anyone dealing with multiple sclerosis heaviness in legs what helps?

Answer 1

Excellent question!!! While other posters here have provided you with excellent answers, I'd like to take this opportunity to discuss some of the additional aspects of those answers.

First of all, here are my qualifications for providing you with this answer:

1) I've successfully managed the symptoms of MS for over 45 years.
2) I was an HR Executive for over 30+ years, and combined my professional and personal expertise in creating a website dedicated to assisting folks with "chronic disease symptoms" better document, communicate, corroborate, and manage their symptoms and the resulting impairments to become expert patients; chronic disease self-managers; and, partner with their doctors to practice patient-centered health care.

http://www.disabilitykey.com

My website contains tons of information in 2 blogs, downloadable free articles and self-help ebooklets, and the Disabilitykey Workbook which contains over 100 pages of how to processes and actual forms - blank and completed examples - to assist folks. This workbook is available for a very small price (under $10).

Here's a blog that I did that discusses not only the top 22 MS symptoms, but what - at least a year ago - were the top medications used to help you better manage those symptoms. The reason that I like this list of symptoms and their associated "management aids" is that precisely because MS has so many symptoms, you may need to take some time to do some "introspection" to figure out which TYPE of symptom do you have!! For example: do you have "plain vanilla" depression, or do you have depression coupled with either pain or fatigue? The management aids for the 3 different "types" of depression are different; so, the more precise and specific you can become shen documenting both your symptoms and how they impair you so that you can better inform your doctor, the better your doctor can assist you with symptom management!!

In your specific case, are your legs JUST heavy, or are they numb also; do they tingle all the time, or just sporadically; do they feel "tight" - like you have a "casing" on the let and, if measured, the leg would be larger than a non-tight, or non-heavy leg?? (These are all symptoms of my lets.) Of the 22 symptoms below, I'd check out the meds that specifically address the following, for you:

1) Spasticity
2) Paroxysmal itching
3) Tremor
4) Tremor, Pain, Spaciticity
5) Pain (dyesthesias) - this is pain like a "charlie horse" in your leg; I also get this in my torso and in other parts of my body.

So, your Doctor tells you that you have a disease. You know that you have symptoms that impair you in your every day life, but you want your Doctor to give you something to make the pain/symptom go away!

What is the best medication for your symptoms, for your illness? Remember, only your Doctor can help you. However, the better informed that you are about what is out there, the better you can discuss alternatives with your Doctor(s).

The following information comes from the National MS Society website. Now, most disease medication lists start with the brand name first, with the SYMPTOM that it is to address almost as an after thought. BUT, we, the patients, start with the symptom first, so that's how I have decided to sort the medications. Here goes. Products available without a prescription are so indicated (+).

Once again, this will provide you with information to discuss with your Doctor. By having options of medications for a symptom, you and your Doctor can discuss which treatment would be best for you, given your other symptoms, your specific condition, and any other factors that only your Doctor can know. And, if you do not know what the symptom means (I'm not sure that I know what "Paroxysmal itching" is) you can ask your Doctor, and learn something new!


Fatigue: Amantadine; Cylert; Provigil

Spasticity: Baclofen; Dantrium; Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB Therapy); Valium (muscle spasms); Zanaflex

Constipation: Mineral oil (+); Colace (Docusate (+)); Dulcolax (Bisacodyl (+)); Enemeez Mini Enema (Docusate stool softener laxative (+)); Fleet Enema (Sodium phosphate (+)); Metamucil (Psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid (+)); Phillips' Milk of Magnesia (Magnesium hydroxide (+)); Sani-Supp suppository (US) (Glycerin (+))

Erectile dysfunction: Papaverine; Cialis; Levitra; MUSE; Prostin VR; Viagra

Nausea; Vomiting; Dizziness: Antivert (US), Bonamine (Can)

Paroxysmal itching: Atarax

Disease-modifying agent: Avonex; Betaseron; Copaxone; Novantrone; Rebif;

Urinary tract infections: Bactrim; Septra; Cipro; Macrodantin

Urinary tract infections: (preventative) Hiprex, Mandelamine (US); Hip-rex, Mandelamine (Can)

Urinary tract infections (symptom relief): Pyridium

Urinary frequency: DDAVP Nasal Spray; DDAVP Tablets

Bladder dysfunction: Detrol (US); Ditropan; Ditropan XL; Oxytrol (Oxybutynin Transdermal System); Pro-Banthine; Sanctura; Vesicare (US)

