The first thing I would tell you is to find a new doctor, but since that is not a viable solution for you, let's move on. I'm sorry you are experiencing so much pain.

Treat the problems that are know to increase spasticity. Including a distended bladder or bowel, UTI or other types of infections and pressure sores.

Ask your pt to recommend a stretching plan. The plan should include both active stretching and passive stretching (that you do with a helper like your husband that beats it!)

Ask the new doctor about medications to treat your spasticity. Severe spasticity that doesn't respond to tolerable doses of oral meds (baclofen and Zanaflex) is best managed with a surgically implanted pump that delivers baclofen directly to the spinal cord. Because the medication goes straight to the spinal cord, this relieves spasticity with a much lower dose of medication - thereby avoiding the unpleasant side affects of fatigue and weakness.

It sounds like you will have to be more persistent with your doctor, but demand some relief! I wish you luck and let us know how it is going. Take care.

If your in Calfornia I can hook you up with a card and a cannabis club? Im so sorry that your dealing with this. I get it really bad in my left foot and ankle. I cant imagine it every where. Cannabis is great for the spas, I use that and Baclofen if its driving me crazy... good luck to you.

Thank you. I am in WV unfortunately. I am going to be persistent with my doctor and drive him crazy until he helps.

Thanks to you both. Will see what the doctor says tomorrow.

what about Neurotin it helps me considerably

The spaz can be really tough....I get'em mostly in my legs....my treatment is the california special which works great...no pill side effects.....

pj, I tried neurotin once, and the side effects were horrible. But, I might have to try again though, because this is too much.

Donny, I guess I need to move to California huh? California, here I come. ;)

Tara, I feel for ya.......and yes, exposing yourself to acquire some herbal med may not be much fun.......unscrupulous people abound.....BUT, if a good source for primo herb can be found, you'll find out what it's all about......I am just lucky enough to have some older friends who know of my ms and provide their help whenever needed. BTW....what state are you in...?

West Virginia

Doctors don't seem to get that there are non drug cures out there. I take 1200 mg of magnesium citrate every day. Magnesium alleviates cramping and spacticity.

I also do hamstring pulls before I even get out of bed in the morning. Doctors don't get real excited about anything we do for ourselves. Here are some quotes from "The Miracle of Magnesium" by Carolyn Dean MD, ND.

"Magnesium permits calcium to enter a nerve cell to allow electrical transmission along the nerves to and from the brain. Even our thoughts, via brain neurons, are dependent on magnesium."

"Releaxing Muscles. Calcium causess contraction in skeletal muscle fibers, and magnesium causes relaxation. When there is too much calcium and insufficient magnesium, you can get susdtained muscle contraction: twitches, spasms, and even convulsions. Smooth muscles directed by too much calcium and insufficient magnesium can tighten the bronchial tract, causing asthma; cause cramping in the uterus and painful periods; and cause spasms in blood vessels, resulting in hypertension."

"The Dance of Calcium and Magnesium ~ Calcium and magnesium share equal importantce in our bodies. Newton's law says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and calcium and magnesium dance within this law. Neither can act without eliciting a reaction from the other. At the biochemical level, magnesium and calcium are known to act antagonistically towards each other. Many enzymes whose activities critically depend on a sufficient amount of intracellular magnesium will be detrimentally affected by small increases in levels of cellular calcium. Growth of cells, cell division, and intermediary metabolism are also absolutely dependent on the availability of magnesium, which can be compromised if excess calcium is present."

"Magnesium deficiency can be an underlying cause of anxiety and depression, as determined in several clinical trials. Symptoms of chronic magnesium deficiency include anxiious behavior, hyperemotionality, apathy, apprehension, poor memory, confusion, anger, nervousness, MUSCLE WEAKNESS, FATIGUE, headaches, inxomnia, light-headedness, dizziness, nervous fits, the feeling of a lump in the throat, impaired breathing, MUSCLE CRAMPS (INCLUDING LEG GRAMCS), a tingling or pricking or creeping feeling on the skin, rapid pulse, chest pain, palpitations, and abnormal heart rhythm."

There are many more passages in this book, including leg cramps causing jumpy and twitchy feelings interrupting sleep. Spasms in hands and feet, etc. I highly recommend reading up on magnesium. I thank Dr. Mark Hyman for bringing it to my attention in his book, "The UltraSimple Diet."

Hopes this helps you.
~Lorrie

i tried many many things and nothing really worked well. i tried cannabis and it worked so well that i literally moved to a legal medical marijuana state. there were other benefits, too, like cooler weather but medical cannabis was the main reason that i considered moving.

i know that solution isn't for everyone and it may seem a little extreme but for me, my quality of life has improved immensely. I take baclofen and medical cannabis now. i still have spasticity but nothing like i did before.

i hope you can find something that works for you.

I am going to agree with lorrie, although I fully love Faey's solution!

I have been in the ER twice recently for this, I have a high tolerance for pain, but when I can't get to the pathroom because it hurts too much to move any part of my body, I have to go.

Along with adjusting vitamins and supplements correctly, daily yoga keeps your musckes streched and warm, and although it takes a while to work up to it,and it can cause some discomfort at first, it really helps. I am told that swimming is good, moving your muscles and streching them in water. Because I have not found one good way to treat it once it starts to get really bad, I am trying to attack it before it starts.

Oh, I also think that cannabis is an excellent tool in this fight. I do not live in a state where it is legal, but i have found that where there is a will, there is a way. I am sure that if you find a support group in your area, someone there has "found a way."

And get on your doc...maybe a referral to PT, maybe they have a facilty with a pool or low-impact machines you could use, look into classes for yoga or streching that cater to MS or rehab patients.

Good Luck..I know how bad this can be.

I feel for you tarabunny, I have a good friend with your problem. Nothing works really. She is opposed to marijuana for various reasons and won't try it. My friend's muscle spasm pain is bad. She tried the baclofen pump and the operation went bad so now it is worse more than ever. For a while, the pump really helped but now the pain is bad. She takes valium for helping the spasms along with the various baclofen and other muscle relaxers. She has to take them. The main thing is not to let the pain get too bad because it takes a while to get the muscle spasms back in check.

She gets a massage at least once a week at home. That helps her a lot. But her stiffness is impossible at times. It is unbelievable what this disease does. I do not think that a vitamin will really make a difference in your muscle spasms, but the valium really helps her and she is not a pill addict so for her to take one means it really helps her.

Good luck and I hope that you find a doc that will really take you seriously. We have to be our own best advocate. Keep on keeping on.

Thanks to everyone. I am taking notes and taking it all the the doctor. I am searching for a new neurologist.

I posted an audio blog about my ordeal today.

http://bunnyears.tumblr.com/post/1435713970/my-horribly-bad-no-good-rotten-day-i-have-had

One of the best ways to find a doc is call your MS Society to find the neuro docs who specialize in MS and then go to a local MS support group and find out who everyone likes and respects. That helped me a lot. Good luck!!

Also, try ratemd.com. I think that is the site. I'll check and repost if it is not the right place.

Thanks ezone. But they can't help me. In WV there are few specialist. We had one MS doctor who had thousands of MS patients from all over the state and she just moved across country. So we are all in the same boat. The closet specialist is 4-5 hours away. But I will keep looking. I will find one, just might take a while. My family doctor is helping me in the meantime.