Aa
triggers for flare-ups?
Hi all,
I'd like to know what type of triggers people have before a flare-up or exacerbation happens. I thought my only trigger was heat, but now I have a flare-up, and it has not been hot out at all. I'm trying to figure out what other triggers I might be having -- so that perhaps I can avoid them in the future.
What are your triggers?
Jean
I'd like to know what type of triggers people have before a flare-up or exacerbation happens. I thought my only trigger was heat, but now I have a flare-up, and it has not been hot out at all. I'm trying to figure out what other triggers I might be having -- so that perhaps I can avoid them in the future.
What are your triggers?
Jean
Spending 12 hours in the ER with a sick friend....
That is what I did today and am feeling it real bad already. Going to take my pain meds and go to bed.
Dennis
That is what I did today and am feeling it real bad already. Going to take my pain meds and go to bed.
Dennis
Feel free to respond, Ndobbins!
High temps definitely drain me -- and if I'm not careful, I'll fall asleep while driving. I'm glad summer is over, and I'm hoping the cold doesn't cause me problems like it does for some. Michigan weather has always been flaky, but in recent years it seems like it has been more to the extremes (hotter summers and colder winters than usual). Hopefully it will be a mild winter.
My whole life, I've been an inside person -- which might explain my serious Vit D deficiency of course =) So regardless of the extremes, I always keep my house temp even year round. I don't skip on climate control in my house that's for sure!
High temps definitely drain me -- and if I'm not careful, I'll fall asleep while driving. I'm glad summer is over, and I'm hoping the cold doesn't cause me problems like it does for some. Michigan weather has always been flaky, but in recent years it seems like it has been more to the extremes (hotter summers and colder winters than usual). Hopefully it will be a mild winter.
My whole life, I've been an inside person -- which might explain my serious Vit D deficiency of course =) So regardless of the extremes, I always keep my house temp even year round. I don't skip on climate control in my house that's for sure!
Jen brought up an important one, the pseudo-relapse surrounding the menstrual period. Very common for old symptoms to become worse just before the period. Well-documented. The symptoms seem to subside back to baseline with the resolution of the cycle, so this would be a pseudo-event rather than a true relapse.
Quix
Quix
I haven't been diagnosed with MS yet & hope you don't mind me responding. High temps & humidity absolutely drain me to the point that I feel like my whole body is aching & I don't have enough energy to walk! Real cold does the same but heat seems worse. Certain smells like smoke & perfume also make me sick! I have to take Benedryl daily or I break out in huge patches of hives!
Sarah --
I hope you didn't have all of those at once! Any of those just by themselves could cause a flare-up I'm sure.
I finally realized that this last flare-up was a stress-related one. I've never managed stress well at all, and I have to learn to do that.
Jean
I hope you didn't have all of those at once! Any of those just by themselves could cause a flare-up I'm sure.
I finally realized that this last flare-up was a stress-related one. I've never managed stress well at all, and I have to learn to do that.
Jean
STRESS......, multiple bereavements, husband being posted to Afghanistan, being dx'd with multiple sclerosis, car crash, falling over a forkllift truck and tearing ankle ligaments, illness eg measles, shingles and others.
That is just for starters..I am sure that other things will come to mind but I can usually sense when I am going downhill as everything starts to become an almighty effort.
Sarah
That is just for starters..I am sure that other things will come to mind but I can usually sense when I am going downhill as everything starts to become an almighty effort.
Sarah
Very interesting about the link between hormonal changes right before periods and MS. My epilepsy is also exacerbated right before my period -- in fact, that is the only time I ever have auras or seizures. So perhaps that might be an MS trigger for me also.
As far as I can tell, I get a pseudo-flare right before my period - but not a real one. It doesn't last longer than a day, and it's always old stuff.
Physical trauma - well, I had a bad spider bite (brown recluse) which took forever to heal up. Right after it healed I started having MS symptoms. Not sure whether it set off the first flare, but I think it was related.
Physical trauma - well, I had a bad spider bite (brown recluse) which took forever to heal up. Right after it healed I started having MS symptoms. Not sure whether it set off the first flare, but I think it was related.
1 Comments
I had a bad spider bite a week before my first MS symptoms appeared. My whole left side became dysfunctional. I thought maybe it was connected but couldn't be sure. Then this last December I was bitten again. A week later I lost the use of my left leg and was numb from my chest down. I have since recovered but now I am certain the bites are linked to my MS attacks. Thank you for sharing your experience.
COMMUNITY LEADER
That reminds me, my periods rank up the fatigue too, mine last 3-4 days heavy and spotting for 2-3 days. I use to be tierd, now i'm flat like a pancake but still not as bad as the fatigue will get during an episode or those endless days of summer heat, again something that improves once the periods have finished but they have never stet off the big bangs.
Cheers...JJ
Cheers...JJ
Yeah, apparently the hormonal changes can do that. happy days, gotta love being a woman!
There was a whole section abot that in my info I have here from MS Australia, but of course I cannot find it now I want to copy it for you...
though I found this:
Hormonal Changes
# Female MS patients may have exacerbations right before their monthly periods, when hormones are in flux, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Researchers have found that MS symptoms such as weakness, fatigue and coordination problems may increase in severity at that time of month. In addition, the decrease in estrogen levels in postmenopausal women may exacerbate symptoms.
