[angell]

I have a feeling that I'm going to be
all over
the
place
with this thread.

I drove a different vehicle to town and back the other day (100 mile rt). The seat wouldn't come up nearly as high as would be comfortable for me and I found myself driving while the seat was reclined too much for comfort. The next day I could barely hold my head up. It feels as if I pulled muscles on both sides of my neck. I feel discomfort when chewing food, simply holding up my head, and it feels like I am about to pull or tear a muscle when I rotate my head to look to the side. I'm not sure if the posture in the car caused this but the timing leads me to believe that it may be. Its now been two days and my neck is still hurting very badly.

Three days ago I helped my wife up off the couch. I extended a hand to pull her up. There was nothing jerky about the motion and yet, I pulled a muscle in my side. Ten minutes later it was still pulling...like an extended muscle spasm. This morning, while making a sandwich, I moved the knife sideways to spread it on the bread...and pulled a muscle in my shoulder. Five minutes later, it's still spasming and I simply can't relax the muscle sufficiently for it to go away.

I'm thinking to myself, "Self, sure would be nice if I could take a muscle relaxer." But immediately dismissed the idea because it would seem that a muscle relaxer would be seriously counter-indicated with MG. Then I got to thinking...

I've only been prescribed muscle relaxers once... for the nine months prior to being diagnosed with MG. I stopped on my own because as the nine months wore on, they made it so that I was so weak I couldn't do anything. So anywho, after having that thought, I looked up how muscle relaxers worked - assuming there must be a relationship to acetylcholine. There is, but frankly, the medical terminology is a bit beyond me and I'm just not up to teaching myself a class on the relationship at the moment.

So, and what I'm getting at here is, wondering if there is the possibility that there is a correlation between taking muscle relaxers and the onset of MG. Obviously not for everyone, as many take muscle relaxers for years without developing MG...but could it be a side effect for some? Could the muscle relaxers be counter-indicated in someone with certain health markers?

While we're on the subject...anyone else deal with these types of muscle spasms regularly? For what its worth, I've recently begun (x one month) steroids.

[uncledave]

Originally Posted by angell

I have a feeling that I'm going to be
all over
the
place
with this thread.

I drove a different vehicle to town and back the other day (100 mile rt). The seat wouldn't come up nearly as high as would be comfortable for me and I found myself driving while the seat was reclined too much for comfort. The next day I could barely hold my head up. It feels as if I pulled muscles on both sides of my neck. I feel discomfort when chewing food, simply holding up my head, and it feels like I am about to pull or tear a muscle when I rotate my head to look to the side. I'm not sure if the posture in the car caused this but the timing leads me to believe that it may be. Its now been two days and my neck is still hurting very badly.

Three days ago I helped my wife up off the couch. I extended a hand to pull her up. There was nothing jerky about the motion and yet, I pulled a muscle in my side. Ten minutes later it was still pulling...like an extended muscle spasm. This morning, while making a sandwich, I moved the knife sideways to spread it on the bread...and pulled a muscle in my shoulder. Five minutes later, it's still spasming and I simply can't relax the muscle sufficiently for it to go away.

I'm thinking to myself, "Self, sure would be nice if I could take a muscle relaxer." But immediately dismissed the idea because it would seem that a muscle relaxer would be seriously counter-indicated with MG. Then I got to thinking...

I've only been prescribed muscle relaxers once... for the nine months prior to being diagnosed with MG. I stopped on my own because as the nine months wore on, they made it so that I was so weak I couldn't do anything. So anywho, after having that thought, I looked up how muscle relaxers worked - assuming there must be a relationship to acetylcholine. There is, but frankly, the medical terminology is a bit beyond me and I'm just not up to teaching myself a class on the relationship at the moment.

So, and what I'm getting at here is, wondering if there is the possibility that there is a correlation between taking muscle relaxers and the onset of MG. Obviously not for everyone, as many take muscle relaxers for years without developing MG...but could it be a side effect for some? Could the muscle relaxers be counter-indicated in someone with certain health markers?

While we're on the subject...anyone else deal with these types of muscle spasms regularly? For what its worth, I've recently begun (x one month) steroids.

I have lowback pain because of spasms from a herniated disk. I take Flexeril, 10mg 3xD. My doctor tells me that Flexeril does NOT cause MG problems. It works in a different way than those drugs that DO make MG worse. I have had no problems with Flexeril and my guess is that there are more muscle relaxers that are "safe" to take. Be sure to discuss this thoroughly with your doctor.

[AnnieB3]

Angell,

I don't have any answers for you (that's between you and your docs), but I do have some info and thoughts.

One possible reason of muscles cramping or pulling is an electrolyte imbalance. That's easily checked out with your internist. Make sure they check magnesium and phosphorus, too, because that's not always in a basic panel.

