Stress and immediate symptoms

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Dear all, I am quite newly diagnosed, Doctor told me eight weeks ago, two weeks ago diagnosed private neurologist. Am now awaiting NHS neurologist follow up. Don’t know what type I have, I do have a course of steroids to take this week.

My question; I am a teacher and on one of the last weeks of term, before diagnosis but when my symptoms were bad the doctor put me on amended hours. The school failed to protect me and piled on extra groups/responsibilities and vulnerable child fight in classroom etc. High stress and by lunch time my face was numb and covered in strong/sore pins and needles.

I am now on summer holidays and whenever I think of work/ someone mentions it, my pins and needles in my arms worsen and it comes again in my face. I have been spooked and think that work is causing real immediate symptoms. I am petrified that I have progressive ms and that new symptoms are coming quickly. I have always been strong/not emotional or stressed and am a good teacher.

Could stress cause immediate worsening of symptoms?

Thank you for any advice. Patience x

2

The simple answer is yes, stress can cause existing symptoms to flare up in the same way as infections can cause pseudo-relapses. Keep a note of what symptoms are apparent and how long they last with a record of any unusual events that coincide (like having a cold, an unusually active or stressful situation etc) A record will be helpful to your Neuro and will also be useful to present to your employer about what reasonable adjustments they must make. (It sounds like you might need to get your union onside if your employers are being unhelpful/disorganised about meeting their legal obligations)