hi. i wonder if anyone can help please? for 3 weeks i had a wierd sensation in my left upper leg. when sitting on the loo (sorry)! or on the leather sofa which should, and did, feel cold to my right leg, my left leg felt warm, as though i had sat down where someone elso had just got up. would this be classed as a relapse/episode? also a one off ‘banding’ around my chest/back one night feeling really tight, but only lasted a few hours. any thoughts would be appreciated.
thank you,
grannysue x
I’ve have a similar sensory issue, which I get waist down. Is it localised, or can you feel it all the way down when in shower/bath? It’s probable that it could be a relapse, especially if it’s new. I would get an appt to see your docs to get it checked.
As for banding around your chest, I think it’s what some folk refer to as a bear hug. I’ve had them quite a lot, I don’t really think they’re anything to worry about. Although they are damn uncomfortable. Again, I would check with your doctor just to be sure.
Do you have an infection or even an infection about to start? For me, the MS symptoms often come before the infection is fully blown, so you might not feel as if you are ill with flu/UTI but the flare up is a sign it’s on the way! Once the infection is gone the symptom will start to go as well!OI Is something else causing a flare up of symptoms- stress/ heat/ exertion etc?
Is it a new symptom? I know you said it’s been 3 weeks- does it come and go or is it permenant? Has it got worse over the 3 weeks -as in painful for leg to touch things etc?
I 've always found this symptom doesn’t really intefere with daily life but it is just very annoying waiting for it to go back to normal! I’ve also noticed it can change from cold feeling warm to warm feeling cold- if this happens be careful when having a hot bath/ cooking/ near hot thing incase you burn yourself and don’t realise!
Some things I’ve actually found help is hot/ cold therapies ( running a hot shower over a frozen leg seems to help me or the opposite sometimes helps- frozen peas, it’s trial and error )
I hope it goes away for you soon!
Jess M -x-
I have the same thing! Well, when I sit on a smooth surface, my bum & legs feel freezing. I can’t sit on leather any more which is a right pain as I have leather sofas and leather seats in the car! It only happens with smooth surfaces so I’ve started putting throws and or blankets on top of them to stop it. (I honestly thought about carrying around a cushion, but decided it’s probably best to grin and bear it when I’m out!)
It would officially be a relapse because it’s a neurological symptom in the absence of fever or infection, but I doubt that a neuro would think it was “clinically significant” as it’s not exactly debilitating. Your “hug” is probably more significant though (google “MS hug” - sounds like your “banding”).
Karen x
thank you for your replies everyone. the leg thing happened in september - two weeks before we were due to fly to mauritius for our daughters wedding. i had never flown before, neverbeen abroad and as i am claustrophobic was really not looking forward to it at all. had been a really busy time as i had to organise passports for myself, my younger daughter and 3yr old grandaughter and having to go to reading for interviews to prove who we were??? so maybe stress was to blame? can stress bring on a relapse? (by the way we had a brilliant time, my daughter was beautiful and i cant wait to fly again)! gp had given me steroids to take with me in case of a bigger problem so felt i had covered all bases.
the leg thing was permanent for the 3 weeks from my hip to my knee. was never painful and not really aware of it unless sitting/leaning against something i knew should feel cold to the touch but was warm.
also i have (from the begining) ‘fizzing’ but this comes and goes. as does the mild numbness in my fingers. and get extremely tired as i have developed insomnia. does anyone else have trouble sleeping for no apparent reason? i go to bed shattered then when i get into bed, am wide awake. sorry for long list but nice to have someone to bounce things off.
regards x
I think that, overall, the scientists are on the fence about stress and relapses, but I bet most MSers would say that stress can definitely cause relapses.
Insomnia is really common And incredibly cruel! How can it be that when we are SOOOOOO tired, we can’t get to sleep??Or we’ll get to sleep, but wake up later on, exhausted but completely unable to get back to sleep!
There have been various posts on here about it, so if you use the search box, you might find some useful advice.
Karen x
thank you karen, my nintendo ds is a godsend in the early hours of the morning, my tapping the screen competing with my lovely husbands oblivious snoring , though the eyesight not brilliant now so giving in and going to the optician for glasses - will it never end lol
sue x
I have no problems in getting to sleep, usually by 8pm i am off to the land of the nod lol, BUT then I can guarantee waking up anytime from 11pm upto about 2am in pain, so I then take my diazepam 2mg which the GP gives me to help with the night pain. It is always the pain that wakens me then I cant get back to sleep, but the diazepam just lulls me back eventually.
I never sleep in the afternoon even though to be honest I feel as though I could.
I have had the warm leg its bizarre, and the freezing leg which I hate. Stupid nerve system its all over the place. If it is a sudden onset of symptoms it can be classed as a paroxysmal symptom which will come quickly and go quickly too but is not necessarily a relapse. I was told by my GP to let her know if i had new symptoms which lasted for more than 2 days…as this could indicate an infection coming, and it is usually right too.
I suffer a lot of UTI so get used to having these psuedo exacerbations. mariax