Stress + MS just how bad can it get?
 

boy i have been under major stress the past week (due to a death in the family) i didn't really know the family member very well so as bad as it sounds its not effecting me much at all emotionally.. but i swear all the shock and sadness it caused the rest of the family is hard for me to deal with and had to have sent me into an exacerbation or at least making my old Sx come back with a vengeance.. (can't remember what that is called when its not a true exacerbation but a return of old Sx)

my vision is blurry again in both eyes.. i can not focus on anything.. feel like i am drunk.. i am having panic attacks and the usual anxiety Sx.. usual for me anyway.. strange thing is i just had my monthly dose of IVSM on Tuesday.. and usually i would be feeling awesome right about now.. crummy thing is these Sx come and go and they are nothing new.. so i am not running for the phone to call my neuro..


i went out yesterday because i had to go to the bank.. and about 1/2 way into my drive i started like driving like i had a bottle of Vodka in me.. felt ok when i left the house and thought id be ok... so i had to slow way down and think it through so i didn't hurt anyone.. people were getting annoyed behind me but screw em.. if they only knew..:rolleyes:

anyway i made it to the bank got my stuff taken care off and sat in the parking lot for a while hoping the Sx would pass... and lucky it did in about 15min... but it was pretty scary when it happened... made me a little afraid to drive now until this passes..

i kind of have a feeling once all the craziness calms down around here ill start to feel better.. its really hard to be a comfort to family members that really need it when you don't feel good yourself.. i try but there is only so much my body/mind will allow me to do when i get all MSie.. if that makes sense..

Awww, Punk, sorry for all that scary stuff. Also for the death in the family. Yeah, you hate to see the ones you love be distressed.

Hope it passes really soon so you can return to being semi-normal. :rolleyes: Kidding. ;)

Sorry for the stress you're experiencing, Punk. Just the fact that those you love are hurting can cause stress to you whether you really feel it is or not. Really, any circumstance or situation away from what is normal for you can cause stress and your MS symptoms to flare up.

Just try and get as much rest as you can and don't overdo it. Being tired and stressed at the same time isn't a good combination for those of us with MS.

I'm sorry about the death in your family and hope you feel better soon.

I had some stress AND allergies this week. So, my right eye has been a little wonky this week from some of the stress. But then when I started taking the allergy medication, my eye started to feel really bad the last day or two.

Apparently my allergy medication (Singulair) can cause extremely dry eyes. So, I'm putting eye drops in my eye every few hours and also sucking down glasses of water to see if I can re-hydrate my eye and apparently the rest of my body. (Singulair really really dried me out)

Hopefully your stress lets up and you can relax and have all the MS weirdness back off for a bit.

Punk, honey, I am so sorry for the loss of your loved one and for your extra stress at this time. :(

Stress is my main trigger....I think it may even be the cause of my MS.. So I am now on an AD for life..:mad:

I hope this passes for you without throwing you into a full blown attack..:hug:

I just had a week similar to your's so I have a darn good idea what you've been going through.

I have no words of wisdom to tell you though...... I just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you.

Sorry to hear about your loss and the impending difficulties. Dang, it never seems to end, does it? Try to look out for yourself, Punk.

Sorry for your loss, but getting some Xanax may help lessen the stress. Stress absolutely causes me problems with MS.

Erin524, I am on Allegra D. I also use Refresh Liqugel lubricant eye drops and find that helps.

I'm using the same thing, along with Refresh single use liquigel (preservative free, little plastic one use eye drops) My right eye is still feeling incredibly dry.

I quit using the Singulair...I was only taking it temporarily for some allergies, and I dont think I'll use it again. I quit taking the Singular on thursday, so you would think that it's metabolized out of me. But, my eye is still dry, altho it's not as bad as it was last night.

It is starting to freak me out some tho. Wondering if it's a new thing with the optic neuritis.

