The "MS Hug" Demystified

I had this and it actually did make me feel quite short of breath on exertion. Very much like wearing a tight corset, came back as part of a relapse too but subsided after about 6 weeks and not had it now for about 3 years.

Thanks for explaining dysesthesias! Don't think I can pronounce it, but that was one of the first neurologic symptoms I had back in 1995 when my MS started up. Along with numbness, tingling, optic neuritis, urgency, ataxia; I think I had the full symptom set! MS hug and the other weird sensation finally stopped in 2004 when I started low dose naltrexone, even got the feeling back in my fingers after years of numbness. The research to back up patient experience is occurring finally; the first study report from Dr. Gironi, Univ. of Milan, is now in The Journal of Multiple Sclerosis. MS/LDN research at Univ. Ca and Penn State is also showing good results.

I have had the "hug" for years, but mine isn't a band, it's like I was put into a huge vice and squeezed from the sides.  Always fun, but what are you going to do?  I too take LDN, so far so good.  It seems to be helping with the cramping in the legs.

Thanks for discussing this further, Mandy. I've wondered if this MS hug is what I've experienced from time to time, but the descriptions I've read don't completely match up with how I've felt. So I still wonder -- but guess it really doesn't matter too much since the symptoms eventually go away.

A year before I was diagnosed with MS, I went to see a cardiologist for what felt like a heavily thumping heart, chest tightness and dizziness. Everything checked out fine, but I was left with no answer to what was wrong. Stress was suggested. After 3-4 mos, the symptoms gradually disappeared. The same thing has come back a couple more times over the past few years -- the most recent time made me wonder if I was having a heart attack. No pain, but taking more effort to draw in breath and a feeling of heaviness on my chest. Made me wonder if I was having some type of anxiety attack, but I didn't feel any more stressed than usual.

Do you know if there is a definitive way to know if it's MS hug or not? (lesion in a particular spot, or more defining part of symptom?)

My experience of this band feeling is lower than my chest.  It occurs just below the bust line and the upper portion of my rib cage burns, it feels like a band squeezing me and like I have a fist pushing into the center of the area.  Anyone else experience the "hug" in that area?

Donna

I hate the MS Hug, I've been living with it for over 2 years now.  When it is a level 1 in pain/discomfort I don't even notice it anymore but when it is a 5-10 I get so fatigued.  Right now it is a 5 and I also have a temp. of 99.2 which I know it technically not a fever, but for me whenever I feel this kind of fatigue I have a temp. of 99 or higher.

Thanks about the ms hug i got a book about someone that worte about the ms hug and it say the same as you just did

I had this in the hospital; I thought it was a heart attack.  They said it was an alergic reaction to Morphine; except for the fact that i had plenty of morphine after my hysterectomy and it didn't do anything like this.  I have had several attacks before; but like others, I thought it was GERD.  Still, I guess it could have been Gall stone attack; but how would you know the difference?  The symptoms are very similar....

I kept getting diagnosed with pleurisy since I had it in the past, Now I know it is the hug...My first symptoms were feeling like the circulation was cut off from my fingers (I always described it to dr's that "it feels like I have rings on my fingers that are TOO tight", Has anyone had this? They just feel swollen all of the time..although they are not.

Thanks

Cheri

I do not have a diagnosis- however I've had a symptom on and off and upon getting up this morning I had an A HA moment.  I've read about the hug and didn't think it sounded like something I've ever experienced.

Some mornings when I get up I feel spasms all around my waist to just below my rib cage.  Sometimes only on one side, sometimes all the way around my waist.  I attributed it to a long existing herniated disc injury.  Other times I think it's from having to go to the bathroom and it's cramping because I've 'held' it too long?  I've had an ultrasound of my gallbladder and been checked for UTI's.  Now I'm wondering if this is the hug??   This morning it's still spasming on and off and with some of the waves it does take my breath away.

Can anyone relate?

oh, and I am going in to see my doctor on Tuesday to push to do an MRI so I've been tracking symptoms.

I don't know if it's relevant to chime in at this point, but the HUG is one of my scariest, most awful sx.

The first time I experienced the HUG it went on for what seemed like forever, but must've been about 2-3 hours. I really thought I would choke. I thought it was a gastritis attack. I took antacids and cold water. It really hurt.

After that I had an attack of the HUG every few months, always in the evenings when we were relaxing / dozing opposite the TV. At first it really freaked both me and my DH out completely.

Since then I've had many attacks, even in the middle of my morning swim. That was freaky. I went through about 3 months of HUG from last June (2009) until some time in Sept. It ranged from a level 2 to 15 on a scale of 10!

I have found that swimming seems to help me. I think it's the rhythmic breathing that seems to relax the HUG to some extent. Of course, if it's really bad, I can't get to the pool at all, no less into the water.

I'm going to have a total MRI in a month: brain + spinal column. I have a feeling there must be stuff going on in the spine that brings on the HUG. I'll let everyone know what I find out.

Has anyone ever noticed a connection between the HUG and TN? I seem to get them together. Just a thought.

Peace & Serenity,

Maris