[Catch]

Is there any relief for "the Hug"? This has become an increasing problem for me. My dr recently started me on Baclofen for muscle spasms and she said it should help with the hug too. It doesn't help much and I know the hug can get a lot worse.

So far the only thing that makes me feel better momentarily is removing tight clothing (goodbye bra!) and the baclofen (helps for a while).

Anyone know of anything that offers much relief?

[Kitty]

I get this sx quite often. I haven't found anything that really helps long term. I usually do what you do and remove binding clothes. Sometimes lying down helps me. I have a hard time catching my breath when the hug is really bad so I tend to raise my arms over my head alot. For some reason it helps.

Hope you feel better.

[SallyC]

So sorry Catch. I hope you feel better soon..

I'd send you a hug, but..

[pud's friend]

I don't get the 'hug' per se but I do get the feeling that there's someone tapping on my ribcage, or a cat rubbing up against my side. I just try and do something else instead to take my mind off it.

[Aarcyn]

I have the "hug." Mine is from my abdomen down to my ankles.

I use Baclofen like you. It just takes the edge off the hug for me. The hug is part of my new normal. If it gets really bad, I just take another Baclofen. Bad side effect is that Baclofen supposedly makes your muscles weaker.

I would love to know if marijuana would counteract the hug. I would get a prescription and have it filled in California. I think it comes in brownie or cookie form.

I watched a BBC documentary about the use of pot And there was a short segment of a woman in her late 60's that was being threatened with arrest for baking dose size brownies for her MS.

DS says street pot is really dangerous and me being an older woman with mobility problems...not a good combination for illegal activities!

[Catch]

I've tried pot and it does help for the hug, but like everything else, it's temporary. It helps for other things too, mainly spasms and its great for nausea, which I can get pretty bad. I'm a big advocate for medical MJ.

I find the only thing that helps me keep the hug to a minimum is sleep. I slept a lot this weekend, and the hug was much better with all that rest. Back to work this morning, and the hug is back and just as bad as it was last week! Maybe its time to call my neuro?