Don’t get too many disabling ms symptoms and am learning to manage them. I seem to be plagued with anxiety which makes everything worse. My gp is great, as is my cons and ms nurse. I am taking beta blockers which ward off panic but the anxiety is still there all the time, am about to start some talking therapy, tried anti deps briefly but didn’t agree with me and made things much worse. Am taking amitriptylline at night and it helps but don’t want sedating in the day. The whole thing is making my main symptom of fatigue much worse and demotivating me further and further. Does anyone have any advice, am wondering if I should try a herbal anti depressant whilst getting through this stage hoping cbt will help.
Hi Wanda,
I was like you in the beginning with ms. Couldnt settle, was on high alert all the time, seems my nervous system was in flight or fight mechanism all the time.
I found taking amytrytiline and focusing on some kind of hobbie, music relaxed me and I had to find something to distract my mind otherwise I too would have gone mad.
Were you hyperactive in your previous life? I was and hated being restricted. The mind raced and body was so drained I didnt know what to do with myself.
Honestly if you set yourself goals to achieve each day, get out as much as possible with family, friends, even if its just for 30 mins or less thats the start of you taking control. You must distract, then the rest will fall into place honestly.
Best wishes
bren
xx
Dear Wanda,
I agree with Bren, it all just takes time, havoc actually creates anxiety! Your life has been turned around it’s not all bad, think positive and occupy your brain, DS Intendo? Sudoko?AND what about this website? Of course you are anxious but we are here.
Take care, M
Thanx for your comments Bren and M , much appreciated, I feel quite pathetic moaning about anxiety when most others have much worse symptoms to manage, I wonder whether I have an underlying depression or whether anxiety can be a symptom on it’s own. Does anyone know, is it possible to tell the difference between neuro symptoms caused by anxiety and those caused by ms? I know most of the sensory head symptoms can be caused by either.
Hi,
Anxiety can be a symptom on its own, you can have a lesion on the part of your brain that controls anxiety , the part that deals with moods,and if you have a lesion there, theres not a lot that can be done,i have one, and over the years,i have trouble trying to get it across to drs, that i have nothing to be depressed about, so i was sent to see a neuro phsyciatrist and in the end they agreed that the lesion on that part of my brain was to blame for the depression,the reason i knew this was because i could feel really badly down for weeks,and then just like flicking a switch i felt better,and that dosent happen in normal depression,it takes months and years to slowly feel better.so i know that my depression and anxiety isnt because i HAVE ms, its because the ms is causing it,if that makes sense.
I have to take an anti depressent all the time to dampen it down a bit.
jaki xx
Hi Jaki, I SO agree with you on this. I think lesions can cause emotional and anxiety problems just as much as cognitive and physical problems. My anxiety also switches on and off in the same way my other symptoms can. I think this is a symptom of MS which is very underrated and not understood at all.
Pat x
I suffered really badly from anxiety and panic attacks, but 6 months of CBT therapy helped so much, hopefully it will be the same for you. I also find rescue remedy and yoga breathing really help if I do get panicky. Laura xx
I think we all suffer with this at onetime or another. I get this over welming sence of doom and panic. I just focus on my daughter and reason that today I won’t have a little nervous breakdown because she needs me in one piece. I find just having something else to focus on really helps. Before my daughter it was the cat. Good luck, you are not alone xxxx
Citalopram 40mg has helped me. I think I’m going to need some therapy tho’ because it still hasn’t stopped it totally. I find it’s worse on injection days and when my other half is not around. Suz xx
Dear Wanda,
I have read all your replys. There is some very good advise. One thing i do know is that talking to us (your MS family) is one of the best things you can do! I believe that unless you have MS you can,t understand just how it can affect us. Family and friends think they do, but they dont. I have had three volcanic bowel accidents this week. Words can,t describe how hissed off this has made me feel. Yet i know that most of my fellow MSrs know how i am feeling! So keep talking on this forum as we are all hear to help one and other.
domesticgoddess,
Janex
Jane Thanx for ur comment, ur right just contact with people who know and understand how you feel means so much, I’m starting to be a bit more positive and open to the poss that all will settle and be manageable eventually. Hope others on this site can give you some support and ideas to overcome ur bowel traumas , sometimes compassion is all it takes to help us to see solutions for ourselves? Take care x
I had to post something after reading this thread, I too don’t get to many disabling ms symptoms, except for Fatigue, At times though I am plagued with panic attacks. The trigger is usually from being fatigued or just feeling symptons from ms, this leads to not feeling in control, then the panic kicks in. Though I’m not always sure if its the ms causing it or just my general anxiety. As said above, I have been more stressed and down at times, by life in general including my ms, but no panic or raw nerves. Unfortuntely I’m going through spell of it at the moment.
Hi peely, hope the current spell doesn’t last too long for you, have come to the conclusion it’s impossible to tell what causes the anxiety and panic at root level, ms or life events or both, either way it’s a terrible feeling and makes enjoying life extremely difficult. Am starting some psychotherapy this week hope it works, don’t like having to take medication