[SallyC]

Last night, I was ready to call the para meds. I thought I was
having a heart attack. My chest and stomach was all tight and
it felt like I had something stuck in my throat and wouldn't go
down. I've had this before but not quite this bad or for that long.

I finally fell asleep and when I woke, a few hours later, whatever
was stuck went down and I didn't feel the intense pressure. So.
thinking "good, I didn't have a heart attack, relaxed and went
back to sleep.

This morning, although I felt better, I still had the tightness
around the chest and stomach. Sometime later, it occurred
to me that this could be the hug? Either that, or I'm still
working on an HA. I could breath fine and didn't feel sick or
dizzy, so my brain told me that this was not a HA, so must be
the Evil Hug..

Does anyone know what triggers the "Hug" and if there is any
relief for it? ...It has been at least 15 years since I had the Hug.
I wonder if this means, that I'm getting better in reverse?

[Erika]

Sally, the HUG is a very common symptom for me. No idea what triggers it but mine usually comes on in the evening or the night; although I've also had it hit right in the middle of the day while doing something as well.

Sometimes sipping on ice cold water will get it to back off for me if I do that at the start of it.

I can sometimes get it to ease off by either laying on my back with a couple of pillows under the knees or sitting up, then pressing my fingertips up under my ribs and holding the pressure for a minute or two. Doing that makes the pain worse temporarily and sometimes will make the pain that goes around to the back feel like a knife going straight through from front to back, but when I let off the finger pressure, it is usually better for a bit. I just keep doing that every few minutes to every hour or so while it is going on. Mine can last for days and during that time only vary in intensity.

When my hands/arms aren't working I use the cap end of a water bottle (with the cap on) to apply the pressure. The water bottle gives more leverage and pressure than the fingers.

I have also bent forward on the end of my walking stick while holding the hand end below the ribs or against the belly. Sometimes I have put the ground end of the walking stick up against something like a wall or tree (the stupid thing has caught me while out walking in the woods more than a few times), and then put the hand end below the ribs and leaned into it.

When it is hanging on for more than an hour I take Baclofen too. I try anything and everything I can possibly think of to get the pain to ease off.
Sometimes it is successful and sometimes it is not. It has put me in the ER a few times when I couldn't breathe but the docs were pretty much as unsuccessful as I was in their attempts to get it to ease off. From there it is basically a waiting game while I suck back oxygen.

Your symptoms sound like it might be an esophageal spasm rather than the HUG but everyone's symptoms are different, as we have all learned. That too can come from nerve irritiation/damage.

Whatever it is I hope that it goes away completely and never comes back.
Stupid disease.

With love, Erika

[SallyC]

Originally Posted by Erika

Your symptoms sound like it might be an esophageal spasm rather than the HUG but everyone's symptoms are different, as we have all learned. That too can come from nerve irritiation/damage.
With love, Erika

Yes, that's what I thought, at first, but that usually goes away
sooner? carp..Guess I'll just have to wait it out. It's not to bad
this morning. I'm guessing that, this is triggered by, my worst
enemy, STRESS, as is all of my flares.

Thanks for your incite. So sorry that, you too, are plagued by
this Carp..

[ewizabeth]

You should see your doctor Sally, don't assume that it is MS. See if you can get in today.

[ANNagain]

Sally- you need an EKG and some blood tests. You need to make sure that it is Not a heart attack.

And that's an order.
ANN

[SallyC]

Don't scare me now. I've never had a heart problem, but,
I could talk myself into it, if you encourage me... I feel fine
and dandy, except for the tightness around my middle. No
pain and no more indigestion. Just finished a big spaghetti
& meat ball lunch and nothing stuck.

In my mind, this is not a HA and I don't want to rush to the
Docs, to worry my Fam, for nothing....and I consider an MS
hug, nothing!! I told my DD, about my scare, yesterday and
she was OK with my DX.

I will deffinately call 911, if the pain or any other signs come
back.

[Erika]

Certainly don't want to scare you Sally, but denial is a frequent symptom of HAs.
It really is best to have it checked out as even reasurance that it is/was not a HA is worth the trip to the docs.

On the other hand if there are signs that it may have been a HA...even a mild one, there are medications (yes, I know you hate them as much as I do), that can both decrease the damage done to the heart muscle and also help to prevent another.

Please do us and your family all a favour and GO!
We all worry about you .

With love, Erika

[ANNagain]

My Mom denied an HA one night in May a few years ago. She waited until her next scheduled PMD appt in August to tell her doc (and me). We were rushed to the hospital and put in ICU (her not me).

Because of the delay, part of her heart muscle was dead and there was no option for stents. They put her on meds and optimized things as best they could.

She is doing well but gets very short of breath when she walks much or does stairs.

I have no idea what is happening w you. I just worry.
ANN

[SallyC]

Thank you Peeps for watching out for me. I'll have another serious
talk with myself and call DD.

[Erika]

Oh we're going to be all over you like ugly on an ape until you go!

With much love, Erika