Could this be a MS hug?

[LissaH]

Hello, I have a question. Can you have an MS hug in other places beside your mid section? I don't think I've ever had one there but I've had this pressure up around the heart section that come and go. I've been to many heart specialist, had all kinds of test and nothing is showing up and the doctors are stun. My heart is very strong. It feels like a slight squeeze, sometime it takes my breathe away and it makes me cough sometimes. its weird and it doesn't stay for a long time. It comes and goes . Its been about a year since I last felt this way and now its back. I was wondering if I could be experiencing a MS hug in the upper part of my body. Does anyone have any ideals or experience the same thing?

[greaterexp]

mstrust.org.uk/a-z/ms-hug

blog.mymsaa.org/tag/ms-hug/

I'm so glad you saw your doctors about this, since we always need to rule out other causes. And I'm glad you asked this question; it comes up often!

I hope these links help answer your question, and I hope you feel better quickly. Those "hugs" can be unnerving!

[LissaH in reply to greaterexp]

greaterexp,

thank you so much for those web pages. both has helped so much, and yes I do believe I am having a MS hug around my heart. It is driving me crazy, the pressure of it. Like I said just last week I have a ekg and everything was great with my heart, so I know its not an heart attack. Its so crazy what we have to go through with this MS stuff. Hurts more when love one and friends just don't get it. I'm so thankful/grateful for this sight.

[greaterexp in reply to LissaH]

That's the beauty of this group of folks. We really do get it! It's easy to feel alone or isolated when we are surrounded by people who love us, but who just can't grasp what we experience physically or emotionally.

[Allen5280]

Hello LissaH , I also suffer with (at times horrible) spasticity. The MS hug is supposed To be the mid section, however I have had my body from the neck down in the grip of the python (ms) if varies and takes hold to anywhere and everywhere I have a muscle including heart from time to time. At times even my heart beats feel "out of sink" so to speak. There are quite literally times I begin wondeering is this the moment, is this the day, where it's just going to quit. Like you, I have had tests after tests and there's nothing wrong with my heart. Just sometimes it spasms. When it gets feeling weird my muscle relaxers do help most of the time. I keep seeing the ads on tv for the EKG smartphone thing so I can be able to catch it in the act. However, I realized that if there's nothing wrong with my heart, what can be done? not much of anything. So I just kind of let the whole thing be what it is unless I get crazy spasms like in my right shoulder blade. I have had a Charlie horse knot there for the past 4 years that never goes away. The muscles have been so active I actually have a lump looking muscle group cause it hardly ever let's go. If something like that started in my chest, I would be in the Dr in a heartbeat, it sometimes really hurts. Or I'm just getting so accostom to it I pay little attention to it. It reminds me every once and awhile it's still there and kicking. Usually when it do to much itt gets activated. My Primary care provider ordered a ultrasound on it a couple years ago to verify it was just muscle and it is. It's about the size of an elongated golf ball. Aas for your question can the spasticity be anywhere and for me that answer would be yes, defiantly!

Allen

[LissaH in reply to Allen5280]

Allen5280 thank you so much for your response and story. I'm also sorry that you are going through this scary stuff. Yes sometimes I feel like my heart is just going to give up on me also, but I talk to myself and remind my myself that my heart is fine i had every test known to man and it is the MS hug. The kind of hug you do not want or enjoy and i'm a huger, like to give them and enjoy getting them back. But this is way to much for me to handle.

I'm realizing also it must be affecting my lungs too because i find it hard to breathe and it makes me cough like crazy when I'm out of breathe. just walking or laughing takes my breathe away. Maybe that why I've been having problems with my upper arms around my shoulder and muscles area on both side also. They seem so soar and I've never felt them like this before. I pray for all of us and I ask the Lord to remove your life size golf ball build up of muscles away and give you some relief.

As i'm rereading what I wrote it has come to my attention that I've been having problems with my throat also. It feels like someone has the hand around my neck slightly putting pressure on it and I feels like my meds get stuck in my throat. I went and had a swallow test 2 weeks ago and everything came out fine. Now i'm wondering if this could be apart of the my lovely MS hug also.

[mrsmike9]

I have had ONE. I thought I was having a heart attack! I believe it is generally higher on the body.

[LissaH in reply to mrsmike9]

this is my 2nd one, and I'm starting to learn more about my body and some of the things thats going on. Being on here has helped me soo much. I love this sight. Its been a few days with this. I pray it goes away soon. Good luck to you.