View Full Version : The pain and spasticity in my left hand are killing me!
I don't get. I've never had this before. After getting some finger extension back in my right hand it's always been looser than the left. But at least my left hand has never been painful, before. Now, I always have a tight painful feeling in my fingers. When I ride my FES bike my finges clench in rythym to the bike. Even my legs are more spastic. Usually the FES eliminates that.
Could it be nicotine from chewing tobacco? The other times when I chewed I was taking more baclofen. Now, extra baclofen doesn't seem to help at all. All I can do is take ibufrofen and drink rum as my schedule allows.
This is very frustrating. Sometimes I almost can't transfer because the pain is so bad.
~See you at the SCIWire-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/wavey.gif ~
SCI-Nurse
02-08-2002, 11:31 AM
Jeff, you know I am going to tell you that nicotine in any form (chewed, smoked, snuffed, etc.) is bad for you, and can make your body more irritable and likely to have increased spasticity. In addition, I have taken care of too many patients with head and neck cancer related to chewing. Please take better care of yourself and stop!
In addition, baclofen should not be combined with alcohol as this can lead to respiratory depression and increase effects of both the alcohol and baclofen in causing sedation, making safety a real concern.
If you are sure you have no local injury such as a hand fracture (which could trigger increased spasticity) I would suggest that you see your physiatrist and ask about some selective blocking in your hand with a drug such as Botox. This drug is quite effective for use with small muscles such as those in the hand and forearm.
(KLD)
smokey
02-08-2002, 11:41 AM
Come on dude, get off the chew! What are you a hillbilly? Do you like going around spitting foul smelling brown fluid? What about your breath? What about your teeth? What about cancer? What about your old lady? Baclofen and booze? Sounds like your old lady won't be sticking around too long if she comes back at all!
Yes, I knew the tobacco reproof was coming. But I've used it in the past without problems. I'll do my best to quit but it won't be easy at this time in my life.
I'll also schedule an xray and look into Botox. Thank you for the suggestion!
~See you at the SCIWire-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/wavey.gif ~
Curt Leatherbee
02-08-2002, 01:00 PM
Maybe you could substitute drinking Herbal tea for the Tobacco Chewing. It is good for you and should not have any adverse affects.
"Life is about how you
respond to not only the
challenges you're dealt but
the challenges you seek...If
you have no goals, no
mountains to climb, your
soul dies".~Liz Fordred
Yeah, I've done that in the past. It helps a little.
I might try Nicorette Gum, again. The individual packaging is so hard to open I wean myself and eventually quit for that reason alone. http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif
~See you at the SCIWire-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/wavey.gif ~
I researched Botox and it seems I would get it from a neurologist... Is this correct? I plan to get xrayed at my GP and want to advise him about getting the botox injection.
I find the pain does subside slightly if I take lots of baclofen. I'm alternating between ibufrofen and acetaminophen so one doesn't become less potent.
Can anxiety cause this reaction? The INS LOST MY PETITION for my wife's visa. I'm extremely angry and anxious about what to do.
~See you at the SCIWire-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/wavey.gif ~
SCI-Nurse
02-08-2002, 05:10 PM
Although it is poorly research, there are some indications that stress can make spasticity temporarily worse.
Many physiatrists also do Botox injections. If you are have one you know and trust, I would start with this specialist rather than a neurologist who may not know you well.
Smokey's right about the chewing. I can't even hardly stand to be around my patients who chew (and spit all the time), much less give them a friendly hug and kiss. You do put your teeth at risk. As a quad I am sure you use your teeth for a lot of functional activities. I guarantee these are more difficult with oral cancer or dentures. Remember that Nicorette is just nicotine in a different form. I would suggest you ask your physican about Wellbutrin for smoking cessation. In our program where I work their research shows that it works better than Nicorette gum or patches in actually successfully stopping tobacco use.
Sorry about the INS issue. What a bunch of screw ups!
(KLD)
I'll ask my physiatrist if he does Botox injections.
I hope you agree with the content of Smokey's message but not with how he presented it. I'm having a difficult time and his offensive posts are not called for. There's always a way to admonish without being harsh or critical. Smokey has few friends among the ladies here, either. He usually reserves his bad humor for the R&S Forum but seems to be branching out.
~See you at the SCIWire-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/wavey.gif ~
Holy Mother!
My doc gave this to me for pain. The 200mg kind. Wow. It cut my pain in half. Add some ibuprofen and a little cheap rum [sorry, KLD!] and voila! I can transfer like an animal. I can't believe it. Hopefully there's not a problem being masked. If the pain doesn't subside after a while then I really do need the xray. But for now I can traansfer without falling. The pain was cutting me short halfway like a bullet. It would stop me dead. I fell in a parking lot and had to crawl back into my car because of shooting pain in my hand. Wow. This is much bettter. http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/cool.gif
~See you at the SCIWire-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/wavey.gif ~