Hi I had my first attack in october , and I’m finding that my legs are very painful. My spine MRI is clear. I find that the more I do (which isn’t much) my legs hurt. It feels mainly muscular, achy and stiff but occasionally a night I get burning and sometimes on parts of my legs. I have been percribed tablets for neuro pain and I’m Wondering if these will help. I have been using magnesium oil and Epsom bath salts which help a bit but don’t know what else to do. My ms nurse says I need to get the pain under control before physio. How do you class the type of pain. If its muscles will this ever get better, should I keep trying to do more and are there any other tablets for this. Thanks zoe
Sorry, but it’s really hard to tell what kind of pain it is from what you say. Muscular pain in MS is often helped by a muscle relaxant, eg baclofen. Sensory, neuropathic pain like pins and needles or a sense of your skin burning is helped by neuropathic painkillers like amitriptyline, gabapentin and pregabalin. A lot of meds take a while to work (a week or two) so it’s important to persevere with them. They can also cause side effects - building the dose slowly can help minimise these. Magnesium supplements, eating bananas and mushrooms, drinking tonic water (with a decent quinine content) or quinine pills are reported to help with muscles. Just a thought, but you may be making things worse with having baths. A lot of MSers find their symptoms are worse if they have a hot bath. The heat may temporarily help to relax your muscles, but it may actually be making things worse in other ways (eg the burning sensation). Maybe ask your GP or nurse if you can try baclofen if your current meds don’t help enough? Karen x
Thanks Karen, I haven’t been having many baths as they made me feel worse. I just had a cool one with the salts in.its hard to say what the pain is. Its definitely worse if I do more and they ache. Off to doctors so I will see what they say. Thanks
Hi Zoe, would be great to hear how you go on at your doctors, as I have similiar pain to what you are having. I went to docs last week and mentioned the new symptoms I was getting and I was told to wait for my neuro appointment. Meantime when the pain gets bad I have been taking paracetamol and nurofen,but can’t take that forever. Would be really good to hear what advice they give you. Do you get any muscle twitching as well???
Nat x
Hi Zoe, would be great to hear how you go on at your doctors, as I have similiar pain to what you are having. I went to docs last week and mentioned the new symptoms I was getting and I was told to wait for my neuro appointment. Meantime when the pain gets bad I have been taking paracetamol and nurofen,but can’t take that forever. Would be really good to hear what advice they give you. Do you get any muscle twitching as well???
Nat x
Sorry, not sure why it’s posted my comment twice xx
Hi Nat,
If you are otherwise in good health - particularly not seriously underweight, or any known liver problems, you CAN in fact take paracetamol and/or ibuprofen almost indefinitely.
True, if you buy over the counter, they all say “Don’t take for more than four days” etc. But many people with chronic pain are on them indefinitely, on prescription. It may not be ideal, but nothing about chronic illness is ideal. Leaving pain unaddressed isn’t the answer either.
It’s all about the fine art of compromise!
Tina
x
Tina, Thanks for that, did start to think I might start doing myself some damage. I don’t really like to take medication unless I really need to.
Thanks again Nat x
Hi nat I went to the doctors and she wants me to up the amtripilyn does first, I was only taking 1/4 of a tablet(like you I don’t like taking things) I would advise to try again but go for as really small dose and then build up. I’m starting 1/2 tablet tonight. I have found magnesium oil really helps but I’ve only been using for 4 days, let’s hope it continues. Let me know how you get on. Aid