I have through so much over the past year - lots of changes (while good, they are changes just the same), empty nested, and losing my Dad. Since the beginning of December I had strep, then a flare started, my Dad passed away, I had a bad reaction to increasing my Neurontin, starting doing better and now allergies are horrible, to say the least. And to add to everything, I think I am making that dreaded transition all women have to go through.

Needless to say, my anxiety is high right now. I've always been a high energy kind of person but never had anxiety. So, I have all these crappy things going on and am trying to fight my way through the forest (which some times feels like I am actually in a forest underwater, which makes it harder to get through). Trying to figure out what is MS, hormonal, allergies, anxiety, etc. or is it a combination of all of them.

A little more than a year ago I was seeing this counselor. He pointed out that people with MS, due to cognitive issues, have more trouble with coping skills. I thought that was interesting and have thought about it on and off since. I moved way on the other side of town last April so I started seeing a new counselor. I actually like her much better as she gives me tools to work with instead of saying you need to work on that. Since I have not experienced anxiety, other than with MRI's and closed in spaces, I'm having a hard time understanding it and the physical issues it causes.

Lately, or for the past few months, it seems that once I get over 1 thing, another pops up. Like, this past week my allergies are acting up and causing my stomach to act up. My stomach/digestion got messed up due to the Neurontin and I finally got it straightened out and functioning normally and now this. Ugh!

In all this, on the days I feel good my anxiety level is next to nothing. I went through a week of really good days (FINALLY) and had no anxiety symptoms. Once I start feeling crummy again, the anxiety is coming back. Have any of you ever experienced this? This is new to me. It's one thing to be more anxious when in pain but to be anxious cause your allergies are acting up is another thing. I don't think that is a normal reaction.

I really had to be a Debbie Downer. My nature is to be up beat and positive and enjoy life. So, I am sorry to be venting like this but I just need to get it out and say it and the cat took off on me while I was telling her all about it. Go figure!

I have spoke to my doctors on numerous occasions about the anxiety causing difficulties that were really not problems before. I do have a lesion in the cognitive part of my brain. Actually I developed a slew of phobias that were never a problem for me before.
I ended up getting some ativan to help with the anxiety....then doc put me on Celexa and both of these really helped.

Changes in our lives like you mentioned, are major life stressors. Moving, death of a loved one , and the disease process itself.
Personally I tried to fight it all on my own and gave in to medication. I'm glad I did because the stress just got worse and the depression followed.

Its a tough topic, but I do believe that MS is the culprit behind some of our emotional ups and downs.
And yes, hormones to boot. I am almost 53 so I can relate to your issues. I went to my GYN and talked about hormones because I really don't need to throw all those issues into the mix! Perhaps you should see where you are in the peri or menopause phase and if you need help, ask for it. Personally I would be up for compounded hormone cream, but I don't have a compounding pharmacy in my area. Trust me, you are not alone.....

Take it from a Debbie that sometimes life stinks! We need to kick, scream, vent and prattle on about it to release it back to whence it came. Vent away! I promise to not turn tail on ya.

Yes, vent vent away and then go kick your Doc in the butt, and ask for a SSRI or something, other than a band aid, for that MS caused. chemicl imbalanced, anxiety.

Thanks you guys!

Kari - I know you are going through some similar things. Thanks for the kind words.

Dej - Thanks!

Sally - I am on a small dose of Celexa (10 mg) to help keep me relaxed with the pain (mostly, the constant hug that I have). I did talk to my PCP about increasing the Celexa and she wanted me to try and wait it out. This was right after I reacted to the Neurontin she wanted my system to get back to normal. Last week, I started taking 1 1/2 pills and it did help. I put a call in to my PCP to talk to her about it.

i think you might check in with your pcp. someone, md, needs to grab the bull by the horns and take charge of your case, taking the WHOLE person into acct.

i think you've gotten some great suggestions.

it sounds like you might need some specific meds to help you feel better. maybe even just short term.

Thanks, Judy. This PCP is new to me. Yes, another change I have been dealing with. I had been going to my old PCP for years but he retired a year ago. While I like my new PCP, we just don't know each other well enough. It's an adjustment. She or her nurse should be calling me this afternoon to discuss this. My counselor has been fantastic as well and like I said, she gives me actual tools to use to help me out. This week she is going to teach me a technique called EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Apparently, it is effective in not only anxiety but other health issues as well.

Trish,

Just wanted to send you lots of hugs. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! I think alot of us experience anxiety with this dang disease. I am sure hormones also play a role.

I have been experiencing anxiety since last Fall. I think the bad winter weather and traveling at the holidays started mine. I was worrying about flying to Austin for weeks before I went (weather, flying, getting around airports, etc) and once I got there I felt relief for one day and then started worrying about getting home. I was really getting annoyed with myself, but I could not stop it. Then over the winter I have been obsessed with the weather and worrying about falling when trying to get to school. At night I often have trouble sleeping because I start thinking about getting worse and how I am going to handle it and what I am going to do. I think my problem is that prior to MS I had an illusion that I could control my life, and I still want to control the future. I started to tell my pcp about my anxiety, but then I told her I was better now that the snow and ice are gone. I think I am trying to convince myself. I had such bad experiences with anti depressants right after I was dx that I am reluctant to try anything else.

I did not mean to hijack your vent. It just happened.

Barb - You didn't hijack this. I am glad you shared that with us. It made me feel better and feel that I am not alone in some of these struggles. Traveling can be hectic and the MS only adds to that. I hope that with spring coming, things will get better for you.

I too am experiencing more anxiety than I am used to. I hate it! Hang in there.