Severe spasms that look like seizures

[Sugarflowers]

Does ANYONE have bouts of muscle spasms/contractions that look like a grand mal seizure?

My "episodes" start with minor tendon pulls that escalate into full body spasms. I have been told that this issue is not possible with MS. These spasms twist my left arm to the left and dig my nails into my palm. At their worst, I am doing involuntary situps and V-scrunches.

These spasms ate triggered by some medications, paint fumes, cigarette smoke or smell for more than a few minutes, extreme fatigue that includes extreme leg pain.

Has anyone had anything similar to this?

Please help.

Michele

[twopack]

It seems to me this topic clearly shows us just how large and varied the spectrum of muscle movement problems is.  Although the majority of us on the forum aren't dealing with problems as severe as the ones described here it is certainly a possibility with MS.

The WeMove site is an excellent resource.  You can use it to help better understand your specific problem with spasticity or movement.  You'll find the main page here:
http://www.wemove.org/

Most important....
Find a doctor interested in identifying and treating these distressing events.  They are real, potentially debilitating and often progressive.

NOTE: There is a FREE directory available on the above webpage to help anyone wanting to locate a doctor with experience in identifying and treating movement disorders.  I would think this is the type of MS symptom that responds best when treatments are ordered and monitored by a doc who has specialized experience with a variety of movement disorders.

Mary

[jensequitur]

Spasms, clonus, myoclonus... they're all different, but look similar sometimes.  I call it a spasm if the muscle is causing the problem - like last night, when all my toes wanted to point straight up, and my foot wanted to turn up to the side.  I had to get my honey to point my foot and push my toes down - I couldn't do it myself.

Clonus is the stuttering thing that your legs do.  I get this in the mornings especially.  

The hand locking up sounds very strange, especially if it doesn't hurt.  I don't know, but I have to wonder if it's clonus.

I get myoclonus in the back - my back arches and my arms and legs fling out.

I've been taking Baclofen for years, but recently I've noticed that it doesn't really control the kind of spasms that are the real problem - the feet doing weird things at night, the chest/esophagus spasm.  However, I've been taking Zanaflex, which is very effective.  One is usually enough for several hours.  I've started titrating down from the Baclofen, and aside from a little stiffness, haven't really noticed any problems.  (My feet spasm whether I'm on Baclofen or not.)

[JKM1]

When my body locks up it is painful. The spasm starts from my lower back and my whole back goes forward and rigid and holds for a minute or so. The pressure on my back is painful, but more painful is an aching feeling in my lower back and between my shoulders from the tension afterwards.

My leg also does the spasm/kick thing you describe with the stuttering at the end. I've had that for years but thought it was just restless leg syndrome until I was diagnosed with MS.

As for the hand locking into a position, that sounds like what happened to my sister when her whole body locked into fetal position, so I have heard of parts of the body locking up, especially the legs.

I seriously doubt eating bananas will help. Muscle relaxers like everyone talks about may help. Bacoflin I think is the one most people use. Anyway, best of luck.

Keith

[ccorina]

Keith:  Thanks for sharing the link, it was good.

Everyone:  Are these locked up moments painful?  When I had my last episode, about 2 weeks later my hand bent towards my wrist and my fingers all locked up bent but apart (if that makes sense!).  This was not painful at all but lasted about  1 to 3  hours and repeated itself for the next couple of days.  

I also get leg spasms or something when laying in bed.  If they get really bad both legs will go and the feet will stutter at the end of the movement for a few times.  I think these must look like seizures.  They are very painful, but I think it's from the force of the jolt on the muscles or fatigue.

I asked my neuro about both.  For the hand he said "I have no idea, eat bananas"  For the legs he said "it's perfectly normal"

I hope you find some relief,

Corina

[JKM1]

Keith again,

Wanted to add this as well. Really great website for MSers. And according to this gentleman (who always seems to be very informed about MS and its nastiness) the severe spasticity/muscle spasms/rigidity are all very much a symptom of MS.

Have a look at this website's article and the comments section. Many people are having the same problem as you and I. Again, best of luck.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/trevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms/multiple-sclerosis-spasticity-do-you-have-this-symptom/

Keith

[JKM1]

I have exactly what you are mentioning right now.

I was diagnosed this past september with MS (on my birthday-happy birthday me). It started off with minor right leg spasms when laying down at night to full out leg jerking (like I was kicking something).

Now it is a non stop spasming/jerking in my right leg and my lower back. I have been told too that it looks like I'm having a small seizure.
When you say full body spasm do you mean literally a spasm throughout your whole body or like me is it simply the lower back spasming and causing your upper body to jerk and lock up?

If that is the case I think some others who have commented have misunderstood what you meant. I'm not having a full body spasm, but when my lower back spasms it causes my whole upper body to lock up and jerk involuntarily. And like you I am experiencing pain (my lower back and between my shoulder blades from the tensing of the muscles).

My sister also has MS and a few years ago she had a flare up that caused her entire body to lock up into fetal position and she couldn't move. (much like what you are saying your arm does).

When I first tried to find information about this it said that this wasn't a MS symptom, but further research suggests that it is, and like I said, my sister had a full body lock up. My neuro also is having me get my bloodwork done to check for any vitamin deficiency. I believe it is a deficiency in Vitamin B or D that can cause these kind of spasms.

They are not giving me pain relievers but I am picking up a prescrip today for some serious muscle relaxers which are supposed to help. I would suggest talking to your neuro about getting some muscle relaxers and digging further into seeing if this is a MS symptom, I can't seem to find conclusive evidence that it is, but what I have found suggests it is.

I would hope (for your sake and mine) that like most MS symptoms this is one that will pass because it really is a pain, and severely limits what we can do (I cant even drive right now because of the severity of the spasms).

Anyway, just wanted you to know there is someone out there (in god-awful hot southeast Texas, which is probably why my symptoms are flaring) who is experiencing the same thing as you. Hope you get better soon.

Best of luck
Keith