i have two questions that i would like help with please. Does anyone suffer from :
i have a problem with bowel movements in as much as it takes me a long time to empty, im not constipated but it feels like my muscles aren’t strong enough to push it out and it takes some doing (sorry but need to explain as best i can) i do have muscle weakness in both arms and legs so is it possible to have this kind of muscle weakness related to bowels ? its usually bowel urgency i get but this has changed over the last couple of months.
also, im getting a lot of joint pain after walking or even just carrying a light shopping bag. this happens all the time and if i push myself too far its accompanied with shaking of the relevant limb.
do any of you get this or is it something else entirely?
im still not diagnosed so need to be looking at other reasons for the symptoms apart from ms as i dont want to think of ms and nothing else. if it is typical of ms thats fine though (hope that makes sense)
I have trouble in the bowel department as the muscles do indeed not work efficiently. I go from being constipated to being incontinent from time to time. Ive since been diagnosed as having IBS and take Colefac for it.
As for the joints being painful, your muscles are complaining either through delayed messages or having to use strength when they arent strong. Shaking means your exhausted and experiencing muscle fatigue.
I would definitely seek medical advice as I suffer both of these symptoms and are diagnosed with ms.
Weak muscles causing “pushing problems” does happen in MS, but it also happens in quite a lot of neurological and neuromuscular conditions - so it’s definitely not unique to MS. I think the normal solution is to take movicol (or equivalent) to soften the stools so they are easier to pass.
Shaking limbs can be because of muscle fatigue and/or pushing them beyond their comfort levels. (I used to train a lot and my coach always used to tell me that if he could see someone’s muscles shaking, he knew they were working hard.) If the muscles are weak and/or tired, they won’t be supporting the joints properly which could cause joint pain, but whether or not this is an MS thing, I really can’t tell you. I certainly wouldn’t think it was unique to MS though. A neurophysio should be able to help - your GP can refer you.
