Can pseudo-exacerbations bring out new symptoms?

[Corriel]

Hi everyone!  I had a brief bout last week of double vision in only my right eye. At the same time, my left eye had a visual field defect which I have experienced before and is related to my MS.  I was under a lot of stress at the time and was also exhausted so I just chalked it up to "another MS thing" and all was fine the next day.

It occurred to me today though that even though the visual field defect wasn't new, the double vision had not occurred before.  Is it possible that one eye was MS related and the other was just fatigue?

I thought mini-flares were supposed to be existing symptoms and not new ones or am I missing the boat on something?

As additional info, my main presenting symptom of MS two years ago was a visual field defect in both eyes, no optic neuritis.  Subsequent attacks and pseudo-exacerbations tended to only affect my left eye and not my right eye where the diplopia was last week.

Thanks for any thoughts you can share,

Corrie

[Corriel]

Thanks guys!  I had an appointment with my optometrist and she checked out my peepers and said all was good except my increasing need for progressive lenses. :-)

I will add the double vision episode to my list for my next neuro visit and see what he has to say about it. I don't know which lesion that would stem from so maybe he can help figure it out.

A big thanks for helping me to decipher that one!

Corrie

[karryon55]

I am still very confused on the subject of Psuedo versus true relapse myself. I do know that I was told that stress can start off as a pseudo but if the stress is prolonged it can cause inflammation which in turn can cause a true relapse.

I didn't bother even checking with an MRI during my most recent relapse but I had new symptoms that are still with me now albeit not as severe. I do know I have a lot of stress in my life with my mum being sick, losing my beloved little dog and so on. I wasn't able to go to hospital during my last relapse because my dog was very sick and I was on my own. It seemed that as time went by things improved slowly so then I thought it was pointless to bother. This was to the horror of my local MS chapter. :D

Take Care,

Karry.

[kwarendorf]

FYI - My source was NMSS.ORG.

[essdipity]

This is most interesting to me. My current neuro told me, upon first meeting, that a return of old symptoms, even if more intense, constitutes a pseudo. I think that's his own theory disguised as a fact. Nowhere in the online reputable sites could I find this, and believe me I looked.

Of course I didn't roll my eyes at him, but I felt like it, as I was in the midst of by far my worst relapse, as I'm pretty sure he subsequently realized. He hasn't mentioned that idea again. We'll see.

ess

[kwarendorf]

Hi Corrie -

For the most part mini flairs invlove previously existing symptoms. I think the difference between a pseudo and a real exacerbation is time. If a symptom is present for less than 24 hours it's probably a pseudo flair.

All new symptoms should be discussed with your neuro.

Kyle