Once again my sleep is interrupted and I am awake at an ungodly hour. Yesterday I was awake from 2:30 - 4:45. Today I was awakened at three a.m. and I found I had peed the bed a little. Yippee! Isn't that what every 38-year old woman does?
I know my multiple sclerosis is fairly benign compared to other people's MS. However, it's been ramping up silently and slowly lately and it's starting to really annoy me. For example, the sleep thing is getting ridiculous. I take enough meds at night to knock out a horse. Two of those meds are Requip and Baclofen which should take the edge off my muscle twitches but not so much lately.
Most nights, or should I say mornings, I'm aroused (NOT in that way) because my legs are a-popping. My calf and lower leg muscles are bouncing around and bouncing against each other. I can only ignore so much and then I get out of bed. Once I am upright the popping or muscle fasciculations (fancy word for twitches) usually stop. I am so desperate to sleep through the night that I usually put a hot corn bag (like a heating pad) under both legs each night before I go to sleep. That is what I used to do this past summer and it worked much better than it is now.
So here I am b!tching about minor things when I know it can be much worse. I need to call the neuro's office again today to check on things. The last time I was there we talked about my lack of sleep, which, if you know me has never been a real problem before. I need to talk about my increase in leg fasciculations because it's not even close to summer yet when things really ramp up to a high level.
Anyone have any ideas or suggestions for the sleep and/or muscle twitches? I don't think it's a case of missing any potassium or something like that. I know the neuro wanted to try melatonin for sleep but I am wary of that because a friend sent me a link saying that it may not be the best for people with MS and that it can affect depression which I also deal with on a daily basis. That means I need to ask the neuro about that specifically.
Sigh, I know it could be worse but it's not usually like this in April when it's not even hot yet. I'm done b!thcing for now. Wish me good night, please!
4 comments:
Ooh, you taught me a new word! fasciculations -- and it's one that I can use, because I have them all the damned time. At night, when my legs are fasciculating, I take 20mg diazepam, and 40mg baclofen - on top of whatever baclofen I already took that day. It usually gets me to sleep, then I rarely am bothered by being awakened by them.
For the occasional(and random) bladder spasm (often caused by an infection) I sleep on a crib liner. That way the sheets don't have to be changed. Best tip ever!
Thanks Webster. This waking up thing due to MS or not is really starting to get old fast.
The twitches seem to start at these random hours and I've taken Baclofen 40 mg, Requip, Xanax and Seroquel for sleep. Ay yay yay.
Calling the neuro today!
Hi Weebs--
I've been foregoing the Baclofen as of late. I get the leg jerks too (not badly right now but more so right before and during an infection and especially during relapses.) They make the bed herky-jerky and scare the cat-LOL.
Haven't wet the bed since a relapse a couple of years ago. I get crazy urges out of nowhere where I do "dribble" a little--while awake---and then only go a little when I get to the bathroom. Completely random.
I do not know very many NS people who can sleep. I have to keep taking a higher dose of Requip to keep my legs quite.
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