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I looked up periformis syndrome but I don't think that's what's going on... These cramps usually start with tingling in my shins and then progress from that to tightness in my calves to pain in my shins. My left ankle started going numb today so I'm sure that leg will follow suit (right now the pain is primarily in my right leg but I've had a few twinges in my left shin over the past day or two). Pilates sounds like it would be a good idea... I will have to try that. Yoga, too. I really need to get back into the gym. I may start on the bike... If I walk too much I've noticed I'm in a lot of pain by the end of the day.

I did pick up new vitamins that have 100 mcg of magnesium in them... Centrum Women's One-a-Day. Hopefully that will help some. And of course I'm still taking the B-12 and D. I eat a lot of healthy greens but I'm going to go to the store tonight and pick up some kale. I have been big into kale caesar salads lately. Yum!

I had my first dose of Solu-Medrol this morning... Hoping that will ease some of the pain but so far no dice. The nurse told me, though, not to expect great things after the medication. She said the sensory stuff would likely still be there. Does anyone know how long the spasms last? I've had these on and off for nearly two months now.

Hi,

Well it's good if it isn't anything to do with the periformis. I do pilates 3 times a week and get a good massage at least weekly. It will be necessary for you to do something that involves stretching and strengthening the muscles.

If you're a bit like me the side of your body that is largely unaffected starts to become overworked and produce similar symptoms to the side that has most of the problems. It can be hard to distinguish between the two of them until you try a series of exercises that are aimed at isolating the muscles.

The trick is to recognise that the discomfort you feel may not even be in the muscle that is letting you down. An example would be the psoas. It's in your torso. The reason you can left your leg up is the psoas shortens and pulls the leg like a pulley. Knock it out and your range of movement is massively reduced. That, in turn, places enormous strain on all the leg muscles and they quickly tire and spasm. I find Pilates exercises are the only sort that isolates, stretches and strengthens the muscles of someone as stiff as me.

As well as my antispasticity medication I take a lot more magnesium than you plan to . Here's a link to the brand I take twice daily and if you look at the ingredients you will see how big the doses are. http://ethicalnutrients.com.au/Products ... oupkey=MMG

Regards,

good to hear you were able to get a multi with a bit more magnesium in the mix. i hope you mean 100 mg not 100 mcg though! and i hope the form is along the lines of magnesium glycinate and not magnesium oxide.
answering my own clarification question:
the centrum women's one a day i'm looking at only says 64 mg
the 50+ does get up to 100 mg but they're pretty cagey on the form ie it's probably not the best.
oh and they're by pfizer <font:sarcastica>awesome my faves</font> lol

Once I have increased my magnesium intake to 300 mg daily from 133 mg, difference is day and night. My legs feel much better, no more tightness.

300mg is definitely a lot closer to the daily target for men and for women.

assuming ppl get 300+ from diet without making a concerted effort and only need 100mg of a low quality supplemental form, while also taking d3, is not actually realistic. 100mg of magnesium in a multi is, however, better than zero. and if a bit more again goes in with the d3, probably getting there.

glad to hear your legs are no longer tight with your new 300 mg magnesium regimen, z. remind me re your daily vit d3 intake these days?

No regimen update, 3000 IU daily. Next week tests again. I guess magnesium will be 2.4-2.5 mg/dL and D3 65-70 ng/mL.

Jimmy, you are correct... The amount in the multi is 100 mg, not mcg. Lol. Wow, Zyklon! I cannot even imagine not having tightness in my muscles after having it for the past 2+ months or so. Definitely looking into what you are doing!

The last of my three-day Solu-Medrol infusion was today. Hoping to not have to have a repeat of that anytime soon. Also hoping I don't gain weight, although I figure three days still has me in the safe zone...

Now experiencing more nystagmus than usual after the infusions... I'm not sure if that's from the infusions or if that's just me.

Basic stretching exercises and swimming help tightness. Be careful with your salt intake for some more days.

zyklon joined us in april, his xp makes good reading: http://www.thisisms.com/forum/introduct ... 28969.html

nystagmus can be linked to low mag as well.

Felt really good yesterday--just a slight tightness in my right calf! It was amazing to feel almost "normal." No tingling in my legs, no real pain, etc. But this morning is a different story. Lots of symptoms again. I did walk a lot yesterday, though, and it's much hotter out today than it was yesterday, so I'm guessing that's the issue. Oh well. It was nice while it lasted. I guess I will look forward to fall and winter, when it's a bit cooler outside. (Is that really a "thing"--the heat exacerbating symptoms?? I know my husband's optic neuritis sometimes flares up when he exercises...)

Heat exacerbation is a real thing. Did you eat and/or drink enough fluids yesterday? Dehydration and low blood sugar makes my symptoms (numbness in feet fingers) worse.

My EDSS score was 6+ (could not walk on my own more than 25 meters). I fought extensively with my leg muscles. It was tight with cramps and pain. I did not give up because I knew the point of return was dangerously close. So I walked, walked and walked. Now I can run.

MS makes me feel like "I need to be optimum or MS will strike back.". Vitamins, minerals, diet, blood sugar, cholesterol, thyroid, muscles. So I say "Noooo thank you" to my MS and no means no

Hi,

So now you know that things like walking and the conditions you walk in can impact the cramping. What you should try now is getting a good masseur to go over those tight spots and see if they can be released. Then go for another gentle walk and see what happens then.

Regards,

Put myself on 250 mg daily of magnesium. Hoping that will help with the muscle spasms. I am now also on D3, B12, and a multivitamin (which has even more magnesium--it is made by Centrum). My neurologist--an MS specialist who used to work at NIH--had me go in for an EMG and nerve conduction study last week and the results came back--everything was NORMAL. Anyway, he called me yesterday to tell me about the results and explained that the results came back normal because the problems I am having are due to my central nervous system and not my peripheral nervous system--a clear indicator that whatever is happening is because of lesions in my brain and/or spinal cord (although no lesions were detected in my spinal cord, either thoracic or cervical). He also said he took another look at my MRIs and decided that the older lesions, in addition to my new lesion, which enhanced with contrast (I was sent for three days of IV Solu-Medrol to address it) are located in places characteristic of MS lesions, so he has diagnosed me with RRMS (I had been diagnosed with clinically isolated syndrome prior). I'll start on Tecfidera soon. Any of you know anything about how Tecfidera might help with the spasms? I mean, will it? Do MS DMDs generally help with symptoms? My neurologist said I should start to feel better after about three months on the Tecfidera. I am just so done with these spasms--I've been having them for about three months now and am, quite frankly, tired of it.

Oh, also, I was told I need to take the Baclofen EVERY DAY. I thought it was just when the spasms were bad, but I guess not. Anyone know why that is??

Thanks for listening.

ebrownkirkland wrote: I was told I need to take the Baclofen EVERY DAY. I thought it was just when the spasms were bad, but I guess not. Anyone know why that is??

Baclofen, for optimum results needs to be taken on a regular basis at least 3 times a day. Your dosage starts low and any increases need to be done very slowly, the same is needed if/when coming off of it. Baclofen will work differently as needed vs. 3 times a day. Baclofen only works 4 to 6 hours with one dose. Although Baclofen can be used as needed (I have used it that way) it appears you would benefit more on a regular basis as it would control your spasms more consistently.

hey how has the magnesium been going? what form of mag is the 250mg?

how much d3 have you been taking daily? still 2800 iu?

do you divide the magnesium intake so some goes in with the d3 and some goes in at a different time?
(as in some mag -maybe- in the multi, say half of the 250 mg mag with the 2000IU d3, and the rest of the mag on its own)?

update re muscle spasms? lots of questions hehe