<< Another weird thing is after I go to sleep
and wake up my legs always feel like crap they got this anoying burning
sensation and my feeling gets better as the day goes on. I really need
help to get me through this. I just want someone to tell me its gonna get
better because theres no way I could live my life like this. >>
Dear Bill,
Almost every morning that I awaken I have a similar feeling. The best
chronological descriptive scenario I can give is as follows. In the
beginning I had a burning (almost like a white hot electrical shock senation)
would surge through my legs, and my legs would draw up underneath me. It felt
as if I were a puppet and I had strings attached to the base of my foot
(heel), and the puppet master would pull on the strings during the night.
Then when I would wake up I was a mess until I was able to do a routine of
exercises given by my physical therapist. These exercises worked on my deep
fascia areas and the superficial layers of my legs.
I also keep a large exercise resistance band (blue band made of rubber) near
the bed for those mornings when I have to wrap this band around the feet for
help in stretching these muscles out, so I won't hyperextend my legs. The
feelings have changed in my legs over the course of my TM. There have been
days in the beginning (hospital) when my legs felt like mush, and someone
else had to physically move them for me. This was done to keep atrophy from
setting in, then as time moved on I was able to do the exercises myself. My
doctor believes that the strange feels are the healing process, and obviously
for me this is true. So with each new change I am given the hope that this
to shall pass, and I will regain part of what TM has taken from me. The
answer to your question regarding the amount of time? I don't know in your
case but in my case it was about 6-8 months. As Barbara stated in her
correspondence, every one is different. I feel that there is always a good
chance that people with similar symtoms will have similar recovery patterns.
Where has the TM affected your spinal cord?(mine occured at T-10)
Hoped this helped, and you are feeling alittle less apprehensive.
Kindest regards,
Beth