Spasms

[arkyrn]

I was wondering how many of you have experienced clonic spasms of limbs, leg or arm, with your RSD? If so what do you take to control the spasms and is there anything that you feel makes them start.

[Sandel]

Epsom salts help alot 2 cups to a tub and as hot as you can handle it and as long as you can (warn family to give you peace time)

Baclofen helps me for muscle spasms perscribed by a doc of cource. 40 mg daily.

I find that I have to pace everything and treat myself gently.. no sudden moves do everything as smoothly flowing as possible.. sounds weird but it helps tons.. we have to be very mindful of our movements.

theres more but I left my memory somewhere lately..

Be gentle in all movements and gentle hugs,
sandra

[GalenaFaolan]

I take baclofen too, 20mg a day here. It has helped immensely!

Things that start like regular muscle spasms I've found are if I overdo it or am really tired. The uncontrollable jerking of the limbs happens if I stand or walk too long or use the arms a lot. Also sometimes coming down the stairs and just general pressure on one leg or the other for a few seconds too long will set that off.

Hugs,
Karen

[Norway]

Clorazepam helps my myoclonus

[arkyrn]

Thanks for the replies. I have a contact that is newly diagnosed and is having severe spasms. The doc told her it had nothing to do with RSD. Just thought I would check to make sure others were having them. I get them in my legs. I have been taking Klonopin for a long time for RLS. They started me on Baclofen and it has definately controlled my spasms.

[rainbow422@aol.com]

I get these in my hands from wrist to finger areas. I agree with the Epsom salts, soaking with them in warm water for me assists in calming them. I also get twitches (like most people get in their eyes at some point in there life) Rapid firing nerves cause this from what I understand. This is a main issue with RSD from what I have read.

I know that many have posted regarding this but I thought I would add my 2 cents.

You are not alone!

Gentle Hugs

Rain

[kathy d]

Dear Arkyn,
After I had full-body RSD for about 3-4 months I was put in the hospital for uncontrollable pain. They kept shooting me with Ativan and that was the only medicine that seemed to work for spasms in the hospital. It got so bad once while lying in my hospital bed that my legs/feet were moving up and down the bed, my arms were moving right to left across my chest, my head was turning from right to left, and I was sitting up and down constantly in bed. I had to get my roommate to page immediately for a doctor because the nurses wouldn't reply and the doctor came into the room and looked at me and what my body was uncontrollable doing and his face just dropped [I'll never forget his look]. He ran and got Ativan and shot me up with it. I could not believe my body could do all that uncontrollably! It was wierd and amazing. I then realized how attached all of our body parts are to each other.

I have been seeing a chiropractor [She is gentl and doesn't crack your bones] since July 06 which has helped so much. She has gotten rid of most of the spasms. I usually have them all night long but nothing like it used to be. She also has gotten a more normal color back in my right foot and she has gotten my right foot on the ground now. It had not touched the floor for over 1 1/2 years before I went to her. I still have alot of atrophy all over my body and after telling doctor after doctor for almost two years I finally had a special MRI done in NYC and found out I have nerve damage, fluid, and scarring on my upper right foot. Amazing. The RSD specialist I go to realized that something was wrong. I have been telling anyone that will listen to me that something has been wrong but everyone kept telling me you have RSD and nothing else because all the tests said I had no fractures or breaks. Good luck with the spasms. If you can do anything that involves no meds then do it. Take care,
Kathy d.

[mbrfz]

I have been on Soma 3x a day for 2.5 years. spasms kept getting worse. I get spasms and charlie horses but the charlie horses can last for up to two hours. My PM doctor finally changed my script to zanaflex a strong short term muscle relaxant , I take it 3 times a day this has really , really worked for me. I feel the spasms starting- usually my warning is bloodvessel spasms- then I take the zanaflex and it stops them from going to the debilatationg full body spasms and leg charlie horses. I also was getting the charlie horses in my ribs, they would suck in and just stay there , very painful. No problems since the new script. Good luck. mbrfz

[mbrfz]

I have been on Soma 3x a day for 2.5 years. spasms kept getting worse. I get spasms and charlie horses but the charlie horses can last for up to two hours. My PM doctor finally changed my script to zanaflex a strong short term muscle relaxant , I take it 3 times a day this has really , really worked for me. I feel the spasms starting- usually my warning is bloodvessel spasms- then I take the zanaflex and it stops them from going to the debilatationg full body spasms and leg charlie horses. I also was getting the charlie horses in my ribs, they would suck in and just stay there , very painful. No problems since the new script. Good luck. mbrfz
I also take Baclofen, but for shooting sharp pains, not the spasms.

[Sandel]

I get those tightening bands too around my lower ribs a band of muscles I can feel and see somewhat, it seems like my lower ribs are tryin to visit my guts. If I bend over it sets those muscles off, or if I reach up quick or slow chances are it'll be a charliehorse band before I can get my arms down again.

I get bands of burning muscle strips up and down both legs some small and sharp, some long drawn out worsening deep cramping, all in all I am feeling like it is tightening my body into knots, baclofen helps so does atavan and epsome salts etc.. but never enouph it seems.

I get constant cramping in my muscles of my arms when I am typing and they are sharp cramping like shards of glass embedded and between my muscles in my bicepts, all this is when I am in flare or as a warning to me to stop what I am doing or be locked into nasty flare and possibly cause RSD progression (I cringe to find out whats worse than this) So I heed my body when ever I can.

I think this is one symptom that most of us got.. I saw a poll on neurotalk that showed six symptoms including:

1) Dystonia~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 44.83%
2) Spasms~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 72.41%
3) Involentary jerks or twitches~~~~~~~~ 79.31%
4) Tremor, big or small~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 72.41%
5) Cramping severly~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 65.52%
6) Muscle contractions drawn into body~~~ 44.83%

There were 29 of us participating in the above poll and it is now closed.
I found the results particularly interesting however and it fits in this post methinks. I have to stop typing I am on fire later friends,
Sandra