Flygirl,

Your post got me thinking back a few years ago, before diagnosis. When I was on the river. I used to put my lifejacket on in the a.m. and tighten it right up before getting in the boat. I aways overtightened it, because as the day went on, it would loosen and I never had time to pull over and adjust it, so I eventually knotted it after buckling it so it wouldn't loosen up.

I used to get what i called lifejacket cramps. I always blamed it on having the jacket so tight. After diagnosis, when I stopped doing that kind of work, I noticed the "cramps" didn't end. I just dismissed it as muscle strain, stiffness, etc. It did eventually go away, but now I wonder if it wasn't MS hug after all!

I guess I thought it only came with spinal lesions. I was told I have no spinal lesions. I know that lesions can be hidden or at a level where they cannot be seen on MRI, but jeeeez...this freaking disease is so confusing!

Even after almost 4 years I am still not sure what IS or ISN'T MS!!

Anyway, I used to do the Valsalva Maneuver to loosen the "cramps" up...for some reason it worked for me, and I never had the "cramps" checked out because, for the most part, I was able to relieve it on my own when it happened.