Hi I’m off the new/undiagnosed forum - I usually post there as I’m not diagnosed.
Just wondered whether you could help. I put the below post up and few others have also experienced some chest pains - some that were quite clearly the hug and others that seemed more like what I’ve described. We thought it might be useful to get the wisdom of those already diagnosed with MS - does this sound familiar to any of you at all. Hope you guys don’t mind!
Thanking you in advance
Reemz
X
I’m just wondering if anyone’s experienced chest pain. I had the hug (tight band type feeling) 2-3 months ago and when it started it happened with just intermittent pain in my chest when I moved and my chest feeling a little tight on one side when I took a deep breath.
I now don’t have the classical hug or banding as I did back then but am getting intermittent pain in my chest particularly when I move or take a really really deep breath. I don’t think it’s heart realated (I’m 29 keep have normal BP and cholestrol and it fairly healthy).
Is this just a weaker version of the hug? Have any of you guys experienced this or am I speaking nonsense?
The nerve pain version of ‘the hug’ is very painful, has me crying at times and seems to go through my chest to my back. I have the muscle version most of the time, especially if I have had a busy day. The only drug I’ve been advised to take is Valium and my GP and I am not keen on me taking that. I take Amitriptyline at night and that seems to help some. The worst thing you can do when you get ‘the hug’ is to panic, which I did a while ago and it made things much worse. I have been told i can have Clonazepam for it.
My nurse would be suspicious that the pain goes off when you move, as this could indicate a different problem.
I don’t recognise your symptoms exactly but MS is a weird disease and some of the symptoms are very weird indeed. I thought I had a bone sticking out of my back a few years back but it was just the nerves and muscles getting confused.
The nerve pain version of ‘the hug’ is very painful, has me crying at times and seems to go through my chest to my back. I have the muscle version most of the time, especially if I have had a busy day. The only drug I’ve been advised to take is Valium and my GP and I am not keen on me taking that. I take Amitriptyline at night and that seems to help some. The worst thing you can do when you get ‘the hug’ is to panic, which I did a while ago and it made things much worse. I have been told i can have Clonazepam for it.
My nurse would be suspicious that the pain goes off when you move, as this could indicate a different problem.
I don’t recognise your symptoms exactly but MS is a weird disease and some of the symptoms are very weird indeed. I thought I had a bone sticking out of my back a few years back but it was just the nerves and muscles getting confused.
The nerve pain version of the hug is very painful, has me crying at times and seems to go through my chest to my back. I have the muscle version most of the time, especially if I have had a busy day. The only drug I have been advised to take is Valium and my GP and I am not keen on me taking that. I take Amitriptyline at night and that seems to help some. The worst thing you can do when you get it is to panic, which I did a while ago and it made things much worse. I have been told i can have Clonazepam for it.
My nurse would be suspicious that the pain goes off when you move, as this could indicate a different problem
I dont recognise your symptoms exactly but MS is a weird disease and some of the symptoms are very weird indeed. I thought I had a bone sticking out of my back a few years back but it was just the nerves and muscles getting confused.
How wierd that you posted this question today. I was just about to start a thread on exactly the same subject.
I woke up today in excutiating pain and it has lasted all day. I have a pain in my ribs on the right hand-back - the best way I can describe it is that it is almost identical to when I fell and injured my ribs a few years ago. There is pain in the background all the time that goes from “liveable to screaming agony” if I try to do anything stupid like move or lie down! If I do, it feels like someone has stabbed me in the back.
I am in pain sitting in a chair with cushions wedging me in and I definitely can’t see me sleeping in my bed tonight
I haven’t fallen or done any excercise that could have pulled a muscle. I didn’t sleep “awkwardly” last night.
Could this possibly be a variation of the MS hug? I had always thought that this would be a very uncomfortable feeling of tightness and restriction (ie why it was called the MS “girdle” by some) rather than terrible pain.
I am seeing the MS nurse on Friday. My GP is lovely but not good re MS (an I wouldn’t get an appointment with her before Friday anyway)
thank you for commenting. Yes it’s a really strange sensation - maybe I’ll see what happens over the next week and contact the GP or MS nurse (I don’t have a dedicated one but as I’ve had a ? spinal inflammatory episode I have access to them).
Yes I did have a slight panic the first time I got the proper hug like feeling - I almost did take myself to A&E as I wasmeant to fly out to a conference. Thankfully it lessened and had gone after a week. I was really trying to keep up with breathing exercises and yoga to keep calm so I could take a proper breath.
Yes, the hug does seem to take people differently. Last night it was high up at back and sides, but low in front, but as I write, there is nothing at all. Last week, it was the banding effect around the ribs.
Most heart problems manifest themselves as pain in the left bicep, and to a lesser degree in the chest, coupled with breathlessness. The feeling go very fast after a short rest (often, less than a minute is enough). In fact, coming back to normal fast is itself a warning sign. Been there, done that, had the bypass.
So, probably not heart at all. But, quite likely something to do with MS. And, no, you are not speaking nonsense.
The sensations not terrible compared to some things apart from the yelp everytime I get the pain.
Geoff - that’s great advice. Certainly not L bicep doesn’t improve on rest and the sensation is to the R on my chest.
Boblatina - I understand what you’re saying. The epsiode of pain I had before I got the proper girdle like feeling a few months back was like this. I just felt terribley restless. At least this time this is intermittent. Hope the review with the MS nurse goes well.
Thank you again guys for your response. It’s helpful to know we’re not imagining things. I’m sure you guys have all had your horrors and difficulties at some point down the diagnostic root so having the advice of those more experienced is really useful.
