Quote:
Originally Posted by JJLL411
RW, good one !
Thanks to all for the feedback. LL has been prescribed valium for spasticity - mostly muscle cramping. The joint pain is intermittent. She has good days without any joint pain at all - then she might have a week of severe joint pain without relief.
The valium doesn't seem to have any effect on relieving the joint pain although it does help with occasional muscle spasms. I suspect that the joint pain is a MS systemic symptom and not a side effect of Tysabri since this symptom manifests itself regardless of her medication regime with valium and seems to have no direct correlation with Tysabri infusions.
RW, have you ever used valium for spasticity? Are baclofen and tizanidine comparatively more effective? This joint pain issue is really impacting our quality of life. As you described it, LL also has days where she feels like she has been hit by a car and can't get out of bed.
Appreciate your feedback.
JJ
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I haven't used Valium or any other benzodiazepines for any thing. I try to stay away from meds as a whole, but the spasticity was really getting to me and interfering with daily life so I took the advice of my doctor ( and one of our valued posters-Thank You MBSews!) and decided to just try the tizanidine before I went to sleep. I was having spasms that kept me awake at night. The tizanidine relieved them and continues to work as well now as it did the day I started it.
I held off on the baclofen for as long as I could, but when the pain started interfering with my daily life, I started on that. I have gone from 10mg 3xday to 20 mg 3xday. There are days when I am ok and I don't take the full day's dose. There are times when I do it all. So far it is relieving the spasms for me and my doctor is fine with me taking it as needed.
It doesn't work for everyone. I am sure others will chime in with what has worked for them. The whole point is to accept that sometimes meds DO help and to work with your doc to find one that works for you. Medication can make a difference as to whether you walk through your day like this
or like this
...
Edit to add that joint pain is a side effect of Tysabri ( contained in your drug leaflet included with vial of Tysabri in box-Ask for the box and the vial!)
Hope this helps!