posted
I am looking for some explanation regarding "Muscle Pain" as a primary symptom. Can someone please explain how they've experienced muscle pain. Is it migratory? Is it debilitating? Is it constant- once a muscle starts hurting does it always hurt? Is there anything else pertaining to muscles like twitching or involuntary jerks? Do muscles feel better after a good nights rest (providing one actually rests while laying in the bed for 8 hours)?? I know it seems self explanatory but I was just wondering. Thanks. Michelle
Posts: 64 | From Pittsburgh | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Yes to everything.
My muscle pain really started in my upper back, shoulders and neck. The muscles became extremely tight, and it eventually became a constant, sharp pain. There was referred pain from the thoracic outlet (shoulder) area down to my hands and wrists. That didn't feel like muscle pain, but was directly related to the muscle tightness.
After starting treatment, I began to have more muscle pain. My quads hurt a lot while on Biaxin and Levaquin. I heard this is a common Bartonella symptom. It was just like a deep ache in the muscle. The muscles in the bottom of my feet also hurt sometimes. I think that's partly referred from my hips.
For my upper back, it did become constant and eventually debilitating. But I had Lyme for 16 years before I was diagnosed. It was the upper back pain combined with the wrist and hand pain that really caused the debilitation.
I have had tremendous improvement. I first controlled my muscle pain by taking Flexeril, a muscle relaxer. I also worked with an excellent physical therapist who specialized in myosfascial trigger point release. This is a type of method of releasing the tight points in your muscles so that the entire muscle can relax.
The pt did not help at all without the Flexeril. In fact, my pt had never seen anybody's muscles react the way mine did. The muscle he worked on would actually get inflamed. My doctor told me that the Lyme was causing inflammation in the muscle.
I've been on abx for Lyme and salmonella for 18 months. I stopped the Flexeril aobut a month ago. I have some increasing muscle pain since, but nothing close to prior to the abx treatment.
I've also had both twitching and involuntary jerks. Many people say that the twitching means a need for more magnesium. That's been migratory for me. The involuntary jerks is called myoclonus. That is usually neurological. It is seen with Lyme, but nobody seems to know why.
I personally think a lot of the muscle symptoms are really neurological symptoms. I think our brains are somehow sending the wrong message.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have alot of muscle pain as well. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia because of it and was put on Neurontin which really helps me. I think the fibro is really the Lyme (just recently got a postive test for that but no treatment yet). It started around my shoulders but now is worst around my hips - especially bad at night when I lay down.
Posts: 19 | From texas | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Mine was always inflammation, swelling of muscles and joints. Sometimes my muscles would throb and ache all over, even when sitting still or lying down. They would teitch too, especially during a herx.
IP: Logged |
posted
I've had the kind of pain Aniek describes. For me detoxing helped.
Posts: 925 | From California | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
ticked in ri
Unregistered
posted
Yes, muscle pain! I think it was my first symptom. Aches in the legs and forearms (muslce cramping too). I didn't have much stamina. After making dinner and doing dishes, the muscles in my legs would hurt. It felt like I just needed to sit down. The muscles in back back would hurt and sometimes a burning feeling in the back. Involuntary jerks at bed time - sometimes a leg jerk or neck or arm.
When the muscles started aching on and off, I was diagnosed as hypothyroid. After months of increasing doses of Synthroid, the aches were getting worse. The hands and feet would ache and the arms and legs seemed to be getting worse. Doctors kept saying it was my thyroid. I had to give it more time. How much time does the thyroid need? I reached a normal TSH, T3 and T4 level in late April. Still huring in May and June. I kept saying it's not the thyroid.
The muscles started twitching (arms, legs, feet, back). The docs said in was benign cramp fasiculation syndrome. But I said my hands ache! After playing with my kids for a short time outside, I have to sit down. My legs hurt! I'm 36 years old! Something is wrong here.
This is when I took matters into my own hands. Researched lyme disease on my own. This site was an inspriation. I knew I needed to find a lyme knowledgable doctor asap. I found one and he clinically diagnosed me on my first appointment and put me on 2 abx. I probably had active lyme for about 11 months before being diagnosed. Not sure when I was actually infected.
Well, now 8 weeks into the abx and I feel a lot better. Muscle twitching is about 90% better. My hands don't ache anymore. My stamina is improving. I can play with my kids and be on my feet a lot longer before my legs start to hurt. I can tell that I'm not 100% yet but I feel so much better. Doc expects on will be on abx for 6-8 months.
Not sure if its neuro lyme or not but oral abx seem to be helping.
IP: Logged |
My muscle pain started 6 years ago as a pulled muscle in my back. I couldn't walk for a few days. Then it migrated to other areas of my back and hips. Every movement felt like I was pulling muscles.
I decided to go to physical therapy for it - which helped for awhile.
I landed back in physical therapy - where I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The physician gave me amytriptyline at a low dose.
That combined with fast walks, stretching, lots of raw vegetable - did wonders. I still had some pain, but wasn't pulling a muscle with every movement, and was able to return to work.
It wasn't until 3 years later I learned I had lyme disease.
With abx, fast walks, stretching, lots of raw vegetables and 10mg nortriptyline(sp) I managed with some pain/herxing. If I did anything like gardening etc. I still got pulls, sometimes totally debilating and all over my body - but not just from turning or something - like before.
I am on samento, oregano oil, garlic now - because the abx were taking a toll. I get all the reactions - fatigue, muscle pain, legs and hand cramps etc like I did with abx. However, when I take the recommended week off periodically I feel pretty good - very little muscle pain - if any.
Stress, lack of sleep increases the pain - no matter what.
There is one thing that never goes away. The nerves on the inside of my legs, from my ankle to the upper part of my leg hurts to the touch and feels like there are knots there. I asked my doctor what this was and she just says nerves. However, if I don't touch the area it really doesn't bother me. Hopefully this goes away at some point in my treatment.
posted
I say "yes to all" as well. Some pains have been persistant. Some come and go. I have gotten up in the morning and a muscle that wasn't hurting the day/night before, was then hurting.
I've had/have vibrations/twitches and jerks.
So you're not alone...because my answer is "All of the above"
Bill
-------------------- Bill
**Question everything...it may save your life!!!** Posts: 80 | From ATLantic Seaboard | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I had alot of muscle pain. Lyme treatment helped tremendously. I also take flexeril and Xango for the pain. I feel great now! You will get there too!!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic