ms hug?

[coffeeom]

Hi I have been getting bad chest pains some nights that keep me up in pain...is this the ms hug???? After a few hours it seems to let up and im fine in the morning.   What can you do for the ms hug while it is happing?? Is there anything that can help with the pain?
I have a doctors apt coming up oct 28th...I am going to ask him. Just wanted to know if anyone has any tips that might be helpful when this happens.  Thanks  ~ Linda

[Quixotic1]

I vote that once we have MS we are EXCUSED from all other serious entities!!

Q

[jujuminx]

Linda-
  I have had the sensation of the MS hug and assuming that is what you are experiencing, what has helped me is applying pressure the the area that is causing the irritating sensation.  If you have a ace wrap (a long one), wrap it around the area that is bothering you.  At least for me the semi-tightness of the wrap completly took away the sensation of the hug.  Idk why but it worked for me.

  Good luck,  Julie

[Lulu54]

I sure can empathize with you about going from no doctors - that was my story too. Outside of the yearly exam by the gyno, I didn't need to see a doctor.  That sure has changed.

The type of pain you are describing doesn't quite sound like the MS hug to me - the fact that it happens at night when you lay down fits the GERDs or Angina symptoms - I have had both.  

Have you tried propping up at a bit of an angle to sleep?  The GERDS recommendation is to actually put blocks under the legs of the bed at the head end to elevate your head.   The problem with ignoring GERDs is the reflux of stomach acid can cause permanent damage to the esophagus.  Seeing a GI doctor is in order with the swallowing difficulty you are describing.  


Diagnosing and treating angina can be tricky and usually requires the diagnostic skills of a cardiologist and then finding the correct drug.  

Quix is so right about not assuming that this is MS and the other causes need to be checked.  It stinks that we can't just have one illness and just focus on it.

feel better, Lulu  

[coffeeom]

Thank you Quix and jemm... :)

I already have a appointment with my regular doctor and I also have one with my Ms specialist coming up...I will see what he says...It feels like a crushing pain..and it is  hard to take a deep breath...but you are right I should not assume it is Ms... If it happens again I will see if I can push my appointment up.....

I did have swallowing problems.   I had a hard time eating solid food..  it would get stuck halfway down .......then it would  shoot out......I had to use the healthmaster and   drink all my food and even that would come up and not go down, ...thank god that has become so much better and I am able to get food down again.........they put me on  omeprazole... maybe  it is reflux  if the food is not going all the way down?

I am just getting tired of going to all these doctors...I went from never going to the doctor to going ALL the time!!!....      

[JemmAus]

I'm not entirely sure, but I had what I presume was the hug twice.  It was a violent muscle spasm around the chest area. Hurt to breathe as the muscles expand when you breathe.  But I've also had bad heartburn that can present as chest pain, and hurts more when you lie down (that can be a give-away that it's heartburn).

I found with the muscle spasm the only thing that worked was very very gentle stretches and my older son gently massaged the area.

I guess if it IS the hug and it IS a muscle spasm a muscle relaxant may help? Not sure....