Part of it may be that often our bowels aren't working properly during this period too. I will go weeks without one BM, and my stomach and back are experiencing that pressure as well. I don't "feel" anything (of course, I'm numb), but my abdomen and back are swollen from not having the muscle/coordination/ability to go.


Yoga breathing exercises are awesome, and agree putting my arms up (especially when I am laying down) is the best way to get a breath. Breathing exercises are good for helping to distract us from the pain too.

I don't do any other kind of exercises when this happens, or even have much movement when it's really bad. As soon as I start to feel slightly better though, I do as much as I can tolerate, at every opportunity. If only one area is numb, I do exercise the other ones (stretches, foot curls, etc.), but sometimes most of my body is going through it so I don't do anything. It's a long 6 weeks . . .

MSacorn, you are right about not feeling things (and/or feeling things that aren't there; trickles, buzzing, hot patches, cold patches, etc.), and I really can't emphasize enough how important it is to keep our fever in check and infections treated, especially with spinal lesions. Every spinal lesion attack I've had so far has started from an untreated infection or virus that increased my body temp. It doesn't take much of an increase either . . .

Cherie