After going for years without so much as a sniffle I have had three heavy colds this winter and my MS symptoms seem to be going haywire.No new symptoms,and the ones i’m experiencing are relatively mild and transient;nothing seems to last for more than a day and then it’s something different,and some days I feel totally normal.In short,it feels like my MS is just rumbling around.Does this sound like a relapse or is this type of reaction quite common after colds and flu?Any advice/opinions would be greatly appreciated,thanks!
Hi Bambi
I think when ever I get a bug/virus cold etc my ms symptoms usually flare up! As does my fatigue. When my body core temperature rises slightly every month around what would normally be my menstral cycle even though I no longer have one as have a Coil fitted my symptoms flare up then as well.
This doesn’t seem like a relapse as I think it has to last for more than 3 days or more but of course we worry that it could be as is natural for us. Do you have a good ms nurse you could discuss this with at the end of the phone she can reassure you and put your mind at rest.
im still learning about my ms and I’ve now had it seven years, it still surprises me some days, I do a lot of research on the subject it’s surprisingly what you can learn from the internet .
Im covered in hives at the moment and can’t stop itching even though I’ve just completed a course of steroids that’s why I. Up this late because I can’t sleep.
i hope your ms calms down soon. You didn’t mention your age or how long you’ve had it for. If you want a chat chat away I’ll be up for a bit yet I expect
Ann x
My symptoms always get worse if I have a cold - this doesn’t happen very often (which I’ve always assumed is because my immune system is always fired up).
A relapse is defined by “the appearance of new symptoms, or the return of old symptoms, for a period of 24 hours or more – in the absence of a change in core body temperature or infection”. Which I take to mean that an infection can make your symptoms act up, in the absence of a relapse.
Thank you Ann,I have had MS for thirteen years and have been treated with Campath/Lemtrada.I had my first baby sixteen months ago - hence all the colds! - so am a lot more anxious about any possible MS activity as it’s not just me I’m looking after now,gone are the days when I could just get back into bed!I hope your hives clear up soon and you managed to get some sleep last night.
Thank you Sewingchick!It’s the distinction between symptoms ‘acting up’ and an actual relapse that’s making me feel anxious.Although,I feel relatively back to normal today and I’m guessing/hoping this wouldn’t be the case with a relapse.I had a baby sixteen months ago which accounts for all the colds,like I said before I had her I hadn’t had a cold for years,like you I assumed this was because of immune system overdrive!It’s just been one cold after the other since October with not much time to recover in between so I’m hoping this might be a feasible explanation.I have been on Campath/Lemtrada and started when it was in the trial stages and whilst the consultants are great I feel they don’t really treat the disease on a human level,much more from a clinical point of view which can make me feel quite alone.I had a wonderful MS nurse who I am still in contact with so I have emailed her in the hope she may be able to reassure me!Thank you so much for your reply.