[ewizabeth]

What do you all do for spasms? I get them worst near the end of the day when trying to relax, and now they wake me at night too. Any tips on how to deal with them? I have the epsom lotion but it only helps a tiny bit. They woke me two hours before my alarm this morning. They are quite painful.

[SallyC]

If it were me Wiz, I'd take either a Valium or Robaxin in the evening or
before bed. But I didn't have constant spasms only sometimes, as I
would not suggest Valium as an every day med, since it's so addictive.
Robaxin is a muscle relaxant and I guess it could be addictive too?

OR.....Quit working so hard.

[Starznight]

In addition to taking rx muscle relaxants, I find the Voltren gel helps a bit too when they're really bad. And though heat and ms don't play well, I still keep a heating pad beside the bed and one near the couch for when they're kicking up a fuss. Low heat, light stretches and deep breathing to try and ride it out. I have a TENS unit as well if they seem to be more than all that can handle.

Sometimes episodes of intense spasms last 20-30 minutes, sometimes longer, and occasionally lasting into insanity inciting endless hours of body ripping pain (my own personal front row seat of hell) to which no drugs, heat, stretch, breath or jolts of electricity will save me from. But.... Joys if MS I guess

I suppose at those times I should go to the ER, but we have a really crappy ER where I'm at, they'd probably dx me with a mosquito bite and send me home with anti-itch cream, if that was the disease of the day on their calendar.

There are also some massages you can do, that fall in line with stretching the muscles. But the Voltren seems to help me the most at night, applying it before bed on the notoriously spastic muscles and I can generally make it through the night, especially if I do the massages while applying the gel.

[bddouglas]

I use my heating pad on low on my feet when my legs and feet spasm. It helps slightly, enough so I can rest. My neuro actually got an exception for me through my insurance for Cambia for my migraines. Cambia is diclofenac powder, diclofenac is the active ingredient in Voltaren...maybe that is why my spasms haven't been quite as bad, and it helps relieve my migraine for a couple of hours.

[agate]

I get leg, foot and thigh cramping but always at night. Sometimes a cramp will last half an hour but more recently they've been rare and brief. I find that if I keep up with my regular exercise, they hardly ever happen.

A recommended "cure" for a leg cramp is to straighten the leg and bend the foot toward you, but I usually can't do that. The other night I actually managed to get my foot to move toward me, and the cramp did go away. That may be the only time that trick has worked for me. This article (and lots of others) recommends rubbing but that makes the cramp worse in my experience.

http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/di...ht-leg-cramps/

[ewizabeth]

Well I haven't been exercising so maybe that's why they're getting worse. I have a yoga CD I'll try tonight after I eat then stretch some. DH has tramadol, I wonder if I took one tonight if it would help? I'm calling the neuro tomorrow and see if he can give me something just for the night's that it's bad.

Thanks for the info dear friends!

[tkrik]

I'm sorry your are having such bad spasms. I take Ativan (lorazepam) for mine. I only take 0.5 mg at night before bed. Between that and the gabapentin I'm able to sleep through the night without too much trouble. I also stretch before going to bed and it does help too. I hope you find some combination of medication and exercise that will help you.

[Debbie D]

1) make sure you are drinking enough water. Dehydration can cause leg spasms.
2) are you on baclofen? it helps me a lot.
3) sign up for medical cannabis...it is a miracle drug. You don't need much to get relief, especially in the evening when spasms seem to increase.

Hope you can find relief soon

[ewizabeth]

Thanks for the info Debbie. I suppose a doctor will have to prescribe the medical cannabis too? I should look at Sandy's links and see what all is involved. I took baclofen years ago and it seems that it made my legs feel weaker, but I was a string bean back then. Maybe it's what I need now. I take about a dozen meds already, sheesh!

I drink lots of water so I don't think that would be the problem? Yesterday I broke down and sat at work part of the day, but that's hard to do when working in sales and all of the hungry new sales reps are nipping at my heels.

Last night I did some easy Pilates stretches with my legs, stretched and stretched, then coated my legs and feet with epsom lotion and I slept a bit better. I can feel the spasms pretty mildly all day but they get a lot worse late afternoon and into the evening.

It's hell getting old, and having MS too, lol.

I've told most at work about the MS, so maybe word will get around and I'll be able to get more leniency in regard to standing up.

I know they won't want to get rid of me because I'm one of the highest sales performers in the store almost every month, and I try to make the younger ones compete with me, and it makes our store look better in the district. I just wish I could get a promotion in my own store and not have to drive to move up. Managers have more chances to sit at a desk and work.

Sorry for rambling off topic, lol.

[ewizabeth]

Originally Posted by tkrik

I'm sorry your are having such bad spasms. I take Ativan (lorazepam) for mine. I only take 0.5 mg at night before bed. Between that and the gabapentin I'm able to sleep through the night without too much trouble. I also stretch before going to bed and it does help too. I hope you find some combination of medication and exercise that will help you.

Thanks Trish,

I called the doctor this morning but they are busy and a nurse is supposed to call me back. I was just there a month ago and it wasn't as much of a problem. I hope they don't think I'm being a pest.