> My husband, Steve contracted TM in September, 1996. He was affected in
the
> thoracic (I can't spell) area. He has numbness and pins and needles in
both
> legs and one his right side. The side also has much spasming and keeps
him
> awake at night a lot. He also experiences great fatigue when he exerts
> himself.
> Also, any touch or pressure on his side is very annoying for him. He can
> only wear light cotton t-shirts or flannel shirts without being
irritated.
>
> All these symptoms appeared over a two day period. The doctors seem to
> think that a virus he had in the summer might have caused the TM. Who
> knows? He has experienced little improvement over the last 5 months.
>
> After initially going on a course of steriods, he was finally prescribed
> Neurontin which he takes 4 times a day. It seems to help most of his
> symptoms in the legs and feet, but does little for his side.
>
> What other meds are you all taking and is there anything that seems to
help
> aleviate the spasms and sharp stabs like those he gets in his side? Any
> suggestions would be helpful and greatly appreciated.
>
Amy,
I definitely am not an authority on this, although I am learning day to
day, and taking a day at a time. I know exactly how your husband feels.
This is one of my bad nights. The doctor said there would be good days and
bad days. I had spasms, and I was prescribed good old Valium, which I did
not want to take at first, but was convinced that I would not get addicted.
I was also prescribed Baclofen, which I no longer take. I have stopped
having spasms, but I am also no longer exerting myself with the exercises
that Physical Therapy taught me. The new doctor did not authorize PT for
me. I went to the grocery store for an hour and a half this afternooon,
and I am exhausted. My heels feel like there is four hundred pounds of
weight on each heel. My lower legs are burning and throbbing so bad, I
wish they were cut off at the knees right now. I am rambling, but I am
waiting for the pain pills to kick in. I also found a huge pillow that I
have in bed under the bed pillows, and fall asleep in a semi sitting
position. That seems to take pressure off of my legs also. I hope in this
rambling, you might find some help for your husband. Like the rest of us,
keep hanging in there. I feel really useless to my husband right now,
because we have always been a working team together and right now he has to
do everything by himself, and he keeps reassuring me that we are going to
get through this. Sometimes I wonder how.
Debbie