Arm weakness and pain ?

[Lucy-15]

Good morning

Just wondered if anyone that has functional movement disorder that affects their walking gait, but also has issues with an arm too?

I have had left leg weakness, muscle spasms etc that mean I get about with a stick mostly for 3 years now

Over the last year, my left arm has a dull ache, especially at the end of the day. I was advised this maybe due to FND also...

Just this last week or so the pain is severe, mobility has decreased, muscles spasms on top of whole arm are really painful ...applying heat seems to help, like with my leg!....but it's making typing at work tricky even with my new reduced hours!...

Anyway, I hope you all have a pleasant week and don't miss Dr Jon Stone's webinars tonight at 9pm!

It was really interesting last time.

Thanks Lucy in Brighton

[Kazandoz]

Hi Lucy - thanks for the heads up about the webinar too :)!

I also get problems with pain and weakness in my arms (along with very reduced mobility in my legs). I've realised that it more commonly affects my proximal muscles - ie the upper arm muscles closer to my body. In case it helps I've realised that doing anything, if I can keep my upper muscles as minimally involved as possible I can undertake activites for longer. So keeping my arms as low as possible when using the likes of a keyboard (by sitting higher), or resting my elbows on the desk while typing helps a lot, as I'm not trying to raise my arms from the shoulder - does that make sense? I too use a stick or walker for around the home - but increasingly I don't have the arm strength for it. I use a wheelchair when out and about, and interestingly some of the time my arms are much stronger than with the stick - I think because again my arms are hanging down and I'm not having to hold them up with my upper arm muscles. xxx

[Lucy-15 in reply to Kazandoz]

Good morning and thank you, I really appreciate your help. Great tips- just seen GP as guess we should never presume it's another symptom of FND but yes it seems to be so suggested increasing my nortryptiline ( was on amytrptiline but these seem to knock me out less the next morning!)... to see if it helps at all.

Thanks again and I hope you are having one of you 'better' days today.

Take care Lucy

[shirshir718]

Hi Lucy:

Yes, arm symptom is a part of FND. My symptoms are mostly legs and gastric. But when I have a severe attack all my limbs get so weak that they are almost paralysed. When I have minor flares, I feel some pain in my right arm and sometimes my left but they usually go away. Right now my arms are not so affected.

[Lucy-15]

Thank you so much for the replies. Really helpful and always helps to know your not the only one going through this daily struggle 👍Onwards and upwards !!

[malalatete]

Yes, me too. Key sign of a flare is that my arms ache when doing something like holding a phone or book. FND for me is a symptom of the ME I also suffer from.

[Lolastar]

I missed the webinar.

Yes, I have left side weakness in my left arm and left leg. It's on odd feeling and hard to explain to people, but overall what I use to do on my left side I can no longer do. Doc said my muscle are fatigued from all the spasms because when I have a spasm it's lime those muscles are working out 24/7. Makes sense. So I told her how do I excercise regularly. Like most she offered yoga, but it takes balance and coordination to do yoga which I can no longer do because of my left side weakness. She said try hot yoga then.....so I'm here working out when I can but not too much so i dont trigger my symptoms. It not easy. Its discouraging and frustrating but like I said I do what I can when I can.

[Blue_Moon1 in reply to Lolastar]

This may sound nuts but I have right side weakness- arm, hand and leg. I found a wobble cushion amazing for feet, legs and balance. Sit in chair and play with it using both feet. Trying to stand on it when holding onto worktop. It's really helped wake up my muscles in my foot. Still can't balance when walking but it did help. Also exercise bike trying to pedal, good leg always takes over but its still exercise. Beware of high temperatures. I cannot regulate my temp. so getting hot makes me feel worse and everything hurts more.

[Lucy-15]

Evening ...thanks for replying....and sounding positive too yes I'm a yoga fan, I'm not at all supple, but found helps my back pain and calms my nervous system....Some things I just don't do anymore, with my left leg in the class if it's too tricky or sometimes I can use extra props...blocks etc

Luckily, most in my beginners yoga have an 'ailment' so the teacher is patient and great at adapting the pose for each of us !

But like you say, these past few weeks, I've not been as can't see how can manage ' lots of the poses' with this arm pain, tight left arm muscles and such pain ..

Maybe arm chair yoga is the next step!! I hear some enjoy tai chi or the Alexander technique, just takes time to find the suitable thing for each of us, I guess....

Will try to get back to the pool soon and the jacuzzi is my saviour to ease all my muscles

I keep saying to friends jokingly.....'well we all have one good side' but being honest...it's yet another surprise this disorder has just thrown up to challenge us eh

Thank the lord, my car is automatic....so can still drive at the moment , think be too painful to be changing gear all the time

Do you drive at all ?

If no improvement soon, think it'll be a few more adaptions needed as I live alone, ...good excuse to get a dishwasher anyway

Take care. Thanks again Lucy

[Chaz61]

I just been told I have fnd and lucky have everything you have spadims stiffens Shaka can't wake use a mobility scooter walking sticks can't life my arms over me head and my arms jump out I get more spadims when it's cold so this time off year is bad for my self my two sons also as spadims we were told we had spastic disorder 15 years ago but now Walton centur says I have fnd but what ever it is you sound like my self I can't cook with out help etc need a seat to ste to per and cook food etc I been close to setting me face on fire as my Bobby can jump forward with out knowing but life's good I have a livening careing family