I'm talking overwhelmed as a symptom, a sensation. Not overwhelmed by a specific situation, but chronic... overwhelmsion? Overwhelmation? Overwhelmism? Overwhelmth?

It's right up there for me with fatigue, cog fog, etc. Just a generalized feeling of being overwhelmed. You know, the feeling that you just can't deal?

That's another one that's almost impossible to describe to John Q. Public. I can barely explain it to myself. It doesn't have to be a lot of things at once, it doesn't have to be something bad, it doesn't even have to be something I even KNOW about. I just feel overwhelmed, and want to crawl back under my rock.

I know what you're talking about, B2Y.

How can we explain it to others when we don't even fully understand it ourselves?!

Sometimes it just feels like I cannot tolerate one more thing.....but then I stop and realize that I really am not dealing with anything out of the ordinary to begin with! It's just that feeling of "too much". I know what you're saying....and I can't explain it any better, either!

I get overwhelmed as an sx too. Seems like everyone wants an answer, does not understand the sx emotion.

I'd so like to come up with a different term for it that people could relate to (non-MSers, I mean), but so far haven't. Nothing else quite describes it.

"Sorry, I can't go, I'm feeling overwhelmed right now."
"Overwhelmed by what?"
"I don't know."
"Well, can you cut back on some of the things you do?"
"I don't do anything."
"Then why are you overwhelmed?"
"Bite me."

I am a non-MSer but I do understand. Some people with CMT, feel overwhelmed as well. I know I do. I can relate to just about everything you listed.

My friend with fibro, and a friend with Lyme get it also. Sadly.

Here's my latest funny...Went to urologist to find out why I could not pee for 3 days during last flare-up. As I laid on exam table , uro sat back and said "OK you can get dressed." HUH?? So, I sat up on elbows and asked, "Arent you going to examine the bladder?" He stared back stunned. "I did" HUH??? One of those confusing moments in life. "Didn't you feel anything, he asked?" I began gigling...thinking he was joking...cuz if he had DONE anything...surely I would have FELT it! "No, I replied." He quickly inched back to area and said, "Do you FEEL this?" NO..."THIS???" Now, I really burst out laughing and asked, "Are you really DOING something??" I asked.
Well, apparently he had and there are only 2 things that cause that kind of loss of feeling-cancer or MS. "OH!! I burst out laughing, "I just KNEW there HAD to be something GOOD about MS!!!" NO PAIN with bladder exam!

LOL TRESA, I don't think you should giggle while the URO is ...uh...working.