Hi
I am quite newly diagnosed and due to start Copaxone soon.
I have got Norovirus - had it a couple of times before and my husband has got it too.
I wanted to know if it’s ‘normal’ that is has totally floored me. I feel awful, my MS symptoms have all flared up and all I want to do is sleep. Does anyone else have experience of this with getting viruses?
Suppose I’m a bit scared.
Nicola
Nicola
Hello Nicola
Getting a virus or an infection can certainly make your MS symptoms worse. What happens when you get a virus or infection is that your immune system starts getting its army together to fight against the alien invader, ie the virus that’s caused the problem. But with an autoimmune disease like MS, the immune system is perfectly capable at the best of times of seeing your normal cells as being alien invaders (which is what happens when someone with RRMS has a relapse). So having a virus can cause your immune system to do a bit of extra beating up of your myelin (which is the stuff that covers your CNS / nerves).
Therefore you can feel extra crappy with an infection or a virus, fatigue is likely to be worse, existing symptoms can be worse, which could be called a pseudo relapse. Or it can cause an actual MS relapse.
I hope you get over the Norovirus very soon. And that the devilish MS symptoms ease off.
Hopefully the Copaxone will help to ward off actual relapses once you start it. (Why Copaxone? It’s got a low relapse reduction rate, weren’t you offered something more effective? Or did you like the idea of Copaxone better?)
Sue
When I am incubating a virus I am generally better than usual - as if the virus blocks out the m.s. temporarily. Of course at the time I don’t realise I’ve picked up a virus. Then during the viral illness and subsequently I feel crappier than usual. Would willingly volunteer for inoculation with a virus which takes 20 + years to incubate -
Hi Ssssue
Thank you so much for your reply that makes a lot of sense. Feeling a lot better today thankfully but MS symptoms are worse than they have been for a few weeks - how lovely!
Copaxone is the only drug which is suitable if you are trying to start a family. They told me all others were a no go. So that’s my option for now.
I never thought of it that way. I think I did feel pretty good for the few days before I got it now I think about it.
When i get a virus my MS behaves itself while i have the virus and then about 6 weeks after i then have a relapse.
That doesn’t sound like fun at all. Hope you stay well 
Why am i teary when i go out.my eyes tear up like im crying but im not.