Stress and MS

[mistylee]

Hi there,

Just wondering if any here dx with MS find that majour stress affects how they feel. I dont mean everyday stress but stress where you get extremely upset , crying , etc.

Since my first relapse i am finding that if I experience extreme upset , within a day like clockwork ,i am overcome with fatigue,  heavy weak and aching in all limbs. It feels like Im coming down with flu sort of achy fatigue. All I want to do is go to bed. After a good nights rest im fine , no flu. It is always after a majour upset. I dont cope physically with a lot of stress anymore.
Do others experience this??

Mistylee

[Deb61]

I hate it, too!  I hate that the MS just takes over my body and makes decisions for me.  I have to be careful with stress, or I will be knocked on my rear end for days.

My body thermostat is also broken.  When I get too cold, I can't warm up.  When I get too hot, I feel like I'm on the verge a heat stroke.  Sometimes I think I'm really having one.  I hate this, too!  

I agree that overstimulation is a good word.  If there's too much, I can't handle it.  I can't handle too much of anything really--only things in small doses.  Crying literally makes me sick, even if it's short-lived.

[sllowe]

Yea, and I hate it, because it takes away from who I am naturally.  It's unfair :(

Yea, and it's not so bad to keep our emotions in check - but this is ridiculous!

It's supressive :(

boy, am I a whiner or what tonight

[mistylee]

Hi sllowe,

I know exactly what your saying. Its like you said, you have to keep your emotions under a level of control cos over a certain level of stimulation you dont feel too good. I have often stopped myself grieving for my dad and getting too upset because of the overstimulation of something inside your body. You have hit the nail on the head. Thats exactly what I mean!!!  Thankyou. I am so glad I'm not the only one who experiences this. Now Pat if you could just tell us why this happens that would be great!! Let us know how you get on.
Any others experience this?? Or have any ideas as to why this happens??

Mistylee

[sllowe]

Hi there,

It affects me bigtime. If my adrenaline goes up for good or bad reasons, feels like my insides are tweaked. Not sure how to explain it, but it's not a good feeling until it simmers.

It's not only difficult to deal with it physically, but mentally it feels like a battle too.  It's as if you have to shut down some feelings just so you dont' get overstimulated or something.  Stimulate is not really the right word to describe it...

Over tired and run down does it too  to me-

[mistylee]

Now that I think about it , I was going through the most stress in my life , I felt close to a breakdown when my first attack started.
Like you Amisherin, it wasn't just one thing, I had 2 or 3 major stresses happening at the same time and I even remember thinking , this is too much too deal with. My immune system would have been extremely vulnerable at this time, hence my first attack.
Very interesting!!!  The key I sopose is to deal with stress in a better way so as not to cause harm. Easier said than done!!!

Mistylee

[AmishErin]

I like to think of my MS as having been very predictable (in hind sight) to my major life stresses.  

I was diagnosed in 2003.  I was sick for about maybe a year before it suddenly got much worse.  During that year I had changed departments at work changing my entire work location, co workers, hours and work load.  

Then 2 close family members died in unrelated circumstances over a week.  My ex husband and I bought a house and moved.  My ex husband left twice during this time for about a week each time.

My oldest daughter during this time had been manifesting psychological problems which were attributed to OCD and possible turrets syndrome.  My youngest also during this time had a strange bump appearing on his cheek which was  removed.  The biopsy said it was cancerous so I had to take him back in to have the surrounding tissue removed.

Over this year I had been tasting my first MS fatigue getting so tired at times that I would fall asleep during work meetings.  I started having tremors on one side of my body forcing me to stop driving.  Then I lost my eye sight in one eye and lost the ability to walk.  I quit working greatly attributing to the money woes that we had already felt being new first time home owners.  Then after already having gone through physical  therapy once I lost the ability to walk again.  

Then my ex husband left.  I had a house payment and three kids and no income.

I had almost all of my major MS symptoms over this year ending with my ex husband walking out 4 days after Christmas.  I was hospitalized twice and underwent a year and a half of solumederal.  Since my divorce has been final I haven't had any new symptoms (knock on wood).

Yeah stress greatly affects MS.    

[mistylee]

Hi Debs,
That is really interesting what you said about losing a loved one . I lost my Dad early this year and am just trying to recover a major relapse now that has lasted 3 months. I have now some more major stress concerning his estate and I am trustie, long story concerning him remarrying after my mums death and Im really worried that this could trigger another one.

The other thing I have noticed is when I am feeling overwhelmed with this tiredness , i start to feel cold and shivery. This is when I put my electric blanket on , hop into bed to try warm up. Really strange. Its like my thermostat doesnt work as well maybe, ?? I dont know. I just know there is a connection with extreme tiredness and feeling the cold more.

Can you relate to this as well??

Mistylee

[shermay]

Hi,

YES most certainly.  My Neuro told me that many years ago when I was first dx, that stress is the worst enemy for anyone who has MS.

When I lost my Father back in May, it sent me into a major relapse, my present Neuro told me also that the grief of losing a loved one is hard on anyone, but especially so with someone who has MS.

Like Pat, I am not sure why this should happen - where the logic is why this should happen, but it is certainly well documented.

Debs

[Eyesnlegs]

Oh yes, I certainly do - the relationship between emotion and MS is complex and I am currently working on that one with a neuro psychologist.

Depression can have a biological grounding for those with MS but the emotional side is not so clear cut. I am just starting to research this, so would also like to see others replies.

Pat x