Severe allergic reaction prior to the onset of MS?

[saraht79]

Hi!
I was reading one of the replies to another post and I came across this reply fom mrwjd (this is just an excerpt):


"Example:  When I was a college student, I turned red and itched like crazy all over for days, nothing nearly as scary as your eyes but very, very uncomfortable.  When it was unbearable, I went to the student health center, was told I didn't need to be seen and sent away.  The third day I walked across campus to the health center, I'd had it 5 or 6 days.  I hadn't slept, missed classes, and saw no end in sight.  So when the receptionist said, "The doctor's busy and you don't need a doctor for that," I told her, okay, I can't do anything else, so I'll just sit here in the waiting room until someone has time to see me, and I did.  She was NOT HAPPY.  I was a shy kid, can hardly believe now that I asserted myself at that age, but I was desperate.

You can guess the rest:  Doctor finally saw me, examined me for about two minutes, and said, "Why didn't you come in sooner?!?"  Turned out the problem was aggravated by a raging allergic reaction, he gave me a shot of cortisone, and within hours I could eat and sleep again. "

I find this extremely interesting because I had a similar, unexplainable, severe allergic reaction much like this in college as well. I woke up in the middle of the night itching all over my body, especially the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet. I felt like I was "itching from the inside out." It was literally enough to drive me insane. I have many allergies (I should live in a bubble lol) but I have never had a reaction like that before or since. I ended up having to go to the ER to get IV antihistamines etc.

I am wondering if others have has a similar situation as the two of us. I am always wondering what "triggered" my MS. I believe it is both genetic and environmental. I am wondering if this allergic instance is what kind of "turned on" the MS in my body (a long shot but you never know. My "wonder if" list is awfully long these days lol). That is why I am wondering if others have had a similar experience as the two of us, or if others are also very allergy prone.
Let me know your thoughts!

P.s. I would just like to say that I love going to this site and I have felt so welcomed and supported by everybody - it's really a a warm, supportive place to visit. And I would like to thank everybody for responding to my last post - it was highly informative and exactly the information I was looking for.

[Quixotic1]

It IS an interesting topic and one I don't know the answer to.  I do want to address Sarah's wondering if the severe allergic reaction triggered her MS.  Do you mean was the allergic reaction immediate cause of the MS showing up?

If that is what you mean, then what I have gathered is that when the MS is ready it shows.  It may show a little earlier after an event like an infection that rev's up the immune system.  I think that a major allegic reaction could "possibly" do it.  I honestly haven't seen anything in the literature that has discussed this.

Sarah, if you meant, did the allergic reaction cause the MS, the answer would be "no."

Quix

[Sunnytoday]

Hmmm... you've made me really think. I've had severe allergies since I was really young, and have had several of those "itchy spells" you've descibed so well. This was all prior to being told I "might' have MS last week due to the symptoms I've had for the last two years.

I'm not sure if they are tied together, but I know when I'm having a severe allergic reaction my body is definetly not liking itself and is basically overreacting to nonharmful substances and imploding.  (my own version of swelling up like a balloon inside and out and getting hives, etc. :)

~Sunnytoday~

[sllowe]

It is an interesting thought.  Allergic reactions involve our immune system, and it's said to be our immune system that goes bonkers to allow the attack on our CNS.  

There are so many things happening at the cellular level during all of this, I'm just not educated enough to speak to it.  But, when I had an allergic reaction, I did ALOT of reading on it.  It amazes me what our bodies do!  My reaction however was not prior to MS.  Was after and definitely drug induced - just not sure which one induced it.  

To add to your concept: Would I have become allergic in the 1st place had my immune system NOT been over-reacting in the 1st place?  I've resolved myself to the fact that I'm sure I will never know, which came 1st.....wah, because I do want to know durrnit!!!!!

-excellent thoughts for the group to ponder, keep our brains working...lol  
be well,
SL