Is This A Relapse

Everyday living
1

So the last 3 or 4 days have been horrendous.

I’m not sure if I’m having a relapse or that I’m coming down with something that might be flaring up my MS symptoms.

Basically I was in work on Monday and felt that my walking was a little worse than usual.

Tuesday & Wednesday was pretty much the same.

Then when I woke up for work Thursday morning, there was a dramatic change in my MS symptoms.

I couldn’t even get a pair of socks on, had to crawl down the stairs, and had to lift my legs into the car.

Tonight I’m literally shuffle along, balance all over the place, absolutely no leg lift and my hands feel completely “muffled”, if that makes sense.

All my usual symptoms but way off the “normal” scale !

Now, heres the thing.

I’m on the simvastatin trial taking 80mg per day of the drug, over the last few months, I’ve been getting a very nasty pain around the right hand side of my chest, just below the rib cage, this pain then radiates around my back just below my right shoulder blade.

This has been happening probably once or twice a month and then settles, so being a fool I’ve ignored it, however over the last week or so I’ve had this almost every night all night, the pain is something I’ve not experienced before.

I’ve also felt over the last few days that I’m coming down with something, a bit like a common cold sort of feeling.

Today though I had no choice but to go to my GP, the pain was horrendous.

Now, the thing is these tablets I take for the trial can apparently effect the liver and gallbladder, but all the monthly blood tests I’ve been having have been clear.

My GP has decided to send me for extra blood tests plus a liver & gallbladder scan.

I’ve rang my MS clinic who said to see how things go over the weekend, with parting comment of “it could be anything see” .

The difficulty is that anything MS related my GP says ring the MS clinic, then when I ring the clinic they say ring the MS research centre because I’m on this trial drug, they then ask have I seen my GP because of the pain , but my point is, maybe the trial drug is causing this aggravation in the gallbladder/liver which in turn is flaring up the MS!!

Its a merry go round…

So I’m wondering can a stomach bug/virus or even a simple common cold flare up the MS to the extent or does it sound like a relapse ?

I’ve never had an obvious relapse, I’ve just slowly progressed to SPMS, so I’m not sure how to separate a real relapse from a flare up due to other factors ?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

2

Hello. I have had symptoms for 20 years but am only just diagnosed this week. How awful for you all this pass the parcel stuff! I experience poor mental health and tend to get same sort of thing between GP and mental health staff. Wondering if there is any possibility the pain will be MS hug? I hope they get things identified and sorted for you x

3

I think the “Hug” can be ruled out.

I’ve had constant diaorrea since Friday, no strength, cant stand, nausea, .

When put up my post I was just getting the pain but things have got a bit worse since then.

I’m waiting some blood results to come back tomorrow, so I’ll see what they show up.

I’ve never ever felt this way before.

4

I hope you’re ok Jactac and you get well soon, keep us updated.

1 Like
5

Hi Jactac,

Sounds horrible for you and very frustrating not knowing really what’s going on just having lots of horrible symptoms. I,hope that you are taking time off work as you really don’t sound well enough.

hugs

Min xx

1 Like
6

Thanks for your replies.

I’ve actually got a bit worse over the last 24/48 hours, constant runs, even drinking water is coming out of the wrong end.

I’ll ring GP again tomorrow as I’m a tad worried now ??

Thanks again .

7

So the stomach thing seems to of settled, took over a week but things are better.

I have a liver scan on Thursday coming as thats where a lot of the pain was.

My MS symptoms though are still very prominent.

I’ve spoke to the MS clinic twice this week about whether this might be a flare up or a relapse and I’m waiting for a decision on whether they might start me on steroids ?

They think its more than likely a flare up, but my concern is that a flare up due to infection could possibly trigger a relapse ?

8

Spoke to soon !!!

Next day after my last post I was taken into hospital with constant sickness, runs & seriously dehydrated.

Came home this morning, still very very weak, and my MS is absolutely dreadful.

So basically, the hospital ran loads of test and found that I had picked up the Noravirus but also Campylobacter .

They are also a bit suspicious that I may have either Crohns or Celiac Disease, so will be undertaking tests as an outpatient.

Apparently around 10-15% of people with MS can go onto developing Celiac Disease, this is what one of the medical consultants at the hospital told me.

I’d not heard this before, but I just Googled it and it does seem that MS’ers are indeed at risk to developing Celiac Disease.

At the moment I feel dreadful, so so weak, but the sickness and runs has stopped, thank God.

I spoke to my MS consultant whilst I was there, he came to the ward to see me as I should have had an appointment with him on one of the days I was in hospital, he said that even after whatever is going on settles, the MS symptoms do not just automatically settle back, it could be days, weeks, even months !!

This MS make us so so vulnerable !!