertips... My heart would be racing and I would find it hard to breath.. Hyperventilating somewhat (could be I'd be panicking cause i don't know whats going on),I would be unable to use my arm, not that it would be paralysed but the discomfort would be just too much... It makes me groan

[Tumsie]

Thanks Penina, I'll bring it up with my doc... Never considered cardio issues.
HVAC Thanks for the pointer will read up on that
Lulu54 I hope I can come back here with some answers from my doc

[Lulu54]

Yep. I am corrected on this one.  on both counts- it might not be  Lhermittes and it could be something skeletal that has nothing at all to do with your MS.   L'hermittes can cause pain in the arms and as you describe it as electrical, that's my first thought. Sitting in a bathtub causes all sorts of flexing of our spine and neck.   I'm slipping....  Sorry for the misstep without covering the other possibilities.

Please do let us know what it is if your doctor is able to give you a name for it.

[HVAC]

Its not l'hermittes syndrome but uhthoff syndrome its easy to get the MS syndromes mixed up. l'hermittes is the jolt when you move your neck. Uhtoff is when you get hot and have symptoms and they go away when you cool off again.

Alex

[PeninaD]

Also, crazy as it sounds, this might not be MS.  
As people get older, their cardiovascular system might not adjust well to stressors, and caffeine as well as hot baths can make your heart rate go up.  As this is your left upper back and arm, you might want to have your doctor consider some cardiac workups, too.

Having MS or any other chronic condition does not preclude any of the other fun things time and bodies can throw at anyone.

[PeninaD]

Sometimes the steroids stop working for some people.  

[Tumsie]

Thanks Laura. Its very different from  l'hermittes that I almost always experience when I bend my neck forward,this is like 50 times worse and only down the left arm....but you are right,the hot baths have to go. I guess I was hoping that everything would go back to normal with the steroids bringing down the inflammation.

[Lulu54]

It sounds like as much as you enjoy the long soak in the tub, you might need to become a shower girl.  The heat of the water is probably doing this to you since that is the only time it happens. The hot cup of coffee and then the bath was a double warm up for you.

It sounds much  like Lhermittes to me. You might read about it and see if it fits your symptoms.  And then be sure to talk to your doctor.

Steroids don't cure us, they just help and problems like this could remain active.

stay cool, Laura

[HVAC]

Many people with MS can't take hot bathes, go in hot tubs, or even heated pools. Usually when you coll off things get better.

Alex

[Tumsie]

The second time it happened after a mug of strong sweet coffee,.I took a hot bath last night and this tine it was so bad that my hand balled into a fist the worst was over after about 20 minutes out of the bathroom, but my arm, in fact my entire left side hasn't been ok today and I've been tired and cranky.I forgot to mention the first time I barely managed to flop out of the tub and call my house help to come open the door and cover me up..

Has anybody else had this? What is this?.. How come I seem to have developed this new 'phenomenon' even after I was in antiinflammatories?