Have muscle relaxants like Flexeril been of any help at all?

Some folks have used quinine sulfate for severe spasms -- see the post from TX Lyme Mom at http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/022024.html

I don't have pain like yours, knots and all, but I have found hot tubs relieve pain only while I'm in them.

Also, the very best I've found has been the public pool at Harrison Hot Springs.

The hot mineral water sucks the pain right out of me! Alas, it doesn't last - pain comes back within 1 hour. Even so, I'll take whatever natural pain relief I can get.

Don't get me wrong, though. I'm taking 292s for pain also, and Mg.

I see you're on the Island. Are there any hot springs nearby? If you don't know, I can check for you and get back ? to this board or directly to you via email.... ?

The knots on my head and shoulders got so bad I had to go for Trigger Point injections of Lidocaine to bust them up. My LLMD did this a few times, and then I went to Pain Mgt. for it. (if you try this, tell them - NO STEROIDS - or as they like to call them 'Anti-inflammatories'. Just Lidocaine.) Others have found relief from this type of pain by getting Prolotherapy. Can't help ya more on what this is, but you can do a search.

10 mg of Flexeril at bedtime has worked wonders for me, because now I'm finally sleeping.

Keep looking - there's help out there for this.

Check your email

Lymeinhell....I know what you mean I have only been sleeping for 2 -3 hours a night for months and months. I will look up prolotherapy, I have had procaine injections done up and down my spine but I found it only lasted for three hours and cost a great deal....

I did try an IV today which gave me a bit of a break from the pain. It had very high amounts of Mg and Vit C as well as calcium, zinc, and a homeopathic muscle relaxant. I hope it will help me to be able to catch up on some sleep tonight.

mammachase....heat helps me a bit too...one thing I have been told by a few doctors now is to stay away from the electric blankets. I know there have been some studies done now that show them to be dangerous and even more so when you are ill. I was using one before I found out.

I take Flexeril and Neurontin in the evening and Percocet or Vicodin during the day, this combination takes the edge off for me. Zanaflex made me too sleepy. Vioxx and Bextra did not do anything for me.

Myotharapy diffuses the trigger points that are causing the muscle spasms. When the trigger points are gently and slowly pressed by a therapist, the knots let go.

I have learnt how to work on myself with a "thera-cane" tool. It really is amazing how well it works, I get immediate relief and it lasts much longer than massage because it adresses the culprit.

If you go to www.myotherapy.org and www.myotherapy.com you can read about it and find a therapist in your area.

I cant remember the exact kind of pain it treats.

you place four pads on the area that hurts and the pads have wires running them and I think its electrical impulses.

my grandmom uses a variation on this at her chripractor ... his is like a big pad (sorta heating pad sized) and she puts it on the spot that hurts.... she says it helps alot but I''m not sure if her pain is skeletal or muscular.

Maybe you can ask your dr about it.

if you do a search with my name and pepermint or peppermint (i might have mispelled it)

I asked about peppermint as a ppain reliever and got some good info.

I know you said you have problems with pain meds but I thought maybe fentanyol (sp?)
its a patch... duragesic patch.... actually geden has a post on it... its on the 1st page

Hope you find some relief.

I was doing the same thing and it was no fun!

I remembered reading Marnie's info on Magnesium and B-6. (Do a search.) I read a lot of info on it and conflicting thoughts and finally was in so much discomfort I got Magnesium and B-6 and take 250 mg Magnesium and a B-6 twice a day.

It totally relieved the spasms.

My theory is if we are DEFICIENT in something that is CAUSING it why take a pharmaceutical to mask the symptoms rather than treat the CAUSE?

If you are on abx be sure and take the Mg two hours before or after the abx not at the same time since it effects absorption. Also, be sure and tell the LLMD because I was on Doxy that was totally relieving my cognitive symptoms and pain, but then the "knots" got much larger and the spasms started. The point is be certain that the LLMD is addressing the cyst form.

Just my two cents.

Best of health,
Maggie

butterfly...I just started taking neurontin as well, I have a liver disorder so I can't metabolize any of the narcotic pain killers or advil, tylenol...etc... but neurontin is one that does not go via the liver at all. Thanks you for the myotherapy info..that sounds really good. I do some self acupuncture that my lymph drainage therapist taught me. I put a golf ball in a sock and push my back against the wall where the knots are..helps some but the cane sounds much easier.

Azurewish...I am very allergic to fentanyl I did find a product called 024 which is only 13$ a bottle and is very strong methanol, pepermint..it is very strong and gives me some temporary relief.

Maggie and riversinger....I do agree, I think these spasms are related to a deficency, I am getting the most relief with IV mg...I read in Dr. Burascano's paper that this is common with Lyme. I am getting 10g of Mg at a time and getting nothing but relief... the lidocain sounds like it would be very good as well.

Riversinger....do you give yourself the IM mg and lidocain????? I would think it would be nice to be able to give them to myself when I really need it.

take good care everyone..I hope those muscle spasms aren't acting up.

IV glutathione is also helpful, as are other forms of detox.

I've had those spasms occasionally in the morning in my legs and feet. I found that if I'm stretching first thing in the morning they happen. Sometimes I can feel it coming and move sort of in the opposite way and ward most of it off. Otherwise it's severe pain for about 5-10 minutes. I don't know if that is simular to yours or not. Mine may involve the tendons more.

One of the nurses I saw said it's muscle cramps caused by dehydration. He said electrolights would help- he recommended "gater aid" but I'm sure there are better ones, gater aid is mostly sugar. Mostly it's the pottasium salts (electrically interacting in water???)

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Originally posted by joop:
I get and have been getting for sometime very severe muscle spasms in my neck and shoulder....I get knotts the size of tennis balls. These spasms leave in a lot of pain and can be totally disabiling. Does anyone have suggestions???? so far I have tried, massage, physiotherapy, osteopath, heat, cold, epsom salt baths, lymph drainage...I can get a bit of relief with magnesium IV but only for a few hours...and I take a great deal orally as well. The come and go and can appear at different places. Thanks for any help at all.

Christine

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Christine[/QUOTE]

Yes, I was giving them to myself. I was supposed to do it every day, which was great for my symptoms. I had to slow down because I started to get too much bruising from the injections. They are more painful than other injections I've given myself, because the MG is caustic.

They did make a big difference in my tachycardia and migraine headaches, as well as muscle spasms.

For muscle spasms, the higher dose you can get in an IV is probably good, I just haven't tried it.

Meds I'm still on for this:

baclofen...muscle relaxer for MS & quads;
benicar, 20 mg/day...half in am/pm;

benicar is really helping me get some sleep now! Still peeing 5-8 times/night.

Best thing helping me: ICE packs. I use one of those kitchen towels w/rope in to carry food to relatives.

I can fit 3 ice packs in drawstring towel! They will stay cold for 1 hour this way. I use lose ones on my neck and one on my right arm throbbing 24/7.