Good morning everybody.

[Doubled51]

Just wondering if anybody has trouble with back weakness I guess would be the right description. After a period of exertion my back gets awful weak to the point that I'm bent over and don't have the strength to straighten up. This started a few days before my first exacerbation and continues still. Its very frustrating when your balance requires Sal the help it can get. Just curious as I've never heard it mentioned. Thanks in advance. Stay cool and God bless.

[Fancy1959]

Doubled51, it's Fancy1959. My back doesn't necessarily get weak but it gets to hurting so bad that I can't straighten up. It's usually hurts worse on the right side low back. As soon as I sit down and lean back it feels as if I've taken a ton of weight off my back and it starts to relax. Lately however it seems that the pain is worse and I'm forced to rely on Advil to help make the pain and the spasms come back under control. Just one more fun thing we fight daily in this battle against the monster we call MS.

[Doubled51 in reply to Fancy1959]

Like we need something else. Lol. I had an nerve blocking injection in Feb that has worked great for my pain. The weakness started about 3 days before I went hospital and just never quit. Like you said Just one more fun thing in this battle against this monster we call ms. Lol.

[WonderMom]

Doubled51 ,

Hi it's WonderMom,

I have struggled with very tight,upper back/neck pain for the last 5mths. It sounds like what you are describing could be muscle spasms in your back,tightening the muscles to the point where you are unable to straighten back up. I have had that happen.usually when I ignore my body's warning system telling me " time to stop what you are doing&rest". I foolishly reply " rest, I don't have time for that,just 5 more minutes". And then, I find I am a painful pretzel😉

Things I have found help me is laying flat&try to nap, a warm shower,soaking in a cool pool,massage therapy,laying on my bio-mat( HIGHLY recommend all MSers have one) or in extreme cases, I take an extra dose of my Baclofen.

I am sorry this symptom is making life harder,you are not alone.And remember,"This too shall pass".

I hope you are feeling better quickly.😊

[rlh1974 in reply to WonderMom]

Hi WonderMom my name is Rob. We have not spoken. I am a sarcastic guy that most everyone has gotten used to here. or at least tolerates. Anyway. What is a Bio-mat? I have never heard of such a thing? Please share your wisdom with me!!!!!

Also, I am just like you! 5 more minutes won't bother me! oops! Wrong! Now Im dome for the next however many hours. Thank God for TV in the bedroom and a sleep number! And that extra dose of Baclofen that I am allowed to take! I also have another drug I get an extra dose of. Having brain fog can't remember what it is. Tizanadine, I think. That extra combo makes me very relaxed. Then I just lay there and hopefully nap it away watching law and order or something else like that.

I hope to hear more from you!

Rob

[WonderMom in reply to rlh1974]

Hi rlh1974,

Thanks for reaching out,nice to meet you .Sarcasm is my second language so you are in good company .😊

Here is a link to info on the "bio-mat". It has been an extremely useful tool in battling my overactive nervous system,spasticity&pain. It is helpful to everyone in my family for injury or illness. It has a range of settings to target different issues. With MS I always keep the heat setting low,as we MSers tend to melt w/ heat 😉

I hope you find this info useful.

biomat.com/faq/the-basics/

[WAshingtongirl]

Doubled51 , I get upper back pain when I walk without my crutch. It took me a while to figure that out. When I don't use my legs (which my crutch helps me do), I use my upper back, shoulders and neck to propel myself forward. I don't know if this is what you are experiencing, but is it possible this could be contributing to it? Hope you feel better. 💕

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador]

Doubled51 age?😁 😉🙈 I'm joking with you.😊 I am wondering if the treatment your Neuro have you for your relapse have you any relief?

J 🌠

[Doubled51 in reply to Jesmcd2]

Honestly except for being able to have my arm working again and relief in neck and shoulder I can tell little difference. Worse in many cases. I see him Tuesday and review new MRI. Praying for answers and help.

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador in reply to Doubled51]

I hope he has good things to say!😊 And you can find the relief you need. 😊 Let us know how it goes!

J 🌠

[Doubled51 in reply to Jesmcd2]

Thanks. Will do

[Doubled51]

Thanks for the tips. I'm not in pain when this happens. The gabapentin has literally worked miracles on my neck and shoulders. I still have occasional pain but not the constant unrelenting pain my pain management provider could never stop. This is Like the muscles are to weak to hold me. But I must admit it's usually caused by overdoing my new "limitations". And yes age has something to so with it also. Lol. Probably more than I want to admit. I'm still learning my stopping and resting points I guess. Thanks again. Good day to all.

[MichiganMaryLou]

I have had this since my last attack in 2011. I do adaptive yoga for MS and it helps a ton! But it never returned to normal.

