Hi All, I've had TM since October 2005 and, unfortunately, was unable to take either Gabapentin (Neurontin) or Lyrica. The side effects weren't tolerable.
Here is information from the NINDS website and their explanation of spasticity. (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) What is Spasticity? Spasticity is a condition in which certain muscles are continuously contracted. This contraction causes stiffness or tightness of the muscles and may interfere with movement, speech, and manner of walking. Spasticity is usually caused by damage to the portion of the brain or spinal cord that controls voluntary movement. It may occur in association with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, damage to the brain because of lack of oxygen, brain trauma, severe head injury, and metabolic diseases such as adrenoleukodystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), and phenylketonuria. Symptoms may include hypertonicity (increased muscle tone), clonus (a series of rapid muscle contractions), exaggerated deep tendon reflexes, muscle spasms, scissoring (involuntary crossing of the legs), and fixed joints. The degree of spasticity varies from mild muscle stiffness to severe, painful, and uncontrollable muscle spasms. Spasticity can interfere with rehabilitation in patients with certain disorders, and often interferes with daily activities. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/spasticity/spasticity.htm When I searched for "banding" I came across this comment: "Many patients with transverse myelitis report a tight banding or girdle-like sensation around the trunk and that area may be very sensitive to touch." It was from MedicineNet.com under a section headed "Definition of Transverse Myelitis". http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=11604 I wonder if the actual name for the condition is "Spasicity" but we describe it as a "banding" because we don't know the actual terminology? Regards. Louise ----- Original Message ----- From: Robert Pall To: Janet Dunn ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [email protected] Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 7:46 AM Subject: RE: [TMIC] Re: banding Dear Janet, I understand it might not be for everyone as we all have different reactions to the meds we take, just as none of us has all of the same degree of TM. That being said in 9+ years of having TM no drug has helped me with the banding in my right leg as much as Lyrica. I noticed the improvement within minutes of my first dose 1 1/2 years ago. I now take 450 mg per day and have had no ill side effects. Lastly this drug was prescribed to me by Dr. Kerr specifically for the banding, numbness and pins and needles! Rob in New Jersey ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: Janet Dunn [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 10:54 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [email protected] Subject: RE: [TMIC] Re: banding Hello One of my biggest symptoms is the banding. Right under my right ribs, and often down my legs. I have been told it is part of the TM. There are days though when I wonder. The banding is sometimes so intense it takes my breath away. It also is quite bad around my knee, and my foot. As an aside, I am just coming out of a week of "quality bed rest time" as I apparently picked up a virus that got my TM to fire right up. Is this the beginning of another progression or does anyone know? The bright side to the whole episode is that the doctor on call that I saw actually is experienced with TM and jumped right on the symptoms I had and placed a call to a neurologist. (We are a bit isolated) She is treating a female patient with TM and understood a lot of the other symptoms I have. So, that is 3 of us in this town now. Janet From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: February 10, 2007 7:08 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [email protected] Subject: [TMIC] Re: banding Randy wrote about his doctor: "He doesn't believe that anything can be done about the banding. His only comment is that it is just another symptom. " I, too, have never gotten clear answers about this. My pains are minimal, but I've occasionally experienced the tight 'banding' on the lower right section of my rib cage. However, more often, it's less severe, and just feels sore as though I'm recovering from being kicked in the ribs. It's usually worse later in the day. But even more often, I feel a 'sore' type of pain just under my right ribs - almost like a cramp, towards the front - center of my body. For a long time, this was the only pain I experienced as everything else involved was totally numb. I even noticed it for a couple of days before the TM/paralysis hit. For the better part of a year, the neuro barely paid attention to my question, saying it was just part of the TM. Then the last time I asked her, she said I'd have to ask my regular doctor, as it had nothing to do with TM! (I interpret that as: 'I really have no idea and don't remember how I answered the last time you asked.') One of my concerns is that I may be ignoring something else that isn't part of TM. (I think it's in the area of my gallbladder, but then they checked everything in the ER when I first went in paralyzed w/TM, and I would think they would have caught it if it was a gallbladder problem.) Does my description just sound like 'banding', or different from what you folks experience? Sally
