I have to say this is an awesome thread, alot of old material and new things that I myself did not know. As far as the HUG goes, I am way out of the norm right now. My symptoms started in September and are very much here now. However my HUG started in the lower abdomen then went to my neck and upper torso, and stayed.

My numbness just subsides a little but is always there. Just had the IV steroids for 3 days and it helped just a little. At least I have a neuro that realizes everyone is different and although where my hug is, is rare, it is possible. Thought for sure he would say its not MS related because he has never seen the hug that high and for so long.

Thanks for the thread TKRIT, and just pleasant HUGS!

Two more things that occurred to me about spinal lesion attacks:

7. PwSpinal lesions should avoid spinal manipulations or severe spinal adjustments (rapid twisting or pushing of the spinal column) because they may irritate the spinal cord, increasing neurological problems.

I have disrupted my spinal lesions by simply trying to do the "booty shake" which I combined with upper body movements (my kids didn't think I could do it. I showed them . . . :rolleyes: :D)

8. Attacks include new symptoms (20% of the time) or old one's (80% of the time). Symptoms can occur because of the creation of a new lesion, or an increase in or reinflammation of an old one.

Cherie

I've had problems with acid reflux in the past and sometimes I feel great pressure like you described, I feel I need to burp or throw up to relieve it. Sometimes it works for me to stretch my arms as far up in the air as possible. (sometimes...not always)

A few years ago I had sudden pain in my chest, felt like my head was gonna explode, and just plain felt weird. My mom took one look at me and freaked! She said I was pale as a ghost and thought I was having a heart attack so she took me to the ER. When I got there everything pointed to a heart attack and they gave me nitro. After several hours in the ER they transferred me to a different hospital to the heart unit.

After the tried to kill me :p on the treadmill and countless tests the dr. finally figured it out. My heart is fine.......I was having spasms of the esophagus creating heart attack like symptoms.

This was before being dxd with MS btw.......

I hope you get to feeling better and can figure out what's going on....I know it's awful to get like that.

:hug:

Me too, and have had various dx; acid reflux/GERD and infection in "the wall of my heart".

Karen, I would try nexium the next time that happens, just to rule that out (if nothing else). GERD is actually quite common with MS.

Cherie

It's weird because both my brother and I have problems with it...my dad did also, he would have to go and have his esophagus stretched and repaired. Wonder if it's heriditery (sp.)?

jmiller - I have had the banding in my left leg as well as around the waist. I wouldn't say you are out of the norm as there is nothing normal about MS. It is so individualized. Glad you like the thread.

Flare Bro - Doing pretty good. For the 1st time in 2 weeks now I got a good nap in. That's a good sign as the pain is easing up.

Lady - Thank you for all of your input on what you have experienced and learned.

Suzy - DD17 has GERD and had similar symptoms. Poor girl. Tell me, what 17 year old wants to go on a bland diet without French fries and other greasy foods AND chocolate. She was not happy with that. LOL. She was in a lot of pain though and like you went all pale on me.

I also have gerd. Several years ago (pre ms) I was dianosed with 3 ulcers. Took prilosec for several years. Since having steriod treatment last spring, I am on nexium.

Barb, 3 ulcers! You poor thing. I am glad they are healed and things are under better control. DD17 found that Prevacid worked the best for her and her GERD.

This thread as turned another leaf....I have had acid reflux problems in the past too....hmmmmmm.

yes the thread has turned again and I was reading some of your latest post KM my wife has described her acid flux a lot like you explained your pain, I dont get acid reflux, so can not totally understand how it feels,

I know she says its also a burn sensation some times too I just wonder if any of this is caused by meds? I know I was curious about if it was the steroids and or my other meds combined and or again as I was learning the MS hug making me feel nausea, so needless to same I am still confused :yikes: big surprise huh

Some minds think alike - I was just writing about taking omeprazole for acid reflux twice daily when your post popped up - solved most of the acid reflux problem - never liked waking up at night trying to breath and having stomach fluid (nice way of putting it I think) in my lungs and up my nose - although it still happens on occasion - feels like you're dying - I did do steroids three times and I know now that they can be hard on your esophagus and stomach -

I did have a whatever you call it with a camera down my throat and they found a had a small moveable hiatal hernia which might explain some of my feelings of pressure but no scaring from the prednisone or fosamax - am also having some nausea and I think it might have something to do with my eyes - oh great - so at appt end of April I'll have some new questions -

Won't it be nice to have an answer to one of our questions someday -

Well, here's another turn. I was going to post this in my urodynamics thread but based on what we all have talked about I felt it was more appropriate here.

Today was my kidney ultrasound. I got a tech that I know from working at the hospital as well as her doing an pelvic ultrasound a few years ago. Well, we got to talking and she asked why I was having this done. I told her MS. She said she was wondering because most of her neurogenic bowel and bladder patients are in wheelchairs, using walkers, or need assistance.

Well, I started explain to her some of the issues I was having and that these were baseline tests. Then she started telling me that she has some sort of autoimmune disease and takes 3 different anti inflammatory. She went to the dr for her yearly physicial and was explaining to him that her urine smells funny. So they did a urine test and she had a UTI. She was surprised as she didn't feel anything at all. Her dr said, logically, that because of all the pain meds she wouldn't have felt anything and wouldn't have run a fever.

Why am I telling you this? Well, we have talked about infections and exacerbations that can start because of an infection. UTI's are common in MSers that have a neurogenic bladder. The pain meds can mask that. Be aware of your daily habits and should something change call the dr so that you can be tested and treated and not end up having an increase in symptoms.

I care about my NT family.:hug::grouphug:

"should" being the operative word there, Cherie!

in 1992, I had my first date with the MS Hug.

it was JUST like you described, a wide BELT around my waist, tight, and squeezing me.

except... it was only 2 inches wide, not 6 to 8.

my neuro said it was Guillian Barre, and was prepared to immediately admit me to the hospital, as he said it (the squeezing) could RISE to my chest, and make me unable to breathe, and I'd have to be put on a ventilator, ASAP, or I could DIE...

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/guill...ome%20Symptoms

he had me FREAKED out, totally!

so, I was actually RELIEVED to get a second opinion, and the MS Dx.

I have been getting "acid reflux" at the drop of a hat lately, and always keep a bottle of TUMS on the nightstand, for when it wakes me up with burpy burning.

Kay - I am so relieved for you. How scary! Especially with little ones at home.

My "band" starts at 2 or so inches and then as it comes towards the front of my ribcage it widens.

Funny how some of us are actually relieved by the diagnosis of MS. They thought I had a nerve tumor. Then I was diagnosed with MS a few months later. Was I relieved, yes.

weird, as deb and I sat for two days in hospital waiting for mri results, 2 separate mri results that should take no more than 2-3 hrs and now going on 2 days, we began to fret about brain tumors or cancer and other horrid inoperable things and thoughts, and as stupid as it sounds, yes after all those fears running the gamut for two days, ms was the lesser of those other evils, although in long run had i in fact been crazy i could be out on street well medicated and on my way but then tat is not always a given either so what i got is what i got and what i Will deal with is what i will deal with