This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I have been having night pain in my leg that is affected by the MS. As it subsides when I get up in the morning, I am assuming it is neuropathic pain. Any comments as to pain management would be appreciated.
Also does this mean my MS is progressing?

Hi Sharona,

I'm sorry you're dealing with pain - it's the one thing I don't handle well at all! I hope people stop in to give you pain management suggestions, but my own comments are to help clarify your situation so you may get more input.

I don't think that pain that comes and goes due to position (like lying down at night) would be specifically due to MS, and maybe not even be "neuropathic." You should probably describe it in detail to your doctor to see if he/she can come up with the best treatment, since it may be something that is easily treatable.

Personally, a lot of my own pain is due to aches from arthritis, and lying down at night makes my hips throb, for example (no pain from sitting on them in the daytime). Or from leg cramps, over exercise, etc. The only leg pain I can attribute to neuropathy is these "paroxysmal spasms" that go almost as quickly as they come, and seem to have no reason for being there.

As for progression, there aren't any real good ways to decide that either. I've felt many of my MS problems - like my gait - slooooowly declining for years, making it obvious I'm progressing, but even my neuro won't call me Progressive.

Anyway, good luck, and I hope you find some relief!
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Dx'd with MS & HNPP (hereditary peripheral neuropathy) 7/03 but must have had MS for 30 yrs before that. I've never taken meds for MS or MS symptoms except 1 yr experiment on LDN. (I found diet, exercise, sleep, humor, music help me the most.)

I have neuropathic pain in my lower right leg and foot. It is worse when I try to fall asleep on my back which necessitates that I fall asleep on my side. However, I usually wake up in the morning lying on my back and the neuropathic pain has subsided.


NHE

Hi there Sharona
I too have nerve pain, I sympathise.
Is it stopping you getting asleep or making your sleep lighter?
I often notice my nerve pain at night and not notice it at all during the day. I think because there are no stimuli at night I 'feel' the pain more then.

I don't think it sounds like progression if you are not changing in any other way- pain can come and go at any stage. It was one of my earliest symptoms and I was firmly RRMS, think I still am to be honest. Sometimes it lasts a few weeks or months. In the last 3 years it has become permanent and I've tried a couple of meds. I can only speak of my own experience of them, your reaction to them might be totally different so it's well worth trying one out to see if it works well for you.
I've tried:

75mg Prothaiden at night. Pros - slept heavily, no pain. Cons: very grumpy, miserable on it and really fatigued.

25mg amitriptyline at night. Pros- worked 95% for nerve pain and helped some muscle pain too. Improved my sleep too. Cons: was very grumpy within an hour of taking it, very fatigued even into the next day.

Both Prothiaden and amitriptyline are tricyclic antidepressants, and as I experienced a lot of fatigue on them even at low doses, it seems as if I am hyper-sensitive to this type of drug, although they work well for nerve pain . Maybe you will not be as fatigued on them as I was!

50mg Lyrica at night. Pros- none really apart from not feeling as fatigued as I was on amitriptyline or prothiaden! Cons: seems to be effecting my memory and thinknig, I have started getting panic attacks that I never had before, and it is only working for about 50% of the nerve pain. I am hoping to switch from it to something else when I see the neuro.

I hope some of this helps and let us know how you're getting on.

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Concussus Resurgo
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RR-MS dx 1998 and Coeliac dx 2003
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Copaxone, Cymbalta. EPO, Fish Oils, Vitamin D3 2000 IU daily, Cal/Mag/Zinc, Multivitamin/mineral, Co-Enzyme Q10, Probiotics, Milk Thistle.

Thank you Wonderfulworld for your informative reply. Yes the leg pain is affecting my sleep. I now have a better understanding of what my therapeutic options are.
I have had RR for 10 yrs,was on Avonex for 8 and have now been switched to Copaxone which I plan to start in Sept. I also take Vit.D,B12,Fish Oil and I am going to increase my magnesium.
I don't want to take anymore meds but if this pain persists I will explore this more with my neuro.
I will try to stay positive on your thoughts about disease progression.
Thanks again