Atypical Multiple Sclerosis

Well, I am three and a half weeks post surgery.  And look ma, no cruchtes!  That is right. I shed my afos (ankle/foot orthotics) and forearm cructhes.  I don’t even use a cane.  I am walking normally.

I forgot that your feet actually go one foot in front of the other when you walk. For so long my feet went out to the side.  In fact, my neuro-rehab doc described my walk as that of a Zombie: stiff legged and painfully slow. She even reminded me that I should have been in a wheelchair were it not for my stubbornness, and unyielding decision to stay upright until I couldn’t anymore. Giddy with excitement over the results, this doc had me walking for everyone.  And I was glad to oblige.

I also found out that I am more of the exception than the norm with my baclofen pump results.  Most people with mulitple sclerosis, whether primary progress, atypical ms, or your normal garden variety do not get the pump so early or have such great results.

Now, after so many months with this blog, I know what you’re thinking. Why? Why are my results, well quite frankly atypical?  I asked the same question. I even asked why they don’t implant the pump on more people who are still mobile. They tend to have many people who are immobile, even with twisted limbs before a pump is implanted.

Again, relativity and everyone’s ms is different, comes into play. See, in regards to my spasticity I am described as looking more like a spinal cord injury patient. From my trunk down to my toes I have pretty equal severe spasticity. Even leg weakness was bilateral and pretty even; although, my right side is the weaker side but only slightly.

So, most of the time patients have only one side with severe spasticity. Because the pump dispenses lioresal (liquid baclofen) through a catheter implanted directly into the spinal canal, spasticity is relieved bilaterally.  If one side is severely spastic and one side not so much then the result of the pump will be one side too weak to work properly and one side somewhat relieved.  Not good results.

I guess in that case I am lucky. Because of the bilateral severity, I am reaping the wonderful relief that the baclofen pump promises. Imagine that, being so inhibited, being so spastic, being so affected actually works in my favor. Ironic, really. And I love irony.

The other major reason my docs don’t see such great results is that many people choose not to have the pump implanted. I would like to say I don’t understand why someone would choose not to have the pump implanted. But I can’t.

Back in February of this year, my neuro-rehab doc told me I needed the baclofen pump after botox injections were unsuccessful. As I explained somewhere else in this blog, botox is injected in isolated muscles to relieve spasticity. Due to insurance red tape, I needed to max out on oral baclofen AND have unsuccessful botox treatment before being covered for implantation of a baclofen pump.

In February 2008 I had my botox follow-up. The botox only relieved my calf muscles to the detriment of the rest of my leg and torso muscles. I went into that appointment in severe pain because the rest of my spastic muscles were trying to compensate for the now less spastic calf muscles. Basically, my whole gait was thrown off (again! -first time of course is because of MS) creating a great deal of strain on my legs and lower back. 

Yet, I still said “NO!” to the pump. I wanted to try botox once more. So, May 2008 was the target date for the next botox injection. Meanwhile, I was sent to physical therapy. I spoke with hubby, family, and friends. All said, “TAKE THE PUMP!”  Oh, no. I was too young for such a permanent, drastic move. My physical therapist, wonderful woman who is blunt. Which I really like. Give it to me straight. She said “If you got worse after the first botox treatment, what makes you think the second one will help?” Great question, don’t you think. I had no answer for her. I had to admit that botox wasn’t going to work. 

Left with no other option, no other feasible, reasonable, sane option, I informed my neuro-rehab doc in May 2008, that I did indeed want the baclofen pump. Three months later and I am a different looking person.

As my doc says, “You don’t even look like anything is wrong!” Good stuff really. I am even getting used to having this baclofen pump in my side. I am beginning to think of it as my little ticker-it’s what keeps me going physically. Well that and ten months of chemo (Cytoxan). Hubby, son, friends and family keep me going psychologically.