? About MS Causing ANS Dysfunction

[slightlybroken]

I know that MS can effect the autonomic nervous system (ANS). I was also doing some reading the other day that some of the ANS is located in the T-spine.

Would a lesion in the T-spine also cause ANS dysfunction in those controls?

I guess simply put..I've had several episodes when I've gotten overheated that's had a direct effect on my blood pressure (at least I think so). I go pale, my vision goes dim and speckled (similar to looking through a TV station that isn't coming in good), and my legs are weak. I also feel faint or really sleepy. When I try to stand, things go from bad to worse. It isn't until I cool off that things go back to normal.

I've also had other symptoms as well..nausea, stomach cramps, cold clammy sweat, my heart rate will increase, my respiratory will feel funny..just to name a few. When I was looking up info about the ANS because of my recent episode, all these controls seemed to be located in the T-spine...so maybe there is an issue there? IDK but with my recent positive SSEP I'm beginning to wonder. Am I thinking correctly? Would it effect things like this because of Uhthoff's?

I also have bladder involvement as well. I've read that when you sleep at night your brain slows down the production of urine. I've had episodes to waking up to urinating on myself. I didn't even know what was happening. I just realized that..oh heck...I need to get to the bathroom before I make a mess. This always occurs within 3-4 hours after going to sleep. The thing is, I always use the restroom before going to bed, so why would I be loosing my urine so shortly after going to bed? Could this be related to ANS dysfunction as well?

Can anyone explain how MS can cause ANS dysfunction and how would a doctor know if this was occurring?
Curious :)

[slightlybroken]

Thanks LuLu for the info. I knew the urge to urinate wasn't apart of the ANS but was maybe thinking that slowing down the process of urine production might be linked since I thought that was slowed down by the brain when sleeping. I also read that there is autonomic nerves on the bladder that are connected to the t-spine. Maybe I'm thinking wrong.

I don't get the urge to go..it just happens and goes and I wake up to it.  Nocturnal Incontinence.

I'll have to try your suggestions as well. It's hit or miss when it occurs. I've had bowel issues as well.

I know the ANS does control heart & breathing..& blood pressure but wondered if a t-spine lesion could have an effect to what I've been experiencing.

[Lulu54]

I'm no expert on this but do have some experience with part of the topic.  the urge to urinate is not part of the autnomic function - that is things like your breathing and your heart pumping.  The process of urination is a complicated system of signals being sent between all sorts of pieces and parts (I told you I'm not the expert or I would be using the big words  LOL).
The heart regulation can be interupted by spinal lesions - the local neuro I talked with last month said that less than 5% of patients have autonomic problems with the heart and most of those are due to spinal lesions.  Again, I am not expert - those were his words.

Nocturia, the urge to urinate during sleep, is a horrible interuption.  I know because I also have that problem if I don't follow a protocol laid out by my neuro.  He suggested I have 2/3 of my daily liquid intake before noon, and nothing after I have had dinner except for the sips of water needed to take my pills.  Cut out the caffeine, carbonation and alcohol, too..... that's my advice.  The first two can over excited your system and cause frequent urination.

I have read that we produce urine from what we drink about an hour later, but according to my docs that is not true- they say tha our kidneys continue to produce urine much latger.  if That one hour thing was true, we wouldn't get up repeatedly through the night.

There is lots of information on the web about how to control nocturia - you might want to try some of the tips.  It is wonderful to sleep more than 3 hours at a stretch.

Good luck with all this and I hope we see you around here more,
Lulu