Can you try a different bra? I read some where that a woman got a bra with a thicker band and it helped her with her hug. I think that was on about.ms.com but I'm not too sure. For me, it seems the thicker band would hurt more as the area it "constricts" is greater.

Also, sometimes heat helps too. I alternate sometimes between the heat and ice. Sometimes the heat just makes it worse. Most of the time, I just use ice.

Additionally, as you know, I have been getting massages. These work if the massage therapist does just a gentle massage. My MT has been able to get the swelling down and most of the muscles loosened. The intercostals are still spastic but it has helped me so much. She dropped her rate for me, I don't know why. She said that she got in to massage therapy to help people and not necessarily make money. So she charges me $20 for a 1/2 hour gentle massage. My PCP, who also has MS, recommended that I start getting these done on a regular basis as the area was so sore and so swollen. It really does help. It took about a month or so before the swelling and muscle spasms went down. She would come once a week. I am now doing better and she comes every other week. By the 2nd week I am so ready for her to come.

I will say though that she came the other day and did a deeper massage in the area. I could tell she was going deeper and was sore that evening. So, I don't think a deep tissue massage would be good. Just a gentle one.

I love Ativan...it centers me and helps me tremendously with my off balance problems.
I only take a dose of .05 (super low) but can take it up to 3 x a day. My only complaint about it is it seems to take a long time to kick in. When I have my anxious, dizzy times; I can pop one and go drive about 1.5-2 hrs later and feel most normal.

Was just given Klonopin to try at 20 mg. Took a half a one and it knocked me on my *****! I was out like a light and felt a bit hungover the next day.
However; taking 1/4 of the pill does help with the pains.
I think Klonopin is one of those drugs you have to get used to. It has some really great qualities for some people with pain that keeps them up at night.
Its worth a try.
You can always tell a doc you don't like it and move on to something else.

when I needed faster releif I stuck my pills under my tongue. they absorb super fast and work faster.

Cant wait to try this pill later. I dont want to take it now or I will be asleep in my soup.

Dej - I have done the sublingual trick too. It usually works within 10 minutes for me. It's a faster way to deal with pain induced anxiety as well as the pain itself.

Klonopin actually comes in wafers in the USA for dissolving in the mouth. Lucky! I asked for the wafers here thinking if I'm on this medication for the burning mouth syndrome, dissolving mouth wafer makes sense, but the wafers aren't available in Canada!

I decided to wait till Sunday night to try it, since I have so many things to do this weekend, and simply cant afford the hangover, spoonless affect. I will let you know in a day or two how it works for me.

btw, I found many differences between Canada meds and USA meds. isnt it strange that the same company that makes this stuff only sells this in USA and that in CAnada and or not at all in UK.

If you do sublingual.... use a smaller dose. Under the tongue bypasses the first metabolism by the liver, and hence you will get much more drug in your blood steam using under the tongue.

If you don't want that huge dose, cut back a bit with your dosing.
If you use your regular dose, be careful.