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Muscle wastage and limb pain

Posted , 3 users are following.

GeorgiaS
GeorgiaS

For months I've had pain in my left arm when I move it in certain directions. I've been virtually bed bound for 10 years, I'm underweight and my muscles are very wasted. All I can feel in that arm is slack flesh and the bone!

When I get the pain in my arm it's severe and shoots all up and down my arm; I often have to cradle it with my other arm for a while and it feels sort of paralysed.

Do you get this? Could you suggest why it might be happening. And does anyone know what I can do about it?

I got a hand grip squeezer gadget but I don't know if it'd be wise to use it or not.

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • sueliz57
    sueliz57 GeorgiaS

    Posted

    This ties in a bit with a previous post of mine, I think we're in danger of becoming very deconditioned through no fault of our own. I would suggest trying to get a phsyio appointment if you can and get a proper assessment. You can get them thro the NHS but it may take a while.

    • GeorgiaS
      GeorgiaS sueliz57

      Posted

      Good idea Sue, I had planned to ask for a phone appointment with my doc but it's a good idea to know what to say beforehand and I hadn't thought as far ahead as seeing a physio. Thanks! razz

      It is very worrying about being so deconditioned and it's frustrating not being able to exercise or even go for walks.

    • sueliz57
      sueliz57 GeorgiaS

      Posted

      Frustrating isn't the word! I wonder if I'll ever be able to go for walks with family again. Still, I live near Liverpool so sometimes go to Ness gardens or the Wirral coast on good days, but suffer from it for the rest of the week!

      I've had a bad week this week as I was trying to do some physio exercises as prescribed to strengthen core muscles and they laid me flat!

    • GeorgiaS
      GeorgiaS sueliz57

      Posted

      That's awful! I hope you're going to tell the person who prescribed them! 

      I used to live in the Wirral; my dad, brothers, sisters etc are still there and my son was born in Birkenhead. I expect you go to New Brighton?

      I live in a tiny ancient village in Devon and it's so beautiful. There's a little wood down the lane, I call it my magic wood and I wish I could get there.

    • sueliz57
      sueliz57 GeorgiaS

      Posted

      Yes! New Brighton, West Kirkby, Thurstaston! Don't give up hope of getting back to your magic wood, one day . . .

    • GeorgiaS
      GeorgiaS sueliz57

      Posted

      I've lived in New Brighton, Birkenhead and West Kirby. Small world as they say. I love the Wirral. Maybe I'll be well enough soon to come up and see my dad.

      I'm sure I will get back in my magic wood one day. I'm really working on my diet, supplements etc and I'm feeling improvements.

    • sueliz57
      sueliz57 GeorgiaS

      Posted

      I know those places well! Small world as you say?
  • elaine62759
    elaine62759 GeorgiaS

    Posted

    The fact that the pain is intermitent and your arm feels paralysed could possibly mean the pain is coming from a problem with a disc in your neck. I had a fall and ended up with shooting pains down my arm and my fingers kept going numb. Got some exercises from a physio which helped a bit. Could also be that if your are right handed your left arm is just weaker anyway so the muscle wastage is more noticable. I used a hand grip squeeze (foam one) to help an injury to my wrist (after another fall!!) and it helped regain my grip strength but also had exercises from a physio. Might be worth speaking to someone about it. I was bedbound too when first ill and managed to get some strength back in my legs again so I could walk but still have a weakness with both arms.
    • GeorgiaS
      GeorgiaS elaine62759

      Posted

      I think it probably is because I use my left arm less. The look and feel of them is noticably different and there's more muscle in my right arm.

      How did you get some strength back in your legs; are you in recovery? Well you must be. How did you do it briefly? Well it was probably too much to say here.

    • elaine62759
      elaine62759 GeorgiaS

      Posted

      I had severe M.E. but now have moderate M.E. I was mostly bedridden for about a year with glandular fever. I started off getting out of bed and sitting in a chair, very gradually increasing the length of time I sat in the chair. Then I started walking about in house gradually increasing the distance. Then I did the same in the garden and eventually managed to walk about 15 minutes from the house but it took me about another year to achieve this!
    • elaine62759
      elaine62759 GeorgiaS

      Posted

      I had severe M.E. and was bedridden for about a year to start with. I started sitting in a chair, gradually increasing the time spent sitting, then walked about the house gradually increasing the distance, then the garden. It took me about a year to be able to walk for 15 minutes. The turning point for me was a remedial yoga class. After doing parts of the classes for a few months my legs got a bit stronger and was able to walk for 30 to 40 mins. Have never managed to get past this though and am only able to do this on good days. On very bad days I would not be able to go out at all!
    • GeorgiaS
      GeorgiaS elaine62759

      Posted

      One of the occupational therapists that used to visit me taught me some gentle Yoga exercises to do on the bed and I've done them on and off but I always end up losing motivation.

      Perhaps my arm getting so bad will be my motivation to start doing it again; and that it's helping you so much is encouraging. Thanks razz

    • elaine62759
      elaine62759 GeorgiaS

      Posted

      ?I wouldn't give up hope as I thought I wouldn't be able to walk again. But you need a lot of patience as it is a very very slow process and you need to be prepared for a lot of relapses and muscle pain but any improvement at all would be worth it. The classes I went to are really meant to be for people with MS but a friend persuaded me to try it. I never thought I'd be able to do any exercise and decided go along and watch a class to see what was invloved but ended up joining in with a few of the stretches and the relaxation at the end. When I got home I was amazed to find that I actually had some energy for the first time in years and feel like I could move more freely as if my body had been oiled. It took me a few days to recover but managed to go to the classes on and off for a couple of years. Was never able to do all the exercises or as many repetitions as everyone else but it definitely built my legs up so I could walk further. Unfortunately the exercises started getting more advanced so became too much for me but had written down the ones that helped me and used to do them at home instead. Ended up stopping doing them due to other issues in my life as didn't have the energy for it all but am trying to get back into it. Keep trying - tiny steps at a time!! (sorry about weird sloppy writing - my computer's gone funny!) 

    • sueliz57
      sueliz57 elaine62759

      Posted

      So true Elaine and I'm glad you said that bit about your computer I thought my eyes were going funny!

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