The YES, STRESS CAN AFFECT Mtopic is ‘locked’ making it unable to be ‘replied to’. I am not a ‘neuro’, I’ve had MS for over 12 years - I say YES, STRESS CAN AFFECT MS! (My opinion). Marcus.
That’s strange - I wonder why it’s locked? Anyway, YES, stress can make MS symptoms worse. I read a paper about it just the other week. The conclusion was that stress doesn’t cause relapses, but that it does exacerbate existing symtpoms. Not sure I’m convinced about it not causing relapses. My first official relapse started when I was having an off the scale stressful time at work. It could have been a coincidence I suppose… Karen x
my neuro recons that stress was the actual trigger that set MS of to begin with. And yes i agree that stress dose make symtoms worse
YES I’m certain it can. Everything gets worse when I’m stressed and even small stress can send me into fatigue meltdown or/and hug. Also interesting about the neuro that says stress can cause MS. I’ve always reacted badly to stress, was an anxious child and have been an anxious adult. Funny enough it’s having MS that has finally taught me to get my stress levels under control… but doesn’t take much to set me off. 
Pat x
After 12+ years of MS (it’s my own feeling) but STRESS definately affects (my) MS. I have an eight year old daughter who is very pleasant when she is happy but if things are not going ‘her way’ then I can get ‘stressed’ and guanteed that will affect my MS. (My wife can upset my MS as well!). I do achieve ‘relaxation’ and my MS is much ‘less aggressive’. It might be in my head but I’m convinced that ‘STRESS AFFECTS MS’. As an ex-rugby player and black-belt Taekwondo ‘participant’ - I am aware of stressful situations but STRESS with MS is a definate ‘no-go’ situation ! Marcus.
i totally think stress can have a major influence on ms. i seemed to live a perfectly normal life until i had some terrible stressful times with one of my daughters. 12 month after the trouble and the symptoms started. now i try not to get stressed out as i fear it will bring on a relapse.
I beleive it can, i had had symptoms before being diganosed, then my dad died, and,i had put the symptoms down to stress as i was told before there was nothing wrong with me, dad died then symptoms became bad, and the result was spms. Sue
Val wrote:
I’m in two minds about this one because the symptoms which led to my diagnosis followed two years of horrific stress at work but then after the year I’ve had this year you’d think I’d have been certain to have relapsed but haven’t (touch wood). So perhaps there’s more to it in terms of how we deal with the stress, or other factors going on at the same time. More mystery! Val
Same here Val, i always thought that stress caused my relaspes,and then my husband died,and i had a toddler to look after and a teenage son, but i didnt have a relapse for 7 years,so that left me thinking too. Everyone thought i would be really ill with the ms at the time too,but i felt really strong. jaki xx
I think that, when neuros say, ‘Stress does not make MS symptoms worse,’ they really mean, ‘We do not understand by what mechanism stress might make MS symptoms worse, although our patients tell us it does, but what do they know?’ Maybe the last 5 words are unfair. But never mind, I’m not in the mood to be charitable because my own stress levels are high at the moment and my come-and-go residual symptoms from previous relapses are going crazy. I do not think this is a coincidence! Alison x
In a word YES!
Absolutely, YES! I was over stressed when the MonSter first raised its ugly head; was very depressed and anxious when my second relapse hit and my symptoms all get worse if I’m having a p;)sspoor day! The few totally chilled days I have are so the best - unfortunately life keeps getting in the way of the ultimate chillaxe! Clarex
Hello. Probably. In the end stress has a powerful physiological effect - it’s no surprise if that can set of MS or send MS doolally if you already have it. The year I got MS, I had broken up with my long term partner(I was devastated), did my finals, moved out , got mugged by being brought down by a moped and had my car nicked, started my masters, and then…Well, that was when the strange sh!t started going down big time…Body just started malfunctioning on thing after another. Everyone involved knew it was MS. Me, my Dad (my mum had MS), the GP, the first neuro I saw…I was presenting like a lighthouse beacon. Got admitted and diagnosed about two months after going to the GP. For me, it felt like that the MS kicked off when it did as a kind of response to prolonged stress - I knew I was not coping well with the breakup of the relationship despite giving the impression that I was starting an exciting new life. I remember pining for my ex terriblly around the time I was falling ill. Steffi
Hi - Definately would agree that stress is not a good thing. I am undergoing a lot of stress as my 13 yr old daughter is having to have a really big back operation within the next year (I’m a single parent!) and I have been finding that my MS symptoms are definately affected by this and I haven’t been able to do very much at all without having to go to bed!. My neuro also said that stress was probably how my MS started ! Claire 
Hi - Definately would agree that stress is not a good thing. I am undergoing a lot of stress as my 13 yr old daughter is having to have a really big back operation within the next year (I’m a single parent!) and I have been finding that my MS symptoms are definately affected by this and I haven’t been able to do very much at all without having to go to bed!. My neuro also said that stress was probably how my MS started ! Claire
YES MOST DEFINATELY I know it is the trigger for me
I would say yes, as I can pinpoint certain relapses. My most recent ‘flare up of symptoms’ occurred just days after my dad’s stroke. I went to the doctor to ask if it could have been caused by new pain drugs, she said not likely but when I told her about dad she said, “ah much more likely”. Sometimes do not understand neurologist’s do they try and play with us? or do they honestly not believe that things like stress can make things worse. Wendy x
marcus1 wrote:
The YES, STRESS CAN AFFECT Mtopic is ‘locked’ making it unable to be ‘replied to’. I am not a ‘neuro’, I’ve had MS for over 12 years - I say YES, STRESS CAN AFFECT MS! (My opinion). Marcus.
I’m not aware of any locked topics - is this still the case? Greg [admin]
Its at the bottom of page 2 at the moment Can stress affect MS symptoms by taza74 Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:49 pm
I think stress can affect MS, my first known symptoms/relapse happened after a very stressful time at work alongside the death of my father-in-law. 
I have a stressful job now and have had 3 relapses this year and have felt fatigued a lot, I do tend to feel better when I’m going for regular reflexology sessions. Take care Nicky x
I agree stress can affect symptoms. I am not yet diagnosed but find that if I get anxious or upset, my current symptoms worsen x