[nemsmom]

Today I woke up to a horrible sensation.

My lower two ribs on both sides in the front feel like something was wrapped around them and is trying to crush them. My lower part of my sternum feels like there is a vise crushing it.

Has the hug ever affected any of you this way? I don't want to blame everything on MS, just trying to understand.

The only thing that helps is standing. Unfortunately I am so weak, tired and light headed that standing for very long is just not possible.

I don't know if this is a continuation of the right flank pain, or something new all together.

Maybe it's time to see my current neurologist, I can't see the new one for two months.

[TheSleeper]

Not sure because everyone might have different experiences with it? My first time with it I had trouble straightening up, pain in my lower rib cage, another time I felt like I was being shocked with electricity in the same general area, and another time I felt like I had pulled muscles in my rib cage.

When in doubt? See a doctor?

[Kitty]

When I have "the hug" it feels like when I used to run too much as a child and I'd get that awful cramping in my side. With the hug it's just in my ribcage area. I think everyone has their own personal version of the hug. But I'd still at least call your Neuro and see what he says about it.

[tkrik]

The hug is not fun at all!!! Like Sleeper, mine is not the same every time, but it consistently is a squeezing/pulled muscle feeling and/or electrical shock feeling. For me, it mostly effects my left side and oddly laying on that side can sometimes feel the best. Laying flat and standing would be next. Sitting can be unbearable when it is acting up.

Also, for me, heat tends to make it worse but ice seems to help. I can handle a warm shower, which helps relax the muscles but not a heating pad or heat pack. I have tried Salon Pas on the ribs and sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't.

I would definitely contact your doctor as you may be in a flare. Let us know how you are doing. Gentle 's!

[nemsmom]

I called my neurologist this morning. She wants me to go to my PCP to rule out cardiac issues. I see him in a little less than an hour.

Once that is ruled out she wants me to make an appointment with her.

I have a feeling this is all MS because of stress. Thursday is the one year anniversary of losing my Dad to pancreatic cancer. Last Friday I went to one of my uncle's funeral. This Uncle and my Dad shared the same first name. While in town for the funeral, which had an open casket, I saw my Grandpa's grave for the first time that I can remember, I was two when he died. I saw the plaque for my Dad for the first time and my other Uncle's plaque, who died in December of last year, for the first time.

Friday was a very difficult day and I'm having a hard time with Thursday coming up.

Now I took my eleven year old daughter in to the urgent care this morning for back pain and they say x-rays showed a bamboo spine. They say it could be because she was trying to stand so straight for the image, or it could be something else. So they drew blood. I am the type of person that has to know what I'm looking at, so I looked up bamboo spine. It looks like they are looking into arthritis in my child!

I'm ready for a breather from life's stresses right now!

I'm staying calm and waiting the week and a half for the blood results for my daughter and trying to get my health taken care of as well.

Oh yeah, and my husband woke up out of a dead sleep at eleven last night to stomach acid coming out of his nose! But he refuses to go to the doctor until they figure out our daughter and my issues!

Grrrr! Okay, thanks for letting me whine, it really does help.

[nemsmom]

I went to the PCP yesterday. No cardiac or pulmonary issues.

My ureologist appointment is tomorrow and my neurologist appointment is Thursday.

I have to take my daughter back this afternoon to redo her blood work. I'm not sure why but they say we have to.

Peppermint oil is helping her pain though, so we have something to help her out.

I'm so tired! Hopefully I'll get a whole lot of answers soon!