Muscle spasms and PN
 

For the last year I have had increasing bouts of muscle rigidity, pain and soreness. It is not constant in a 24/7 way, but in the last few months it has been daily flashes to daily burden in scope.

Typically, to get going a shower will set me in the right direction. Yesterday, I was worse off for it. I called into work, knocked off a few domestic obligations, pulled up the ottoman and was. Today is the same fate.

I take cheleated magnesium 250mgx2 am x1pm
I eat one organic banana aday because the potassium beats back the negative of the sugar
Water throughout the day
I stretch for at least an hour during the day (lunch plus a burgeoning group stretch) and I spend hours at night with self massage and stretching.
I walk 2 miles a day m-f round trip to my car.


Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks,
Jon

Of course we are all different here. However this morning my right leg was spasming quite a bit. I need to go back on "ionic fiz" magniesium, recommended by our own Mrs D. When my condition started some years ago now. The spasms were bad and this seemed to take them away. It's what athletes use.
I also was woken up by the most intense itching on the bottoms of my feet. A gabipentin plus other combination cream took care of that.

Now I may have a bone spur in my heal on top of all this. As long as you can still move, keep moving.

I am on Baclofen 10mg x3 for muscle spasms and rigidity. It seems to help quite a bit. I have Valium in case I get severe spasms that persist, I use about ten per month.
With the progressive muscle deterioration I am finding that my range of motion is increasingly limited and mild movements increasingly bring on spasms.

Hi Jon,
I have had such similar symptoms for 30+ years, I have gone the banana route and the vitamin route too. Mine will come and go, like a few months back, I was walking down a short stair and the right calf just blew out, I couldn't put weight on it for days. I though I had tore a tendon, but it just slowly got better. My calf muscles are over sized, but they are not strong, they are like big knots... Like you said, massage, damp heat will help, try getting a heating pad that you can wet the foam and this might give temporary relief.
Jon

That also sounds like a myofascial trigger point. We've been getting them for years—related to spinal issues, but they can have many causes, be acute or chronic, etc. The good news is that they can be released with the right (kind of) massage techniques. But if the correct trigger points aren't addressed in the correct order, they can be difficult/persistent/troublesome.

myofascial trigger point

Doc

I was on baclofen, 1-2 x 10 mg, but when I reported limited usefulness my neurologist discontinued it. Last Wednesday-Saturday were the exception, not the 'norm' of my muscle spasticity/rigidity issues. That being the case I find that 'flare ups' are happening more often and the 'norm' is different.

Doc, I am definitely looking into trigger points. I was trying a few things I found online along with annoying pay to see more resources. I don't begrudge people making money off their expertise. I do mind the bait and switch tactics that can take place. The internet can be so Mos Eisley.

I am fairly certain that the muscle issues play into some of my sleep issues. I'm learning to accept I can't do everything I want to depending on the day

Jon

If you take a statin for cholesterol now
Would be the time to discuss muscle side
Effects with your doctor.

Also consider acetyl carnitine to improve
Muscle energy production-- start at 500mg a
Day and May increase to 2000mg a day in
Divided doses.

Sometimes methyl folate form of folate
Helps if you have the DNA methylation
Genetic errors.

Have you had CPK blood work done to show
Any muscle damage/breakdown?

I was very briefly on a statin in 2012. At the time I already had what in hindsight appears to be very mild muscle issues. I was already starting to take charge of nutrition/food issues at the time and my cholesterol has been improving every quarterly test for almost 2 years.

Acetyl carnitine- gotcha, heading to the store later for some. What sort of time frame is reasonable to expect some relief?

Further inspection of intake is 800 mcg of Folic acid. Would this be what I want to take in methyl folate or is that entirely something else?

I just reviewed the blood tests that were ordered two months ago. I didn't see anything that looked like CPK in name or per short internet investigation. I will bring it up at my next appointment in August.

Thank you for the insight,

Jon

My understanding is that it is often necessary to take a total of 30-60 mg. per day to reach an effective dose. It is possible that your neuro gave up too quickly. I did not really notice any help until I reached 3-10 mg. pills per day. Now I notice if I forget to take it.
I believe it helps with the rigidity and tightness as well as the frequency and strength of the muscle spasms, but my major reason for the doctor suggesting it were these rib cage squeezes that were happening very often, what MSers call "hugs". The Baclofen has helped a lot with those.
I have also never been able to do any of the yoga positions that required straightening the legs, not even as a child. The muscles in the back of my legs have always been tight, even though I was very flexible otherwise. Now I am finding that any position that twists my leg muscles off center even a little is painful and can lead to spasms.

800mcg of Metafolin should be enough.
Avoid taking folic acid if you can because
Some studies imply that folic acid may
Block methyl folate at the blood brain barrier.
An affordable one is by Solgar brand.. At I herb
Or Amazon.

If the CPK (sometimes called CK) is
Not elevated that implies that the muscles
Are not damaged and therefore it might
Be nerve related.