If your muscles have too much acetylcholine (some muscle relaxers can do that) or not enough, you can have cramping and pulling of muscles. You could be a body builder and still have this problem if you have MG.

There could also be an interaction between any drugs you're taking that can cause it to happen.

Driving in a car uses a lot of large muscle groups, as well as the neck. You could try a U-shaped pillow while in the car to support your head (the head is very heavy!). I used to take road trips, but now I'm lucky to make it 20 minutes to the grocery store and back. It all depends upon how your MG is doing, and it doesn't sound as though yours is doing very well!

As far as muscle relaxants (and acetylcholine) in general goes, here's a brief intro.

http://web.squ.edu.om/med-Lib/MED_CD.../020634r00.HTM

And Flexeril might be okay for some MGers (everyone is different, as are certain types of MG), it doesn't sound good for you. In fact, it sounds completely contraindicated.

http://www.drugs.com/flexeril.html

"You should not take Flexeril if you have recently had a heart attack . . ."

That pretty much says it all. I would be more concerned about the relationship of muscle relaxers and the onset of a heart attack.

I have pulled muscles doing what I thought were fairly simple tasks. What works for me is Tylenol/acetaminophen, an electric or microwavable heating pad as soon as possible, staying well hydrated, and massaging any cramping or pulled or tight muscle right away (even though digging into them hurts, it works).

If you do anything such as a longer car drive, make sure that you stretch a bit afterwards and then lie down and rest. Are you resting between activities? It really helps.

Sometimes alternative medicine is what works best.


Annie

[richimahan]

I have them really bad. Everywhere. We adjusted the mestinon down, and then battled weaknesses and pain, requiring pain meds. Adjusted back up some, and bad tardive dyskinesia and painful spasms, sometimes isolated in leg or for, even my toe, and side and hand/wrist. Never overall spasms just single body parts. This obviously failed, and the spasms required Diazepam and pain meds. Now, I have MG and fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis, so between 6 (yes, SIX) specialists they/we all agree the conditions each potentiate each other, with the MG the overall primary fundamental treatment concern. Between breathing and swallowing and seeing and using my muscles to move, the meds must be mastered, they/we all agree. We are trying the timespan and then 60 mg mestinon every 5 hours on top of that, and then treating the spasms and pain, both which are intermittently severe at times, but not always, with a different med, alprozolam (sp?) for spasms, and then the hydrocodone for pains and severe weakness in muscles with pain, but the neurologist desires the pain meds be taken on a schedule, irregardless of pain or not. And so far, (it's only been a month), fewer spasms and no painful spasms. And the mestinon as i mentioned earlier. Progress not perfection. But each patient is different, and she titrated customized the dosage tailored to me. Every patient is different. God bless, good luck....r-

Originally Posted by angell

I have a feeling that I'm going to be
all over
the
place
with this thread.

I drove a different vehicle to town and back the other day (100 mile rt). The seat wouldn't come up nearly as high as would be comfortable for me and I found myself driving while the seat was reclined too much for comfort. The next day I could barely hold my head up. It feels as if I pulled muscles on both sides of my neck. I feel discomfort when chewing food, simply holding up my head, and it feels like I am about to pull or tear a muscle when I rotate my head to look to the side. I'm not sure if the posture in the car caused this but the timing leads me to believe that it may be. Its now been two days and my neck is still hurting very badly.

Three days ago I helped my wife up off the couch. I extended a hand to pull her up. There was nothing jerky about the motion and yet, I pulled a muscle in my side. Ten minutes later it was still pulling...like an extended muscle spasm. This morning, while making a sandwich, I moved the knife sideways to spread it on the bread...and pulled a muscle in my shoulder. Five minutes later, it's still spasming and I simply can't relax the muscle sufficiently for it to go away.

I'm thinking to myself, "Self, sure would be nice if I could take a muscle relaxer." But immediately dismissed the idea because it would seem that a muscle relaxer would be seriously counter-indicated with MG. Then I got to thinking...

I've only been prescribed muscle relaxers once... for the nine months prior to being diagnosed with MG. I stopped on my own because as the nine months wore on, they made it so that I was so weak I couldn't do anything. So anywho, after having that thought, I looked up how muscle relaxers worked - assuming there must be a relationship to acetylcholine. There is, but frankly, the medical terminology is a bit beyond me and I'm just not up to teaching myself a class on the relationship at the moment.

So, and what I'm getting at here is, wondering if there is the possibility that there is a correlation between taking muscle relaxers and the onset of MG. Obviously not for everyone, as many take muscle relaxers for years without developing MG...but could it be a side effect for some? Could the muscle relaxers be counter-indicated in someone with certain health markers?

While we're on the subject...anyone else deal with these types of muscle spasms regularly? For what its worth, I've recently begun (x one month) steroids.