Much like the amusement park ride that is set up in the park near my house for the town's festival, the last few days have been a bit of a roller coaster ride. Sometimes it seems that things are slowly chugging upward and improving but then comes a sharp turn at the peak followed by a roaring out of control downward fall.

The eyes have been working quite well but spasms, pain and burning sensations in the lower body have been fairly constant and problematic in the last week. Thankfully the 'hug' has become less frequent but it has been severe when it does come and that has made it difficult to breathe at times. In all, I'm just in a waiting it out and do what I can, when I can state a lot of the time.

An odd 'new to me' experience that comes in waves during the day and lasts for hours is profound sleepiness. It feels like the body and brain is asleep and just can't seem to wake up at those times. Cognition is really slow and energy is well...forget it; it is so hard to move with the body feeling like it is stuck in mud.

I've tried strong coffee although I usually drink decaf, extra supplements, extra hydration, cold baths and even the odd cigarette but nothing seems to get things going.
If I sit still, the mind drifts off for a few minutes but mostly the brain in a state of semi-consciousness during these episodes.
Sleep pattern is still interrupted due to pain and spasm but that is relatively normal and I have not taken Baclofen for the last few days in the hope that it would help to decrease these episodes. It is very concerning.

If these periods of sleepiness/impaired consciousness keep up, I will be going in to my PCP on Monday for his opinion. I'm thinking that it might be thyroid related as my head has been shedding hair more than Willy the dog in the last week. There have been problems with that over the years and I was taking synthroid for about 10 years, but for the last 5 have not needed it.

Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing? It is best described as semi-consciousness like the time when one is just about falling asleep or has just awakened. Any advice is very much appreciated.

With love, Erika

I can't count the times I'm sitting at the puter with the TV on and me nodding off.. . I am constantly sleepy or in another world. I think it's because of my start, stop, start, stop sleep method, all night and early morning long.

I feel like I'm thinking through molasses in the afternoons when I fatigue (and I fatigue from just thinking all day). I'm not sure if it is what you are describing or not. I get problems having a conversation when I'm like this too. And since my last episode I've been slurring my speech some during these periods too. Definitely feel exhausted when this happens.

I sometimes wonder if boredom (this MS thing been going on now for years) contributes too.

Thanks everyone.

Sally, what you describe seems very similar; as these episodes come on while I'm trying to do something or otherwise would be awake and fairly alert.
It isn't the cog-fog from fatigue, which unfortunately, has become familiar enough over the years to recognize.
Don't think it's from boredom either; as even when cog-fog is present, I have a rather 'busy' mind...and no shortage of things on the go.

Feels like everything just got unplugged again, like an engine running out of gas; and I am unable to push through it.
Something's definitely going on but right now, this chick's going to have to go lay down for a bit.

With love, Erika

Kicker I think you have described me to a T! And I know how to change that. I know that if I got back in church that I could be as involved as much as I felt comfortable in. I also know that it would help the guilty conscience I have had about it for years which would help the mild depression I have had.

I'm like that these days. And I think boredom has something to do with it. Life has narrowed drastically. What brought joy is rarely present, just slugging along doing what is necessary. Going to church does not help me, Doydie. I find church people to be not on my wavelength now, in several different ways. My faith is still with me but I feel separated from those there. Maybe I lived too long and have too much experience? Birthday yesterday. Two people who knew about it noticed, a sister in law and a fellow sufferer in Australia. So yes, I think my parameters are narrowing. Perhaps first step of a bounce upward?
But Erika, that thyroid could be a problem. I do take 100 mg a day as I lost my thyroid years ago. Maybe I need more of it too, although I don't know why the change, since I've taken the same amount for years.

It took a while for it to manifest enough so that it could be recognized but the bouts of sleepiness are likely due to the immune system as it hunkers down to do battle with a couple of infections.

Some severe jaw spasms over the past month required that some dental work be done to repair 3 back teeth that had been damaged. The work was done around a week ago and one of the teeth had been cracked pretty deep in, so I just thought that the residual soreness in the area was from being worked on; however it is now obvious, that it has become infected.

There's also been a bit of coughing over the last few days but I attributed that to a choking fit on Friday, during which I aspirated some soup (swallowing is a little tricky at times).
Well, yesterday morning arrived with a fever, headache and more coughing as the immune system got off its butt and really kicked in. So along with the tooth infection, there has also been another bout of walking pneumonia for the immune system to deal with. A course of antibiotics are now on the menu which should help both situations.

Honestly, I wish that I had clued in before now, but apparently I graduated from the "University of Duh".

With love, Erika

(((((Erika))))) ...Feel better soon, sweety.

Tooth infections can be massive tricksters. I had two infected teeth which did not hurt, so I put off having them pulled for a long time, I can't remember how long. Then, when they went to pull them, the nerves would not accept anesthesia. This was a nightmare for both oral surgeons and me. A man in another state finally got them out, but said I'd need general anesthesia if I tried that again. Now, I watch the situation more carefully. Teeth cost me at least 20% of my annual income. More than that if you count going out of state as I had to do twice.
I don't remember getting sleepy from this, however, Just very anxious.

Some might say, why don't you get dentures. Can't because I have bony growths in the palates which are painless and harmless but make x=rays a contortionist situation, and preclude wearing dentures. So implants it is, and I'm grateful I do very well with those, having strong jaw bones. But they cost a fortune. I am working on #9 and 10 now, the implants are in (look marvelous, they say) and the ceramic tops will go on in a couple of weeks. This procedure is MUCH easier than having badly infected teeth pulled.