Punk, I'm in a major relaspse. Dx MS 2-08 rr - My pain is a bit better at the moment so coming in on your post. I am a major stress person when normal, however, since 12-07 I have had more major stress put on me. I do mean major. What I have taken non reated to MS would have put most in the psy ward. It has been he**. Before this relapse I had the same or near sx as you and responded much the same due to I think stress. You must get help. IMO xanex or sim. Since u are not use to them I think it will help. I have been on xanex for years so does not help me too much unless I exceed dose and my reg is as high. I do not think I would be progressing as fast nor in this major relapse if I could have got the stress down. You wanted to know how bad it can get see my recent posts. I think stress can do anything to MS. Much more then where I am at now. Don'k risk it. Get help - sorry too ill to sp ck...

thanks everyone

yes i am on 4mg a xanax a day because of my underlying anxiety/panic disorder.. i am allowed to take up to 7mg if needed in times of bad stress... but i never go higher then 4... mostly because i do not want to become dependent on a pill to fix my issues.. but maybe at this point 1 extra pill a day isn't going to be the end of the world if it helps.. if i still feel crummy tomorrow ill just have to pop an extra one during the day and if it helps.. great!... if not then i think i will be calling my neuro Tuesday... usually 4mg a day keeps my unprovoked stress under control... but i think its safe to say this is a justified dose jump.. at least for a few days..


i have also noticed that with me it seems when my life is pretty stress free i don't even know i have MS.. but when stress/anxiety hits.. my MS goes wild..

Punk,

I am sorry for your loss and the extra stress it has added to you and your family.

For me with my PPMS stress is one thing that will send my fatigue into massive overdrive. During the past 2 weeks I have had two separate occasions to become over stressed one of my own making. The first one took me 4 days to get back to normal whatever that is. The second I am still fighting to get over and it happened this past Tuesday. I have only been up for 3 hours and I am starting to fall asleep while typing.

Yep, stress is bad for me too, punkd. :( I do everything in my power to avoid it, even if that means I am live in denial about some things. I guess you could say I am a "fake it till I make it" kinda' gal.

Sometimes we just have to go through the hard stuff too though, and the best thing for me during those times is to try to find a balance. I sleep more, go out and garden a little . . . anything to distract myself from the stress.

Take some extra time for you, so you can be stronger when you NEED to be. :hug:

Cherie

I take xanax.. and lots of it. My Dr. gives me unlimited quanities.. but not allowed to exceed 6 mg a day lol. to me..that's unlimited.

Seriously...stress is bad. Stress to the body or the mind i've noticed is bad for my ms. I can directly relate all of my bad flair ups to either.. a. a bad illness, b. an ex boyfriend (note they are all ex's.) or c. a surgery.

I found out stress is real bad for ms. My insurance company for my car cancelled me due to my ms. Stupid mailboxes..they shouldn't make them so "see through". Anyway, them canceling me made my tongue go numb and my swallowing go out. I also went mute. Recovering some back this time thank goodness.

I've always been high strung, and nervous anyway. The littlest thing has always set me off, and the past few years for me have been an action horror thriller, drama..you name it for me.. thus my progression has gone into fast forward. I'd say avoid stress at all costs. From my experience it is directly related to flair ups.

punk,

i'm sorry for the loss of a loved one in your family.
it's probably affecting you more than you'd think. especially when you feel other family members suffering.

i think you have a good plan.
i hope the coming wk finds you better.

got to find a place to find that good karma, hope it turns around for you soon Punk , dont let the stress win it can be a p.i.t.a. :Bang-Head::thud:

ahhhh gotta tell ya that extra pill a day did the trick.. mentally i feel better and i am sure my body will soon follow.. things are starting to calm down now also.. so maybe 2 more days with the extra dose and i think ill go back to my normal 4mg and see if everything evens out..


man i am so surprised to hear of all the members that have this same stress issue with their MS.. i feel bad that others have to deal with it.. but i am also happy i am not alone and everyone on here "gets it"..

you all rule!:D:grouphug: