My spasms are like my muscles are tight as a drum or they may go into a charlie horse. It also feels real stiff.

My spasticity causes my legs to become rigid. Like when i get out of bed in the morning (with help) they sometimes are so stiff they can't be bent. I have to conciously will them to soften - hard to describe. Sometimes when I stand and am transferred (a form of lifting) to sit, someone has to physically push the back of my knee to get to it to unlock and bend.

My spasms involve repetitive jerking of my legs every 10 seconds for up to an hour before the medicine percocet takes effect to stop it. No other medicine stops them. When they started two years ago they were very strong, uncontrolled, upward jerks that was causing my knee to fly up and nearly hit me in the face. It felt like I was having a seizure.

The other spasms are like the charlie horses ezone described.

Unfortunately I primarily get the 1st kind. almost daily several times. My doctor called them paroxsmyl clonic spasms. She said they can be severe enough to herniate a disk.

I was told they are coming from an area in the mid-thoracic spine scarred by the MS.

Melanie

I get them mainly in my calfs and thighs but recently they are moving to my shoulders too. I also have the ms bear hug. With me, it starts as mild twitching, like butterflies are in my muscles. Next my toes start to draw downward, but sometimes upward as well. If they draw downward I get a sharp spasm in the calf that is excruciatingly painful and the muscles bulge on the side. It looks like someone is drilling their fist into my calf. My ankles and toes lock up too. The muscles get rigid and when I try to put my shots into it, it's like punching the needle into hard rubber. I found out by accident that putting b12 shots into the muscle when it first starts to seize has helped make it not as intense or last as long.
When it hits mt thighs I end up be t double and can't straighten up. The few times its hit my hand I wasn't able to use it for four days. The shoulders have so far ffelt tight and I the verge of a full spasm. Not painful but annoying.

My spasms happen off & on throughout the day but get worse at night. I wake up several time during the night because my hands curl in. It doesn't hurt but it's annoying. I sometimes find I can't move my arm/leg but it doesn't happen that often.

If I clench my right hand it sticks, I can't open it. I had to pull my hand open after watering the yard one day:P I also get the occasional charlie horse.

i got a twitching jerking small tremor in my leg as i was falling asleep..it was weird...my reg. dr. just told me he thinks i have MS..waiting to take MRI..

I don't get many thanks to my magnesium intake but when I do get one, it's like a charley horse - my leg shoot straight out and I have to stretch my toes toward me to relieve the tension in the calve muscle. I try not to run out of magnesium as it keeps me from having these. I was able to stop taking the baclofen which I had only used in an emergency. Turned out I had taken it once and then the magnesium turned out to be my miracle supplement. :)

Lorrie,
What is your daily regimen with the Mag? How much are you taking a day?
Do you have the hug? and if so, has it helped with this?
Blessings,
Melissa

Oh and Sheri,

My worst spasms are in my abdomen....and the worst ones are the charlie horse like twists......it stops me in my tracks and doubles me over. The squeeze is easier to take, and weird but much less painful.
The feet/leg spasms are described really well in the previous replies.
I also have them in my hands at times and in my hips, it sort of locks up my frame and I'm stuck until it calms down. Luckily, it only happens on one side at a time.
Like you, the spasms are much worse if I overdo, and often will keep me from sleeping at night.
I hope you have figured out what you are experiencing.
Blessings,
Melissa

I'm just wondering, but I always thought spasms where charley horses,but used in medical terms it's Muscle Spasms. If not quite the same, what's the difference between them? Now y'all got me curious :) Thank you

google tonic spasms... MS specialist says this type is indicative of MS.

I get spasms similar to most here - especially mjideas. My legs and back go rigid and although it happens most when I'm getting up, I also have them when I'm trying to sleep and during the day when I try to transfer myself from/to my wheelchair.

I take Gabapentin for the neuropathic pain - 4x 100mg tablets per day - but they don't stop the spasms. So maybe I need to check my magnesium intake and check out percocet.- although wife says it's another painkiller.

thank you all for giving me several ideas as to what the spasm's are like. I have had the episode of what I have considered to be spasm's in my foot, lower leg, and thigh.
As I said, I have dealt with spasticity issues, and I am on Baclofen, but, these 'spasms' are different than any of that!
It started occuring after my work-out at the physical therapist;s, ironically. Maybe we worked my muscles too hard?
Anyhow, thank you all for sharing your experiences with me.
I think the experience I am having is indeed a new type of spasm.
Much like some of what you all have described.

Mine like to occur at night in my legs...keeps me from sleeping. My leg muscles tighten up about every 15 to 20 seconds...lasts for a few seconds. Not violent or fast but dammed irritating. Sometimes when I try to stand up everthing from the waist down will contract and stop me cold until I can get everything relaxed enough to move.Not sure if spasm is the right word...clenched up muscles is more my problem. I haven't tryed meds for this yet but will probably resort to that soon.
good luck with this, it's a pain in the arse.