I’m relatively newly diagnosed and not receiving DMT’s.
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been really struggling emotionally. I’m not sure if I’m depressed or just very fatigued due to MS. I had a severe bout of depression in 2013, so know I’m prone to it. The thing is I’m so tired, very irritable and so miserable. I’m short with everyone and constantly falling asleep by 9pm. It’s possible that it’s lockdown related and it’s all just getting too much…My question is, is this normal in MS? And did you seek out the GP or did you chat with the MS nurse? Did any medication help?
Lockdown on top of a recent diagnosis of MS would knock most people down, and find them struggling emotionally. These will most likely be contributing to your feelings of fatigue and irritability. MS can also cause fatigue, and can be hard to tell apart. Depression and neurological conditions do seem to run together though, somewhat more than with other non-neurological conditions.
Good that you are seeking to address it. A chat with the MS nurse and a chat with your GP sound sensible moves. Probably does not matter in which order, and probably depends on the time it takes to get an appointment with them. Each can be supportive in different ways.
In the meantime make sure you set time for yourself to do things that you normally get pleasure from doing, though with lockdown that might restrict your options. Simple things, that require little planning. As you’ve had depression before you may well have built up strategies to help you through it. I’ve recently got tetchy with others due to endless limboland, watching my mobility reduce, and the wretched lockdown (which I know is vital to keep people safe as we can), but I do occasionally apologise to people I’m short with, to say I know I’m being a bit difficult. I’m not going to be that apologetic though! But just enough to make sure that they don’t take it too personally. It is good to keep your friends and family on your side.