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Leg spasms and bladder problems

I have a constant tightness in my R thigh, and it's so bad I can not straighten my leg anymore. It makes walking very difficult, and at times it will radiate down my calf. If I have to sit down for any period of time I have a hard time getting back up. I use my Baclofen and Zanaflex, but being a nurse means sometimes missing my doses.

I try to stay active, but at the end of the day it just bites me in the proverbial a**. I'm growing increasingly frustrated.

Then to top it off when I use the bathroom it takes a long time to finish. Sometimes my flow stops and starts, and this goes on for sometimes up to 10 minutes.

I'm scheduled to see the MS Specialist this week. My previous neurologist swore I didn't have MS, but my internist is extremely concerned. I've almost completely lost the ability to lift my R leg in certain positions. In others I can no longer lift it even with as he states "amazing" muscle tone.

Has anyone else had problems similar to this? I feel frustrated.
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667078 tn?1316000935
You might need a baclofen pump.
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Avatar universal
Yes I've had this problem,  you wrote that you're a nurse so you understand that the muscles in your legs "stop firing",  if I rest for a few seconds or a minute or two my legs start a fire again and off I go. As for the bladder-- I have the same problem , it's important to relax  your jaw.  It sounds weird, but it helps if you relax your mouth your jaw your tongue you can put your tongue out of your mouth move your jaw back-and-forth, we are completely connected so if you relaxer Jaw, your tongue, your mouth then your bladder sphincter will  be more prone to release.  As for your right leg again find a chiropractor ask him if you need lumbar five adjusted.

Good luck!  

DLJ
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5265383 tn?1669040108
Just to encourage you -- your spine MRI IS wonderful and the test was not a waste at all.

Contrast is used to show lesions that are currently enhancing, or active.

Existing lesions absolutely show up without contrast.  Had lesions been present on your spinal cord, the only information you would be missing would be whether they were currently causing active disease, or whether they were older lesions.

It would make sense for your gp to refer you to a urologist -- with hesitancy you should have a cystoscopy and urodynamic testing.  Your hesitancy could be caused by chronic constipation, and this can (and should be) assessed and treated by a gastroenterologist.  Their reports can be instrumental in a diagnosis -- I had a neurogenic bladder diagnosis long before my ms specialist diagnosed me with ms.

Body wide tingling is more likely to be nutritional, peripheral nervous system, or anxiety.  In my case I was very deficient in magnesium, and supplementation has helped.

In my experience, most neuros insist it's not ms until they decide it definitely is, or figure out the mimic.  I didn't have ms for most of the last 3.5 years ... Despite all evidence to the contrary.  Until I did.

In the meantime, have you had a full vitamin and mineral and mimic workup?  Did you have EMGs done on your thigh?

You may have had your neuro appointment by now ... Please let us know how it went!!!
Helpful - 0
987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi and welcome,

There is nothing you've mentioned in your post that is MS specific enough ie brain and spinal MRI's, neurological clinical abnormalities, peripheral nerve conductor studies, LP, VEP etc etc to speculate if what your experiencing is similar to what happen's when someone has a neurological condition like MS, MS is potentially one explanation but it wouldn't be the only one.

You've not mentioned what your tight thigh has been diagnosed as, i was thinking it 'could be' Spasticity which is a common MS issue but it doesn't sound quire right if your neuro is saying your muscle tone is amazing (as in good-great-fine-normal?), you should have increase in muscle tone with muscle tightness and with spasticity there's usually the opposite issue, the stiffness making it more difficult to impossible to bend the limb....

It might be, the cause of the thigh tightness actually originates elsewhere ie in the hip joint, which would potentially explain the good muscle tone, inflexibility of the leg, worsening with the days activities, prolonged sitting...The hip joint is suppose to be one of the most flexible joints and the many muscles of the hip provide movement, strength, and stability to the hip joint and the bones of the hip but also the thigh but it could also be originating from your hamstring or lower back- sciatica, lumbar herniated disc, spinal stenosis etc etc

Have you got any abnormal diagnostic test results to identify the problem? Have you tried physio, hydro therapy etc to stretch and strengthen compensating muscles etc apart from taking the muscle relaxants?

I'd keep in mind that Baclofen is a muscle relaxer that targets nerves in the spinal cord and Zanaflex is a skeletal muscle
relaxer which slows down action in the brain and nervous system, neither will only affect your thigh muscles so it's possible your resent bladder issues are a side affect of the 2 muscle relaxers your currently taking..

Hope that helps.......JJ
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
My front R thigh is firm. Definitely more noticeable than my L probably because it's always "spasming"? My issue is that when I sit with my legs out in front of me; my R leg looks shorter than my L.

I do have a lesion in my R frontal lobe, I have had an enhancing L optic nerve lesion that is no longer visible. Something about atrophy in the Hippocampus which my doctor just shrugged off. I had a Spinal- no bands or protein, but elevated IgG index and low IgG serum.

I did have a wonderful spinal MRI. However, my first Neuro ordered it without contrast. Perfectly good waste of a test.

The heat and I are not friends at all. I get exhausted, itch, and what's worse is I hardly sweat anymore; I used to a lot! I sometimes get a tightness around my neck that last for 2-5 days, and it feels like I'm choking. I get numbness in my L toes only.

I tingle off and on in various places on my body, and have a tremor in my L hand. I eat and get extremely bloated...like my good is just sitting there. I have horrible constipation. As far as the bladder I have the start and stop, and taking forever to go problem. The other one is sometimes I get this sudden urge to go, and it's hardly anything. Or I have a slight urge, and it's like the Hoover Dam broke.

I can only bear luke warm showers now. It can't be hot Or I'll itch, and feel cruddy. I never feel rested. The only thing that keeps me up is my My Vyvanse for my ADD.

I have problems, and they'll go away only to return. Except for my leg. It has been pretty constant since my severe sinus infection in June.

I'm just frustrated waiting for my appointment. Thank you for responding. :-)
Avatar universal
hi, very recently i had a relapse and the exact same happened but it was with both legs. It was very hard to walk with and it felt like a dead weight when i was lying down in bed. It took 3 weeks and steroids for me to feel 50% better, time and rest is the best healer.

You should wait to see what your MS nurse says but with MS this is quite normal so don't be worried in that aspect.

sorry if that wasn't the best advice, I'm new here and only 16

best regards, noor
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