Scary episode with legs - anyone relate?

[ro44]

Last night I had taken a hot bath (which always makes my calf muscles tight, rather than relaxed, weird, I know) and laid in the bed for an hour or two watching t.v. I got up to turn out lights and as I was walking down hallway my legs felt so stiff. Not weak, like jelly legs, just stiff and I could barely walk. I was taking little steps like a 100 year old person and it terrified me! I told my husband, something is WRONG WITH ME, I CAN BARELY WALK! There was no pain, only stiffness and like my legs felt really heavy. I got into bed and cried and cried, so scared. I told my hubby to get me a xanax because I was terrified! I took it, laid there for around 45 minutes, so upset! Then I told him I am going to get up and try to walk. Otherwise, I will lay here all night, terrified! He stood beside me and I walked to the restroom pretty normal. I moved my legs around, even did a squat and lunge and my legs seemed fine. I know in the past I have felt weird walking when my neck and shoulders are tight, I feel off in the head, not really dizzy, hard to explain. But, I've never had my legs feel that bad before. I start thinking, MS, or something bad. Does this sound like MS? I just can't believe that anxiety would cause this. ANYBODY RELATE?

[xBettyBoopx]

Hi Ro

No, it doesn't sound like MS, if you had MS your legs would be like that all the time. You said you felt tense, your leg muscles probably tighten up so much that's why it seemed hard to walk. You can realise that by what happened after you took the xanax. You got up & legs were normal.

I know us health anxiety sufferers always think we have something horrible & that no amount of reassurance actually reassures us. Time will do that, although we need it right away.

I understand about the bath not relaxing you because I feel anxious & tense when I have a bath or shower, I don't know why but I feel more tense when I get out! Just another bloody symptom that we have to put up with along with all the others

Take care
Els
xxx

[hm1177]

hi i found your post while searching for these symptoms as I've had this since thurs. It feels like my legs are going really stiff and I have to bend them to relieve the pressure. I stupidly googled muscle spasms and came up with MS but last night it started to ease and its now just in mt ankles and toes so I'm hoping in a few days it'll have gone altogether. Nice to know I'm not alone though as its hard to describe! Hope your legs are feeling better now.

[ro44]

Thanks for the reply. They haven't been that bad since. A little stiff last night, especially if I walk barefoot. My ankles also feel stiff and my toes seem to stay cold a lot. It seems so strange that taking a hot bath makes my calf muscles really stiff when I get out of the tub and start walking. The hot water seems to relax my back and shoulders but it sure makes my legs tight, I don't understand it at all. I guess I shouldn't take such hot baths. I wonder if part of it might be due to lower back trouble. I've had bad spells with my low back in the past. Doing alright now, however, every day when I sit at my vanity and put on my makeup, I kind of lean into my lighted makeup mirror. I probably sit there 10 minutes or so. Anyway, when I look at my bare feet I notice that the right one always turns kind of purpleish. Also up my calf a little. It doesn't go numb or anything and when I stand up the color goes back to normal very quickly. The only thing I can figure is that when I am leaning, even though it is slight, maybe a disc in my low back is somehow affecting the circulation. I also notice after I get up and move around that my calves are stiff. I am so WEIRD!!! LOL!!! I just hope my legs don't get any stiffer.

Ro

[mabelina]

This has been happening to me in the last 2 weeks. I went to walk upstairs in my friends house and half way up, my legs stiffened up. They felt like a weight was attached and went so rigid. I did freak me out for a while but then i forgot about it. The other day though, i was walking across my bedroom and it happened again. I seem to be able to walk ok, its just the stiff heavy feeling really takes me by surprise.

[Nechtan]

I'll add myself to the list too. I've had problems over the last couple of days and I think it is in part due a drop in tempreture. My wife has been complaining over the past few days of cold feet and that is how it started with me. At the moment my feet and legs feel very stick and I have to keep flexing them. Must be the time of year.

All the best

Nechtan

[*D*]

Hi Ro,
I can relate 100% this has been driving me nuts, I have tremondous tension in my neck shoulders & back. Not sure if this has anything to do with it or not. It was realy bad over the holidays, it has started to go away now, thats why I think it is realted to my anxiety. I was very stressed over the holidays and with work. It is starting to subside now. I diffentlty can relate to the stiffness and jelly legs, just when you get used to one symptom another one comes along.
Hope you are feeling better.

D