Spasms, I have spasms in my legs do to my MS It would be nice to have some cle
Spasms, I have spasms in my legs do to my MS It would be nice to have some clear information..
I did a little research and found this, I hope it is some help to you:
. Here's a brief rundown of some of the drugs used for spasticity as well as muscle cramps in MS patients. www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosi … 145_2.html * Baclofen (Lioresal) has long been the drug of choice to alleviate more severe spasticity.
* Antiseizure medications, such as gabapentin (Neurontin) or levetiracetam (Keppra) may help reduce spasticity without increasing fatigue or impairing concentration.
* Tizanidine (Zanaflex) is an oral drug that works after one week. In one study, 75% of patients taking tizanidine reported improvement without the leg-muscle weakness experienced using baclofen.
* Diazepam (Valium) is also used for spasticity and may be particularly useful for patients who also experience anxiety.
* Botulinum toxin (Dysport) injections are being investigated for spasticity in specific regions such as the hip.
* Dantrolene (Dantrium) may be an effective alternative for patients who cannot tolerate diazepam or baclofen. All of these medications have side effects. Talk to your doctor about what is right for you.
Surgery. In very severe cases where medication and exercise are not helpful, surgery may be considered. In such cases, the surgeon cuts the tendons that are involved with spasticity.
Spinal Injections. In very severe cases.
I started using Baclofen in the spring and found that it really helps, but did have to start at a low dose and gradually build up. When the symptoms began to subside, then we knew that we were on the right tract and I continued to increase dosage until achieving optimum results.
Some folks with MS have increased spasms and spasticity during an exacerbation and sometimes a round of steroids helps to calm those symptoms. But only your doctor can determine if that's right for you. It wasn't until after the results of my lumbar puncture came back that my neurologist ordered a 5-day round of Solumedrol.
(Lisa Emrich Multiple Sclerosis Patient Advocate, MS Blogger)
Now personally the only thing that has helped me is getting out of bed and taking a HOT bath. This can be annoying when you are really tired, but it works for me about 90% of the time. I take Gabapentin and Flexeril as well as Tylenol PM. But seriously the bath makes the difference for me!Remember when being a "spas" meant you were someone who may have overreacted to a situation with a sudden outburst of energy or emotion? Or when being told not to "spas out" meant not to get too upset or weird on your friends? No one wanted to be... read more
