Spasticity

[zoefromsussex]

I posted a question last week regarding my latest mri & have now had the neuro's letter stating I have no new lesions on my brain or spine. Just the same ateas as back in 2011.
My ms nurse says I am getting sensory symptoms from the existing lesions but I have had new stuff such as numb feet and back in december I had to have a pelvic scan etc to check for a prolapse but there was no problem- it was sensory!
Last night whilst just sitting down I suddenly got such a pain in my left hip that walking was difficult and it gave me a really bad night of cramping down the whole left leg/foot and was still very uncomfortable most of today. It's eased right off now but I've got 'stiff' feeling's in both legs/hips now.
Is this what spasticity is? I notice this kind of thing fairly often of a morning but it usually sorts itself out as I get moving.
Is it normal to get so much sensory stuff without new relapses/lesions? My nurse explains it by saying its down to tiredness or temp changes. I must admit I really have issues with sleep as I can drop off but can't ever seem to stay asleep! Is that also a common ms issue?
Questions, questions! I was diagnosed last year but this condition still totally baffles me!

[zoefromsussex]

Thank you all for the replies. I think maybe it is spasticity then because it's just the same today and I had yet another restless night with crampy legs. I have a problem with night sweats too but my opthalmologist was convinced I have an overactive thyroid last time he saw me so maybe that explains the sweats!

[cjldb]

I have always had what I thought was Restless Leg Syndrome and my legs hurt and twitched at night. My neurologist simply prescribed Neurontin and I thought that was working ok. I recently switched neuros and I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new one. She said what I was actually experiencing was spasticity and she confirmed that when my reflexes were really really brisk. She told me to stop the Neurontin and try Baclofen. This has helped me tremendously! I feel much more rested in the morning. She explained how the jerking legs pull you out of a deep sleep even if it doesn't completely wake you so you don't feel rested in the morning. This could be your problem Zoe, that may be why you are waking after you fall asleep.

Alex...are the night sweats related at all to MS or something else? I am having them horribly bad right now. I wake up completely drenched and freezing!

[debgen]

Spasticity is my biggest nemesis. My spactisity occurs in my left leg. My muscles are so tight that it makes walking ver difficult and tiresome. It is also very painful. Stretching the muscles is very important and must be done several times throughout the day. I also take a great deal of medications such as Baclafen and Zanaflex during the day to help reduce the spasticity. The pain at night was so intense that it kept me up all night. About a year ago my neuro prescribed me Diazapam to take at bedtime. This pill has been such a relief. I sleep very well, pain free at night now :) I realize this may not work for everybody and it is an addictive narcotic, but I don't care because I have never experienced any negative side effects, only pain relief!

Good luck to you,
Deb

[HVAC]

Basically spasticity is when the muscles get signals to tense when they are not supposed to. There is a lot of gray matter damage in MS. Gray matter does not show up on tests. MRIs show only white matter damage which is a small snapshot of the damage. The Neurologist can tell more from your reflexes, etc. then from a MRI. MY MRIs are always the same from my second one but I get more MS symptoms.

I have trouble staying a sleep. I have a relaxation CD and I put it on and fall back to sleep. For me it is night sweats which wake me up.

Alex