Bladder dysfunction; Pain: Tofranil

Depression: Effexor; Paxil; Wellbutrin; Zoloft

Depression, Pain (neuropathic): Cymbalta

Depression; Fatigue: Prozac

Tremor: Laniazid; Nydrazid

Tremor; Pain; Spasticity: Klonopin (US), Rivotril (Can)

Acute exacerbations: Decadron; Deltasone; H.P. Acthar Gel; Solu-Medrol

Pain (dyesthesias): Dilantin; Neurontin

Pain (paresthesias): Elavil; Pamelor (US), Aventyl (Can)

Pain (trigeminal neuralgia): Tegretol

Now that you have read all 22 categories of Multiple Sclerosis symptoms that HAVE a medication that might mitigate it, and know of many others that have no associated medication, I'll bet that you are asking yourself how do I make the link between knowing that I have one or more of these, and explaining how this symptom impairs me? If you have these questions, please check out our website at http://www.disabilitykey.com.

Also, please feel free to im me or email me by clicking on my Yahoo name.


Finally, here are some suggestions:

1) Document your symptoms and their impairments.

2) use any Internet search engine and plug in the words "MS symptoms". Then you can see if you have any or all of them.

3) Then, go to see your doctor, better prepared to partner with him/her in getting you a diagnosis not only for your "condition", but for medications and/or other suggestions for "managing" your symptoms.

Finally, please feel free to contact me by clicking onto my Yahoo name and email me or im me with additional questions along your process of discovery.

Best wishes.

Answer 2

Hi ya' Kay! I have had MS for almost 18 years. Many people who have MS live very normal lives. It is not fatal, and it does not attack major organs. It is considered an immunological disease that affects the myelin which is the protective covering on the nerves. Most of us have what is called the relapsing/remitting form of the disease. which means that the symptoms come and go. Most people who have it work, raise families and maintain a social life. Unfortunately, some cases of MS become progressive and very degenerative. This usually takes years to happen if not decades....that is if it becomes degenerative at all. There are medications on the market that slow the progression of the disease and there are many, many more that are in the testing phase now. There are also medications to handle the symptoms. At one time about 75% of people who have this disease would eventually wind up in a wheel chair but now that figure is down to 25%. With the medications coming out that figure will probably continue to drop even more. Yes, this disease can be very benign. Although I have had it for almost two decades, nobody who meets me ever guesses I have it. The National MS Society has many groups that are for the mildly affected because we look fine but due to the disease we do not have the energy or the capabilities of most people BUT we LOOK like everybody else. A Neurologist would tell you that the biggest complaint of people with MS is low energy and poor short term memory. Please don't think of the worst for your Mom or for your cousin. That is the exception not the rule.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Heaviness In Legs

Answer 5

Just being honest so don't judge me but Marijuana is the only thing that helps me. I have pain and heaviness in my legs and arms. I can't control my bladder and my neck is always stiff. I have tried all the meds the doctors can throw at me but when I have an episode Marijuana is the only thing that cures the symptoms. Luckely I live in the San Fran Bay area and I have access to Medical Marijuana and have a perscription. Even if I didn't I would still find it. Good luck. You can learn to live with MS. I did.

Answer 6

The neuropathy disease can cause the symptoms such as: tingling, prickling sensation, numbness of the region across the affected nerves, sudden problems, sharp or even using sensation in the nerves.
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The main thing is that utilizing these organic items you will remove that molesting pain.

Answer 7

I am sure you are seeing a specialist. I would think that they could send you to physical therapy. This sometimes helps with Multiple Sclerosis. Also check out
www.medscape.com
or www. webmd.com
you can find a lot of very good information on your disease on these sights.
Good luck.

Answer 8

My girlfriend has MS.
Her doctor has changed her medication more than once over the years.Some have worked better than others.The one that's working the best lately ( I don't recall the name ) is one that she has to inject into her leg.She hates having to do it,but it helps her alot,and she hasn't had any symptoms for quite a while now.
Do what she does...keep a journal of your symptoms,and report to your doctor regularly.Don't just go along for the ride.Take part in your health.Ask your doctor if there are other options.Consult another doctor.Do some research on the internet(I know ya got internet access! lol).
Best of luck to ya!

Answer 9

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Answer 10

THis disease really sucks, doesn't it. I had that but got over it. Now its triggered emotional things. From others I know that they use mj. SO what! SOme of the meds they give us are worse than the disease.

Good luck my friend