Sudden muscle spasms

[Polly]

In the past hour my husband has had severe muscles spasms firstly in his right arm, then followed by his left arm. I tried gentle stretching as demonstrated by physio, massage with aromatherapy cream prescribed by hospice, and wheat bag. Nothing helped, and he was in severe pain. Of course these things always happen outside office hours, when you can’t reach your health professionals! It happened quite soon after he’d had his medication - paracetamol, gabapentin and baclofen. So I tried a small dose of oramorph. It’s eased off now, and I will contact the palliative care team tomorrow. But I wondered whether any of you have had a sudden severe episode like this and how to help if it happens again.

[Ellie]

Gosh, that must have been frightening for you both Polly - I'll bet you're glad it didn't start in his left arm or you'd have thought he was having a heart attack.

Presumably he has had that 3 med combo before and he isn't dehydrated - was he doing anything immediately before the spasms came on? A stretch, change of position, coughing fit, breathing episode etc ?

Occasionally I get a sudden muscle spasm but it's because I've moved, yawned or am cold.

I'm glad the oramorph worked.

Love Ellie.

[matthew55]

Didn't you say my new one was anti spasm? I don't take it anymore as it didn't help my issues. 😁🤗😘😍xx

[Ellie]

Didn't you say my new one was anti spasm?

Yep, a heavy duty medicine "indicated for the treatment of chronic, severe spasticity of skeletal muscle in adults". Even I'm not that spastic 🤣🤣🤣😘

[matthew55]

Nothing was mentioned when my neuro nurse recommended it. I know I look like a spaz, just don't feel like one. 😁🤗😘😍xx

[Ellie]

I feel like one and I look like one... xx

[Mary C]

Hi Polly, I used to get what I described as electric shocks in my arms.These episodes lasted only a minute or so but would return time and time again.I noticed it was when I used my hands to hold things .A year later my right hand is weak and withered looking with a poor grip.The left hand is not as affected but getting those” electric shock feelings” in left hand and cramps in fingers if I try and lift or grip once.
Hope the palliative team can help your husband ASAP.
Best wishes
Mary

[LindaB]

Polly sounds a very frightening experience. My community hospice team are available 24/7 to support. I wonder if it's worth checking when they are available just in case for future? Helps to have health professionals to at least talk to.
Take care 🤗

[Patw]

I get all over spasm when I yawn it’s quite nice tbh ,, I don’t like how sensitive my nerves in my legs and private area are anyone else get this , got prescription of baclofen , haven’t started yet read mixed stories on it 👍

[keno]

I was having cramps in my legs at night and was given quinine. Since then I have not had cramps and also notice less twitching of the muscles.

[Polly]

Thanks to everyone who replied. We had a really bad day yesterday, so i didn’t thank you all. Needless to say I couldn’t speak to anyone from the palliative care team, but in the late afternoon, a nurse rang. Not spoken to her before but she was really nice. She gave advice about giving additional oromorph and is asking the palliative care consultant to ring re medicine review.

[Ellie]

We had a really bad day yesterday,

Sorry to here that Polly.

Hopefully his meds assessment will yield results by, perhaps, increasing and/or introducing a different antispasmodic med to lessen his high muscle tone.

Wishing you both a few good days. xx

[shelly21]

Hi Polly I use baclofen x 3 a day at 10ml. It solves my spasms. I'm also on butec patch. Its a 7 day patch so easier re rendering etc. Its helping with my breakthrough pain such as buttock and hip pain re wasting muscles. Its a morphine type patch and they have said as I progress I can take oramorph also.

I really would be lost without baclofen.

[Polly]

Shelly, my husband’s dose is much lower - 3 ml twice a day and 5 at night. I mentioned increasing it to the OT who is our point of contact for the palliative care team and she said they don’t like giving too much as it will affect his breathing. Hopefully the consultant will increase it, or change to something different.

[Ellie]

my husband’s dose is much lower - 3 ml twice a day and 5 at night. I mentioned increasing it to the OT who is our point of contact for the palliative care team and she said they don’t like giving too much as it will affect his breathing. Hopefully the consultant will increase it, or change to something different.

Poppy, for an OT to be making any clinical decisions on behalf of your husband is simply unacceptable...

I take 20ml/20mg of Baclofen at night, 10ml/10mg 2x day, and I am in severe respiratory failure. I could not function without taking Baclofen.

There is always a trade off in taking any medicine, often to do with quality of life and any decision is for your husband to make, once he has been informed of any risks and contraindications.

Love Ellie.