Read more: The Causes of MS Exacerbations | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6870534_causes-ms-exacerbations.html#ixzz0zPGxhev4
Oh, isn't that grand? Even after menopause we may get no rest.....on that note, I'm going to bed!
There was a whole section abot that in my info I have here from MS Australia, but of course I cannot find it now I want to copy it for you...
though I found this:
Hormonal Changes
# Female MS patients may have exacerbations right before their monthly periods, when hormones are in flux, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Researchers have found that MS symptoms such as weakness, fatigue and coordination problems may increase in severity at that time of month. In addition, the decrease in estrogen levels in postmenopausal women may exacerbate symptoms.
Read more: The Causes of MS Exacerbations | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6870534_causes-ms-exacerbations.html#ixzz0zPGxhev4
Oh, isn't that grand? Even after menopause we may get no rest.....on that note, I'm going to bed!
I don't think I can add much to this, these are all good answers. I was just wondering if your period can really cause a psuedo exacerbation? That is very interesting and maybe my fatigue during that time of the month is more extreme because of my period??????
Paula
Paula
COMMUNITY LEADER
For me the big episodes have always been after a viral infection, months to recover to a managable base line but this year i've not got back before the little episodes, knock me off my perch again.
The UTI's, even stress from my son who's not taking his mum's decline as well as one would hope, his hitting out at me when he feels bad is taking a toll and for me its a guilt loaded stressor. But to me they dont set off a the big bangs, resolve the catalyst and its an up ward climb again.
Fatigue, heat and over doing it, all require rest and recovery, in my mind they are not catalysts but intertwined with in the condition (still in limbo) in fact they are to me what make each day a living hell, take them out and i'd be dancing in the wind, well not quite but at least id feel like i could lol
Cheers........JJ
The UTI's, even stress from my son who's not taking his mum's decline as well as one would hope, his hitting out at me when he feels bad is taking a toll and for me its a guilt loaded stressor. But to me they dont set off a the big bangs, resolve the catalyst and its an up ward climb again.
Fatigue, heat and over doing it, all require rest and recovery, in my mind they are not catalysts but intertwined with in the condition (still in limbo) in fact they are to me what make each day a living hell, take them out and i'd be dancing in the wind, well not quite but at least id feel like i could lol
Cheers........JJ
AH! In the last 12 months there's been:
My cousin's daughter killed in car smash (I am close to that cousin)
Same cousin's mother died 3 days later
Same cousin's sister (my other cousin) diagnosed with bowel cancer.
(I was playing shoulder for all of the above)
Sold house
Moved interstate
Moved again 14 weeks later
Moved again 8 weeks later
Felt like *hit for months! WONDER WHY!!!!!!!!!
My cousin's daughter killed in car smash (I am close to that cousin)
Same cousin's mother died 3 days later
Same cousin's sister (my other cousin) diagnosed with bowel cancer.
(I was playing shoulder for all of the above)
Sold house
Moved interstate
Moved again 14 weeks later
Moved again 8 weeks later
Felt like *hit for months! WONDER WHY!!!!!!!!!
I don't recognize specific relapses in myself, but I can list some common triggers for people that I have heard:
Colds, flu
UTIs
skin infections
GI infections
oh, heck, any kind of infection
The three months following the birth of a child in a woman (when the immune system rev's up again)
severe, ongoing stress (serious illness or death in the family), financial problems, physical attacks, divorce, preparing for a marriage, moving
Minor Stresses (bad days) - No
severe fatigue - usually this causes a pseudo-relapse, but can trigger a real one
severe over-heating - same as above
immunizations - but, in general, the relapse from a vaccine is felt to be slight compared to the possiblity of the relapse caused by the infection itself - example flu vaccine versus the flu itself.
Physical trauma is controversial. Patients say yes, studies go both ways, mostly no.
Surgery - Studies say no, unless there is an infection involved
That's a beginning.
Quix
Colds, flu
UTIs
skin infections
GI infections
oh, heck, any kind of infection
The three months following the birth of a child in a woman (when the immune system rev's up again)
severe, ongoing stress (serious illness or death in the family), financial problems, physical attacks, divorce, preparing for a marriage, moving
Minor Stresses (bad days) - No
severe fatigue - usually this causes a pseudo-relapse, but can trigger a real one
severe over-heating - same as above
immunizations - but, in general, the relapse from a vaccine is felt to be slight compared to the possiblity of the relapse caused by the infection itself - example flu vaccine versus the flu itself.
Physical trauma is controversial. Patients say yes, studies go both ways, mostly no.
Surgery - Studies say no, unless there is an infection involved
That's a beginning.
Quix
Heat and humidity.is my kryponite more so the humidity. Stress also triggers mine somewhat. The worst was this weekend. I got very over heated for about 4 straight hours friday night. The heat index in the press box was over 100. Got sick and have had all my old symptoms and some new ones come on since. Woke up today with no feeling in left foot. Also have numbnes and pain all over body along with my newest one internal shaking. Already called in sick Monday and going to call my neuro first thing in the morning.
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