THe muscles in my legs are getting weaker and weaker! This has been one of the most noticable symptom for me... Last year i tried to go skiing and couldn't stay on my feet for more than 15 seconds without my legs giving out.
Posted by hurtingramma (Member # 7770) on :
Leg weakness is one of my most annoying symptoms. I go to get out of a chair and go straight to the floor. ABX has helped considerably in the past, but it still comes on during a herx.
I haven't really found anything to help, but a soak in epsom salts bath helps with the associated numbness/pain.
Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
I too am effected by leg weakness. So much so, that I can't get up any stairs myself. Also, when walking, they can just give out with no warning.
Since treatment, the giving out of the legs hasn't been an issue, but the lack of strength and stairs is still causing trouble. I've been given leg exercises to do while still in bed, but too early to tell if that will help build up muscle.
I also use the epsom baths when they are really acting up and also a heating pad. Good luck to you!
Cathy
Posted by panicbegone (Member # 10760) on :
ive got body weakness..and yes..definitely notice in my legs.
Posted by LisaS (Member # 10581) on :
Ya I got it too and it's definately one of the most annoying symptoms. It comes and goes. One day I'm almost fine and the next I can hardly stand up.
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Jon, I had this and it was progressive and debilitating and I stopped getting weaker after 1 year of orals and 9 months of IV Rocephiin!!! After that I got stronger than I have ever been in my life (not since baby in such perfect shape though!*)! but it took a full year before I could walk normally again!!!! SO much time to get normal re muscle again!!!!
Take care, Best wishes, Sarah
Posted by bejoy (Member # 11129) on :
I had some major leg weakness during beginning of treatment.
Tried to go skiing out of spite for the illness, and ended up in a perpetual faceplant, before retiring to the lodge for a three hour nap.
Much better now that the herx has let up for the time being.
Posted by Lymeindunkirk (Member # 7118) on :
I experience leg weakness every now and then out of the blue. Have to stand on one leg for a few minutes before the one leg goes back to normal.
Have been having a lot of hip pain lately for no real reason. I think just about everyone I know with lyme has had leg weakness at one time or another.
Posted by dguy (Member # 8979) on :
For me the leg weakness has a thyroid connection; many lymies report thyroid problems. I need to supplement with Cytomel or Armour thyroid to get T3 hormone, otherwise my legs are too weak to walk up stairs.
Posted by lymeladyinNY (Member # 10235) on :
I have had leg weakness from the very beginning of infection -4 years now - from all out inability to walk to a barely noticeable limp. It is very unpredictable and my legs will quit working suddenly.
I'm better than I was a couple of years ago but it's been my most persistent and disabling symptom.
I just went to Disney World and had to use a wheelchair the whole time. It's no fun at all.
What gets to me is the constant public health advertisements to get up and get walking! You can't lose weight, be healthy, or happy if you don't get your 30-minute walk in each day, people!
When I see these articles and commercials it makes me feel like crying!
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
I agree with the above and also think it is vital to incorporate a "constitutional"- a daily walk- just to keep fit and in good strength- I notice that I lose strength if I do not keep regular with walking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It makes me wonder- when I was a kid, my nickname, and sadly it is not a joke, was "weakling" because I could not do anything strengthwise other kids could- re lifting or arm wrestling- etc- so my nickname as a kid was "weakling"- makes me wonder if this was there even then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But when I got sick I got so so so so sick and weak- my arms were stornger than my legs- at the end I got up out of bed either
a. with assistance b. I would pull myself UP on the dresser next to the bed and swing my legs out by picking UP my legs and PLACING them on the floor and then using the drawer I would pull up with my arms and PUT myself over my legs and THEN I could hobble/ shuffle/ fall... but I could not RISE with them-
I also had progressive total numbness going up from my feet and the worst that got was it was at right below my knee before I started not getting wrose- but it started in my toes and I could put pins through them- and then in my feet, etc.
But when I started rehab of my muscles what worked for me is... rollerskating- !!! Because I could NOT walk yet but the thick ankle boots of rollerskates would help keep me upright and I would roll from thing to thing- my then 5 year old was cool with it and we live 5 blocks form the beach so we got away with it- I could not WALK a block but I could roller!!! It strengthened my legs- but I did fall down a lot from being so weak still- we began in the roller rink- and it was very fun rehab!! my kid was so embarassed when I fell down so much at the beginning month though-
and a year after that I was running up 8 flights of stairs at seacliff beach!!! The stairs are in the middle of this photo of the beach http://www.scsla.org/sandman/maps.html to the right of the pier up the cliff-
So recovery is possible- I htink my weakening symptoms were some of my scariest- tehre was such a loss of control over my body- and it was so FAST- and I was SO SO weak I could NOT hold my child or even a COFFEECUP because of clasp issues and I needed help in and out of the tub and help in and out of cars and I WASN"T EVEN THIRTY!!!!!