So last night I decided to try to get some exercise and start to walk 15 min a night. I have TOS and apparently sciatica or atleast inflammed nerves down there too. Shows possible entrapped piriformis blah blah on fillers MRN of right pelvis. And the sciatica comes and goes.

So I went to the track a little before sundown and did three laps. I tried not to swing my arms too much to aggravate that T1 area. It was a littel sore to the touch yesterday for some reason but then I have been trying to work at posture and roll shoulders back and some stuff has been clicking in and out in that area.

It was a little chilly and about three laps in I started to get cold and the area at the base of my neck started to get cold. So I figured 3 laps and I am good for today.

So I went home and put some heat on things. And laid on the couch where ok I am a little crunched but ok.

Lay there a while and neck and should feel a little out of place. Click back in again. Start falling asleep and wham, both legs jerk and a restless leg feeling almost all over like. Switch positions and feel like something is pinched and arm twitches. And its sore at T1 and feels like swelling, almost like spinal cord is bring pressed upon and swelling up or the cord is swelled and fills the whole space. And its throbbing sore at base of spine, ah the sciatica. Have this internal shaking throbbing feeling like something is entrapped or being pressed upon. Feel it down the whole spine. That feeling was once explianed to me as muscles shaking from weakness but this felt more spine like

And my nerves are all jumpy. Heck I am jumpy. Legs jerk a couple more times. This happened before once when I tried going on the treadmill. PT thought maybe the compession on the spine from walking at exercise walk (which was slow) was too much and it irritated the whole spine. Of course I then got anxious (who me overreact ) and was like twitching argh ALS. (not trying to light of ALS but I read a story about someone who had leg jerks and muscle twitches and when i think about this happening i go off the deep end...I know ridiculous...but then is it the spine? brain?) I also have eye twitches. Stress probably

It kept me up and I had a hard time going to sleep. Was anxious at this point but could nto find a comfortable spot.

When I woke up in morning shaking was there (inside near spine) , slight throbbing but no visible shaking. You would not be able to see it. It just feels like something is being pressed on or crsuhed but where?

Anyway just wanted to know if anyone else ever felt something like this. I see the nuero next week. Could it be compression somewhere in the spine. I am ok on the elliptical but when I walk for exercise nope. But then today I was ok walking around the office today. Although eight now it even feels like something is still shaking
Thanks

THink I'll take a muscle relaxer tonight. Maybe I will also post in spine forum.

awww, shell i don't have any ideas on that one. i guess walking is not for you. it isn't really for me, either....

have you been calling neuro's office re: cancellations? They might be able to get you in sooner if you do..just a thought.

wow shelley,

aren't you the one who says you're a poor reporter of sx? that was pretty darned good for someone who's so bad at that! i must say, girl.

your sx resonated with me, but i couldn't tell you why b/c i'm REALLY bad at remembering where and what part of the body and what muscle group is affected in what way and what nerve feels like it's being pressed down upon causing unbearable mind-numbing tooth-shattering pain.

i feel for you, kid. it does sound to me like time for a complete neuromuscular work-up from the good dr. shelley jordan. why don't you make an appointment with him?

what's that you say? oh, you have an appointment with him? very good! that's way good, keep tracking your sx.

this really, really sucks. i wish i had a clue what to tell you. it doesn't sound like an ortho problem to me. but i'd be hard-pressed to tell you why i think that. and maybe the spineys will have some ideas; you just never know...

it goes without saying you're doing everything you can to stay comfortable with icepacks, rest, good nutrition, lots of H20, etc., and bossing your cute husband around endlessly - try to take it easy at work, too, if you can, until you can get in to see dr. j. and do call anne every day to check on cancellations like johanna suggested, just make sure to mention yours is an initial app't and he's going to want a good block of time with you so the cancel would probably have to be for a first visit as well for that to work, i'm guessing.

and i would lay off the exercise for now. superjoyce maybe could help you with some ideas of what to do. gently, gently above all else. no MAT (martha, back me up on this). don't be a hero or a martyr. just hang loose.

oh, and i think you need some chocolate.

shelley i am so sorry this is happening. i am thinking alison paralysis must have something to do with it. she is just such a byatch. i want her gone!

alison

Sheley, could it be the WAY you're walking? Could the impact of each step be too 'hard'? Thus aggrivating the nerves and causing swelling (very small), enough to entrap something in/near the spine? Just guesses at this point. I've had to totally change the way I walk. I'm told to walk "silently" like sneaking around the house at night. This means shorter strides and ZERO impact.

I have eye twitches too and other facial ticks - they come and go... but come mostly when over-tired or stressed.

Hope you are better today after a muscle relaxer!

Shelley,
I remember when Dr Togut would talk to us he would say whatever you do to start small, take breaks, and take time to work up.

Around the track three times with sacro problems and the tos is overdoing it for you, your not a 16 year old.

Your nerves are inflamed, sounds like two things the sacro-illiac and the TOS. Nerves insert into muscles to tell them how to move the body. When you assult inflamed nerves the muscels try to protect them and can cause spasms.

Another thought, you may have been dehydrated, or lack potassium in your body.

