Muscle spasms in fibromyalgia? What have you found helpful for this problem?

Question

I actually got the spasms following a water work out. I think I just worked a little too hard.

Yes people with fibromyalgia get muscle spasms frequently. I had not had spasms in my arms before. I used to have lots of spasms in my legs. That changed with the addition of a magnesium/calcium/zinc supplement. Just another quirky symptom for all us to deal with !

Answer 1

flexeril.

yep, i'm on it! did I tell you that? pain doc, or the NP I saw there said the spasms that laid me low for months were "part of the fibro, have rheum deal with it" and the rheum said "it's for the pain doc to take care of since it's part of the pain"

I couldn't deal with being bounced back and forth any more so when I went to rheum appt. in Feb., a week after pain place refused to do anything, and I heard once again "have pain doc take care of it", I refused to leave the office until the problem was taken care of.

Rheumy always takes blood tests and that's done in a different room than in the exam room where he sees me and I refused to leave the exam room w/out a script for *something.*

But it may be as you said, you worked out too hard this time. If it's a one time thing, a warm massage, like with a shower head, or using a soft cloth over your hand will work. or wrap a heating pad around arm and rub.

good luck, and we must catch up. although, it's mostly the same old, same old w/ me.

Answer 2

Welcome to the Club! I have Fibromyalgia too and it sure isn't fun to have, that's for sure. I have had it since I was 25 years old and now I'm 29 currently. I had to waste a considerable amount of money and time, trying different over the counter medicines and also dietary supplements which didn't help much either. The only thing I can recommend is taking either Tylenol Extra Strength, 500 MG or Advil every 4 hours. That's where I am at right now, I lost hope with finding a drug for it besides this one I was taking but ran out of. The prescription was for a drug by the name of Tramadol and its just basically a prescription pain reliever. It did work pretty well but my Doctor was kind of hesitate to give it to me because he thought I might become addicted to it but I don't think I ever did, as far as I know. I hope you find something that works for you. I still am able to work part time at my job in a restaurant but I can't do any physical lifting there, it starts hurting just like that if I do any at all. I had to tell my boss a couple of times when he wanted me to put the truck away, heavy boxes were too much for my arms and back, it was hurting badly within minutes. Good luck to you!

Answer 3

Short term, for muscle spasms in my back or neck, I find ice/cold to often, but not always, be helpful for the 1st 3 days of the increased pain.

I did not find Bacloven to be helpful but I'm glad it helps other people. I found Elavil helpful for sleep, and sleep helps everything. The Elavil also took away all of my symptoms of restless leg syndrome, which had been severe.

I had to get off of the Elavil because of interactions with other medication. I was switched to trazodone and that works just as well for me.

Sometimes stretching the muscles will help reduce the spasms but not always. In my neck of the woods there is a "Courage Center", facility with a warm (98 degrees) water therapy pool. I find that stretching and exercizing in the hot water is the most productive way to improve my condition.

A lot of doctors will say that narcotics are not good to treat chronic pain because of the addiction potential and the question of "tolerence". Tolerence is the process where the body adjusts to the medication, you need ever increasing doses of the medication to to get the same effect, and eventually it will not help at all.

There is a lot of truth to the above but I take Percocet and it helps reduce my muscle spasms.

Relaxation exercises, like listening to an audio tape with guided instructions on it to aid relaxation also helps.

Lastly, I find that hugs and kisses from a woman who loves me helps also, but I have lost my supplier :)

Answer 4

I know a friend of mine who is something called 'Dom-Baclofen.' It is a potent anti-spasmodic for which you need a prescription. He had a spinal cord injury and he has had to deal with a lot of spasms. This was the only thing that really eased the discomfort and he was taking a wide variety of drugs to alleviate his pain. Even steroids were no longer helping and he couldn't drink milk. Coupled with the fact that steroids should be taken with a milk product to prevent bone mass deterioration, it was a bad combo. A very good doctor prescribed the baclofen and he has been spasm free for almost five years now.

Answer 5

I have been told that Magnesium Malate can help with that. Dr Tannenbalm (spelling ?), the author of From Fatigued to Fantastic recommends taking it.

Answer 6

rubbing w/massage oil and capascin mixed into it & stretching throughout the day. I can't belevie I ran across this question. I have muscle spasms in my ribs, waist, legs and feet. I wondered if I was the only one. Do you know if this is caused from fibro? Thanks for asking!

Answer 7

I was put on Lyrica 300 mg. Has does wonders for my legs and body. I was having terrible restless syndrome and then my whole body would jerk ..day and night. But this helped me