[Doubled51 in reply to MichiganMaryLou]

Thanks for the info. I was beginning to think I was all alone. Lol. I'm sure the Dr will sent me to physics therapy. That cures all ailments.

[WAshingtongirl in reply to MichiganMaryLou]

MichiganMaryLou , I don't believe you've been welcomed yet, but if you have, I'll just welcome you again! 😉

Thanks for jumping in and sharing with others here. That's what our forum is all about-sharing answers, asking questions, venting our frustrations, and encouraging those who're going through a rough time. We also like to laugh.

If you'd like to be recognized on your birthday, jimeka does a 'brilliant' job (that's 'U.K.-speak' for excellent) finding a virtual cake 🎂 for you so all your friends here can share in the celebration. Let us know when your birthday is and what your favorite items (birds, flowers, etc) are.

We're happy you're here (but sad it's because of MS). Looking forward to knowing you better! 💕

[MichiganMaryLou]

Good luck to you! I did PT, water therapy, occupational therapy, and adaptive yoga. The yoga is what works on my back and on my MS hugs the best. Water walking is great for this if you have access to a pool that is not kept too warm.

[Doubled51 in reply to MichiganMaryLou]

The house we are hoping to look at this weekend has a pool. I'm looking forward to that hopefully. I did aquatic pt with both if my back surgeries and it was a great help. It feels like just tired muscles in my lower back at least that's what my hope is

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador]

I've always had a bad back even before MS. Quite often I am bent over when I've been sitting for a while, especially when I've been in a hardback chair or a recliner. But then my MS is lesions between T2-T5. So that may have something to do with it. I also contribute it to having very bad arthritis in my whole spine. I've had two back surgeries and my lower back is fused. I overcame a lot before MS and was very active.

[Doubled51]

Same here. I had 2 disc removed from lower back and a spinal fusion in 2004. Then same in my neck in 2006. I've got so much metal in me that I've honestly set off metal detectors in court house. Now that gets their attention. Lol. I've been disabled and in pain management since. I've always dealt with pain but this stuff is crazy. Not painful at all thank God just scary. I know I'm old but if really feel old when I can't stand straight. Needless to say arthritis all over. But as the saying goes I'm on the green side of the grass. Lol.

[Doubled51 in reply to Doubled51]

Ditto on the was active. I've told everybody that it's hard to go from 100 mph to earn near zero overnight. That's the hardest thing for me to accept.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to Doubled51]

I was a long distance bicyclist. Avg,150-200 miles a week for fun. I rode over 40 miles the morning of the day I started going numb. It took about 18 hrs to go from rib cage to feet.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to Doubled51]

Geez, we should compare metals. I have 2 plates and 7 screws in left wrist, Stainless steel and composite knee, spinal fusion and 2 posts in my teeth. :-)and then I get MS.

[Doubled51 in reply to CalfeeChick]

Oh I forgot about my wrist. I broke my hand completely off my arm on my left hand in 2012. Chasing my great grandson to keep him from running into traffic. Got a plate with God only knows how many screws attaching my hand and all my fingers back. Lol. Together we could wreak havoc in the airport. Lol.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to Doubled51]

That would sure be a hoot!

[rlh1974]

Doubled51 I suffer from terrible thoracic pain. That is what led to my DX. Anyway. I often find that from using my cane, or when I give in and use my walker. ( I HATE THAT THING!!!) That part of my back gets so weak I can't even lift my arms. Do anything but put the remote on my lap or chest and sit or lay down. It also happens when doing dishes. I will become bent over from my mid back and can barely move. As my wife says. I become jelly. We just had a new bathroom donated to us and one thing the contractor did was put the sink at a little higher than kitchen height. It's amazing. I can lean on it and brush my teeth and wash up. I hope this helps you to know you are not alone. My specialist, after everyone else said "you shouldn't have problems there" even my normal neurologist and Ortho and GP said "I shouldn't" MS doesn't do that. He freaked out. He started yelling. "there is your suffering! you have old and new lesions and 4 bulging discs! no wonder why you are in pain and suffering! Why are you able to stand up!?" It is not as abnormal as people think. They just hear it should not or thats not it. or MS doesn't cause that. So people stop talking about it. That is why I am on this site. I find out I am normal (well, MS normal) and others suffer in the same ways. You are not alone!

Rob

[Doubled51 in reply to rlh1974]

Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone. Might not be from ms but I never had it happen before ms. I was dx with ms first week in April and it had never happened in my 65 years. I'll see Tue when I go to Neuro what he has to say. Good luck to you.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to rlh1974]

I don't know if you are able, but trying to do some ab exercises might help. Strengthen your arms too. Sounds funny to me, but while I'm bending over, I go ahead and try to touch the floor, then bring myself back up using my abs.