I cannot walk, I try the treadmill, but it is sore, my best walking is laps in the theraputic pool. I can use a floaty for my arms and there is no stress or pressure on my back and hips.

Your sacro-illiac problem likely has that leg a bit shorter, so your stride is off too...
Maybe if you did one lap, and sat, then a secondlap...stop for the day.

Or even a half lap, stop and the rest of the lap...for a week....BUILD IT UP SLOW, your body is not a healthy16year old. your injuries liken you to an elderly person, would you have your grandma walk three laps?

So unfortunatly, remember you are injured, rehabilatating yourself and treat yourself that way.

If you can, get gatoraid, and regular old asprin to help with the spasms.
Hopeing you feeling better.
Di

PS Katie says your are the Best, you are her hero and love. She is recouping from bronchitis and well entertained. She will drop a note to you.

Shelley,

I feel so bad I encourged you to walk. It does me a world of good and just keeps me feeling better.

I guess it can just affect everyone differently.

Love Ya Girl

Peggy

Ahhh...girlfriend
Sounds just like us ALL, at least me.
Di is right to work up to as per Togut and Edgelow.
We are all type A++ and want results now.
Dr. Collins says that when I raise my arms there is NO blood circulation from my umbillcal cord down and it's not sciatic but symptoms of due to lack of blood flow.

Dr. Agnew and my doc of PT has me walking, trreadmill and starting aquatic.
I swell and I hurt and throb more so when I try cardio.
However, the PT doc is there to take the swelling down after I do the cardio.
I've been told it's the nervous system screaming, on fire cause it's not used to the pumping of the blood flow and constrictions. And then there is the gravity pulling us down, down down.
We have to retrain our brain and nervous system of the stress and pressure it has been under all these years.
All of oour muscle have to be retrain too
I call it: as if the TWIN TOWERS have crashed down
Pool therapy: No gravity pull there and good for our sciatica and everything.
PT Doc is putting me on an aquatic program per Dr. Agnew for the summer and future.

Contemplating going to Issels treatment center in Santa Barbara when things calm down here.
Another TOSer is having great results with probiotic cocktails and hyperbaraic.
XXOO

STOP!
You are no more of a biatch than I
We are in this together forever, girlfriend.
It makes us crazy we cannot find the help and result we want and need.
XXOO

Peggy,
walking is the one thing that is great, I think it is how we appproach it that affects us and we can adapt the way we walk. Lots of endorphins are released in walkers and runners, natures own pain medicine for us...it is like a natural morphine. Just Some baby steps.......

I think I could handle my treadmill better if I didn;tget on and walk for the half hour news show...If I got on for ten minutes twice a day and then work up I would be better. Ilike the theraputic pool taking weight offmy back...but others may find the resistance of water against them irratating. Istarted two laps, and range of motion, and then do a hanging in the water. Shelley you may like this. With noodles under my arms (they have weightless belts, but I feel anxiety in that) I hang for at least ten to twenty minutes in the 98* water. the hanging lets the lower body loosen and heat penatrate.

When I go to leave the poolI feel like a ton of weight.
Why not start walking in a therapy setting, even some heat and massage therapy...no therabands, door way leans, etc..some healing, only ion the pool range of motion, walking and get ouit have a massage and heat applied,

Hope you are feeling better.
You go Peggy, you are our hearo for the amount you walk. We set our goals and dreams on your October walk.
Love
Di

When I walk in

Shelley,

This sounds like a real TOS typical sneak attack.

If I do my recumbent bike which doesn't move my upper at all, at 6 minutes my upper turns red, swells, and feels like I'm going to burst. I have to stop, and how much longer I go equals how much more pain I will have in 6 to 12 hours, and may last as long as 5 days in bed.

When I feel up to a two block walk, (every week or so), I make myself do it, and then that same thing happens 6 to 12 hours later.

It is very frustrating to try to exercise, when you get the swelling, pain, muscle jerks, and NOW I can get actual paralysis (not pain that stops me, but actual paralysis) of the arms and legs that can last up to 4 hours. After the walk, my legs / arms will feel "ropey", and then, within a few minutes, paralyzed. Both of my docs said it IS TOS for sure, and explained something about damaged nerves.

But I'm not quitting. Lately, I've been able to do it almost every day. I've had TOS 4 1/2 years, with my surgery just over a year ago, so it's really WEIRD to be getting these new abilities - however small and slight.

Don't give up sweetheart, but also, don't hurt yourself too much. Only you know what that point is. Go along to that point, suffer "a little" only if possible, and keep at it.

TOSers need to try to exercise to fight for our general health, but not so much that we're in a constant high pain flare. What a dilemma. What a condition, huh?

At least we do not have Hodgkins - for that, we can be so grateful...Yes, this is horrible, but there are worse illnesses, so I say, "thank you God for not giving me more than I can handle." I do not know how the Hodgkins patients face their disease.

So let's stick together and keep talking!!!

PS Lyrica caused me to gain 50 lbs. and my blood sugar to go from under 100 to 400 - diabetes II. I couldn't see. Beware of Lyrica. It didn't do anything for me, either. I prefer Topamax at ONLY 50 mgs., as well as Cymbalta. Just FYI, please talk to your doc and make your own decisions. Research Lyrica here - it's got a pretty bad rap here.