Muscle Stiffness and Pain

Hey Di,

I would sure mention that to a doctor.  That sounds miserable.  It could be MS.  Do you take anythying for spasticity?  That might be the way to start.  Good luck.  I hope you are feeling better soon.

I'm on RX Baclofen which only works if you work with it. Yoga or stretching is recommended while you are on this, it does not treat it helps YOU treat.

Oh ok just saw it listed. well I would go to a PT they would be able to tell you I wouldn't suggest anything I don't want to mess you up.
My dogs suggested a pump for me. Do you adminester drug yourself? Is it sticking out of your back?
I turned it down just because I don't know enough

Buckeye,

I totally love my pump and it has given me my life back. I have a very low dose of baclofen in it (1/300 of the oral dose required) and it has stopped the intense continual pain I had from muscle spasms & also skin so sensitive I could scream. It has also improved the spasticity heaps so i seldom fall. Before I had the pump I could not move without pain and I could not sit or lie either because of the spasms. I did not know how to continue.

The pump is about the size of a medium tin of tuna & is implanted in my abdomen with a catheter threaded under the skin and thru to the spine where it delivers the baclofen. Nothing sticks out - expect the pump a bit at the begining & it gradually gets sucked in and now mine is only visible as a round outline under the skin. You only have to be careful with doing repetitive twisting movements (might kink the catheter) & you cannot deepsea dive. I get a refill every 6 months & the pump lasts 6 years & then you have to get a new one. It took me a few months to titrate the dose to what suited me best. The nurses adjust the dose by first doing a calculation and then pointing a thing like a mobile phone at my tummy reducing or increasing the dose by 10% each time. I find a comprehensive continuous dose is the best for me whereby I get the minimum during the day (8.00am to 8.00pm) because the baclofen makes me too weak and shaky. At night the dose increases because that is when my spasticity and pain was always the worst. It is wonderful I can lie peacefully in bed for the first time in years.

Here I it is all done thru the Pain Clinic at a public hospital & I only pay $ 25 per refill and nothing for the drs. My hospital insurance covered the cost of the pump & the hospital stay. I have had no problems at all. But it seems it works differently in the US & every other country I expect. I belong to a group called [email protected] and they will give you all the gen. There are very few people with MS & just baclofen (which seems to be the most successful) in their pumps in the group and most of them have such complicated conditions that it makes me grateful that I only have MS.

If your drs recommended it I would look into it. If there is anything else you want to know ask away. I have had my pump a year and a half and am still euphoric to be pain free.

Yes, I am grateful every day for the pump but you are right, it is not something to get unless you are desperate. Especially as the guys on pumpsters say it costs US$36,000,00 to have it put in plus US$200.00 a visit for refills. Also you must be happy with your PM dr as you land up "married" to him. Still it is nice to know its there if you really need it. I think that my spasticity went thru the roof when a dr told me to stop exercising as that was making the spasms worse. Well I stopped for two weeks and could never do the exercises again cos I had got so stiff and just went on getting stiffer and stiffer. It was like I was on a rack. If you are doing exercises just keep doing them as long as you can.

I was also told that if you try the high dose of Baclofen (for spasticity) you must do PT as well. But I was allergic to even a low dose of oral baclofen hence the pump. It is particularly recommended for people who are allergic as I was told I am getting 1/300th of the oral dose. It is more effective because it goes direct to where it is needed and does not flood the whole system with the drug. I am now taking LDN which I have found to be helping the spasticity a lot (though I still need the baclofen as well). My MS is worst on my left side and since I started on the LDN I have noticeably less spasticity in my leg, spine and my left hand is more dextrous so I am excited where I go.

I found I lost that terrible fatigue when I went on a low fat diet. I do have some dairy now but fried food is the real killer for me. Others on this site have mentioned a drug that helps them.

Hope you find somthing that helps.