[Doubled51 in reply to CalfeeChick]

I do well for all my ailments reaching my toes and floor if my balance permits without touching the floor with my head while I'm at it that is. My wife stays on me all the time about bending over to much because 8 times out of ten I fall or grab whatever's handy to prevent it. My balance had always been awesome up until the last year them it went to heck in a handbag. Lol.

[SometimesCrazy]

Hello. This is my first post. I absolutely have extreme lower back weakness. And of course it always varies from a small weakness to total weakness. Sometimes finding myself on the floor and not being able to pull myself up. Needless to say that was beyond terrifying. What if I was outside and found myself on a side walk in 80+ temps. This was especially apparent about a year ago. I purchased a nice sit down model of bicycle because I knew that if it wasn't comfortable, user smooth and convenient I wasn't going to use it. For me the back weakness is a symptom of core weakness. My stomach. My sit down bicycle uses your legs in a horizontal pattern vs the normal vertical. This strengthens the stomach which in turns strengthen the back. INCREDIBLEY. Thank you for reminding me to get back on that bicycle. I haven't used it in four months. My back hurts, my pants are tight and I had a very hard time this morning getting off the floor. 10 minutes in the morning and night at no resistance feeling yourself using your stomach muscles vs your back muscles and it takes me about a week and a half and I feel so much better. I also sleep better and my chronic constipation eases, I feel it helps with heat tolerance too. I can't wait to get off of work and start again!!!

[Doubled51 in reply to SometimesCrazy]

It can be scary. First time the extreme weakness happened I was in the basement working and fell and didn't have enough strength to get up. This was a few days before my first exasperation. Then I fell at hospital after an MRI. Luckily there was a safety guard that helped me up. Now every time i mow lawn or do house work it seems to happen. I gets very frustrating.

[SometimesCrazy]

I do the "feel like I am bent in half." No I actually am bent in half sometimes.I had to be proactive or I was going to have a meltdown. It works if you stick with it. And there are many more benefits too. Mental and physical. I don't no where you live but they have Play It Again Sports and craigslist is an option also. I can't believe I stopped!

[SometimesCrazy in reply to SometimesCrazy]

So it was my first post yesterday and my first time on here. Thank you Doubled51 for your post that I responded to. I was drawn to it. I took my own suggestion and got back on that bike for five minutes last night. I slept well and I do not feel the back pain at all. Everybody is different and in my other life I used to abhor riding stationary bikes. I was very physical. This is the new me and it's working so I just need to remember to take those few minutes and do it. I went to the bathroom this morning which I know contributes substantially to the pain on my left side and it also lessens the swelling/inflammation in my ankles. It's time for a pedicure! Let's all stay COOL this weekend. It didn't look like any area in the U.S. wasn't going to be affected by extreme heat.

[Doubled51 in reply to SometimesCrazy]

Glad your doing better. I love in ga and it's def got here. Been in the 90s all week with no relief in sight except around the thunder storms running thru. I've got to cut my lawn but I sure dread it. Stay cool.

[mdok]

I have had that happen to me before. Since i have started physical therapy and have been treating my tight Psoas muscles, I haven't had that problem as much. I have also had spasms of the mid back on the right side. That has been helped by physical therapy and Baclofen through my Baclofen pump.

[Doubled51 in reply to mdok]

I imagine physical therapy will be my next step.

[mdok in reply to Doubled51]

I have been doing physical therapy 1-2 times a week now for over 5 years. I have seen a lot of benefit to it. I am maintaining function, and some things have improved. It was a surprise how out of shape I had gotten. My therapist has devised a exercise program for there and at home that is tailored for my needs.

[Doubled51 in reply to mdok]

I havent had pt since my hospital stay and school so I'm sure my dr will order my therapy next.

[BillD999]

Doubled51 Obviously MS does not strike all of us the same way, but for me muscular weakness is pretty much the main issue. Most affected are my quad and my obliques (core muscles) both on the left side. As things progress more of my core & lower back muscles are becoming weaker and I am having more trouble standing for any length of time & having balance issues. Depending where lesions are located different muscles will be affected so the weakness will vary accordingly. If you're having flare ups I guess the weakness could hit you suddenly, My MS is progressive so the change has been slow but gradual.

I highly recommend PT to help target & strengthen specific muscles, as well as yoga and any exercise you are able to do. It all helps!

[mdok in reply to BillD999]

I have functional scoliosis due o MS. Also, my left leg is shorter than he right. that makes standing for long periods of time painful. My exercise program in Pt includes many core muscle exercises, as well as exercises quad muscles. This has helped with back pain, and improved my standing time without pain.

[Doubled51]

Being recently diagnosed on April I font know much about my progression but I had an mri Wed and a Dr appt this Tuesday to get my first idea of what happening in my poor little brain. Lol. But I do think of will be my next option. It only happens when I get active using my core muscles so I feel sure this is my culprit. Thanks for the info and advice. God bless.