Pain, stiffness and muscle spasms anyone??????

[Susie01]

After I was finally diagnosed, people who talked with me about my PD would ask if I was in pain. At that time my answer was "no".

I was a gymnast and played most every sport growing up and still have a lot of flexibility and muscle strength. Lately though, when I stand, my feet are in pain and it takes me several steps (or shuffles) before I can stand fully upright. If I continue walking, the pain in my feet will lessen.

The other new symptom. I have walked about 3 miles a day for a while. Lately, when I walk even a short distance I will have muscle spasms in my lower legs and gluteal muscles. There have been several times that I had to cut the walk short and limp home in pain.

I would like to have feedback and any suggestions. The muscle spasms come and go but the pain in my feet on standing is constant and painful.

[ROCK-and-ROLL-GAL]

i have parkinson plus or MSA.

i am having pain in my legs, hips , and lower back. i do have some disk problems so i do not always know what is causing the pain. My neuroligist suggested i see another dr. one that specializes in movement disorders. since i live in ca. i am going to see someone at ucla. the pain is becoming increasingly worse and also more often. it has kept me from leaving the house and doing the things i have been doing with my friends. i will admit i am becoming very depressed about the whole situation. I do take a pain med when the pain becomes more than i can deal with. i would like to find another way to deal with it.

[Susie01 in reply to ROCK-and-ROLL-GAL]

If I sit for a while and then stand up, there is a lot of stiffness and some pain in the pelvic area and I have to start walking slowly. I also have a bulging disc from a car accident but this pain is different, that pain was mainly in my low back.

[Susie01 in reply to ROCK-and-ROLL-GAL]

If I sit for a while and then stand up, there is a lot of stiffness and some pain in the pelvic area and I have to start walking slowly. I also have a bulging disc from a car accident but this pain is different, that pain was mainly in my low back.

[PatrickW]

I experience pain and camping in my feet/ankles/calves for the first few steps when I get out of bed or a chair but luckily they go away.

[MagicMax]

You can try several things. I would suggest trying only one at a time, and try it for at least three days to insure it is or is not working. First, try the supplement: magnesium (at least 250 mg twice a day). Second, try ice packs on the offending muscle group. Third, try taking gabapentin (350 mg by prescription). Fourth, try sinemet 25/100 mg by prescription. Fifth, try a TENS unit. All of these worked for me at different times. If your feet are jumping or moving without your consent, reduce the amount of levadopa you are taking. Hope this helps you...

MM

[PatV in reply to MagicMax]

I did not know you could get a TENS unit for use at home. Experienced it at the physical therapist. I agree with ice and magnesium.

[PatV in reply to PatV]

What I mean is they work for me!

[ROCK-and-ROLL-GAL]

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU THAT TOOK THE TROUBLE TO REPLY.

[Hidden]

as i have pd in my right side i get painfull spasams in my arm and leg when meds start to wear off and when i awake .ive had phisio but found meds helped me more .i too get stiff when i get up from sitting and after few mins that goes .

[hilarypeta]

i get stiffness when getting up -aftera meal in resto for example. Also a sort of moving cramp in my legs sometimes in bed at night: also in right foot when turning ankles round. ok at present when walking/jogging.

[reverett123]

If I sleep in any position other than on my right side I will have 30 seconds of pain upon standing. Then it fades and does not return.

In the early morning (around 4AM) the body is shifting into "morning mode" and dumping "stress hormones" into the bloodstream. I often have cramping and curly toes at that time lasting about 15 minutes.

This may be a side effect of medication, but one needs to look at possible dehydration as well. If I am having an "active" bladder period I take a B-vitamin complex and potassium, too. Both of these are water soluble and are washed away in a matter of hours. They must be replaced from the diet because we can't make them ourselves.

[PatV]

susie, Since you know you have a disc injury, I would DEF follow up on this. Combined with PD this sounds dangerous. My son had stress fractures in upper and lower back and the pain in his hands and feet was scary as was the numbness. And PD LOVES PAIN!

[Susie01]

Thanks to all of you for your responses. As always, when a new symptom starts, I want to know if it is part of PD. I have a pretty high pain tolerance and do not like to take any more medications unless I absolutely have to.

PatV, The disc injury was several years ago, I did not want to go a surgical or pain pump route. I am a nurse and have seen few successful back surgeries, I have seen people hooked on pain meds and did not want to take that risk. I do have some permanent nerve damage to my right outer thigh, the nerve conduction test affirmed that. I also have degenerative joint disease and know the pain associated with it. I am at a livable pain level with that right now.

It is always good for me to know if other people with PD may have similar symptoms and what I am experiencing is not a fluke.

Thanks again, Susie