MS Hug

[zoefromsussex]

Whereabouts is MS girdle pain experienced? I've got an awful pain my lower stomach which I get every so often. It's almost like labour contraction but is not a period pain (wrong time of month) Is this to do with my ms or something else? In the past day or so I've been gettting very painful cramp like pain in my right fingers too so I wondered about a possble link?

[zoefromsussex]

So could lower tummy be the hug? I've been through labour without pain relief so I'm no wuss but this really hurts and takes my breath away and then it subsides as quickly as it begins. I'm not on any meds yet. I'm going on a coaxone info session on friday.

[jlabar]

I live with the hug on a daily basis for 3 years, starts off in the morning as a noticeable tightness in my mid torso but by the end of the day I am a lot of pain. My neuro has me on baclofen at the max safe dose but no luck. We've tried other drugs too without any real great satisfaction.

With that said, the one thing that I have found which helps me tolerate the tightness and pain is the "binder/wrap" people get when they have a lower back injury. I wrap this around my torso where the tightness occurs and I can actually get more stuff done without feeling as much pain. It is a lifesaver when I need to sit for long periods such as car rides,etc. The "binder/wrap" can be found at most drugstores you can even have your doc write a prescription to have insurance help with the cost.

[Guitar_grrrl]

I get that "girdle" pain (for me, mid-lower abdomen) for seconds, sometimes a minute or two at a time. Most often, it happens when moving my bowels.  I also get intercostal muscle spasms that last quite a while, too, and both places are excruciating!  It's all I can do to try to relax and have faith it will pass, and eventally, it does.  Thoracic spine lesions are the culprit.  

Are you taking Baclofen or Xanaflex?  Either of these can be helpful.  I'm on Baclofen, and it helps.  I get some breakthrough spasms, but not as often as before I started taking it.