Hi I was diagnosed with relapsing remmiting MS November last year I didn’t take it very well at first and now I feel because I have been staying strong for others my emotions are unstable.I’m crying at the smallest of things like songs on the radio and I’ve became quite quick tempered with people and that’s just not me. I’ve never done this forum thing before and I’m not even sure how it works. I guess my question is are these feelings normal and does anyone have any advice on dealing with this problem Thanks in advance Claire x
Hi Claire. I’m much newer to this whole thing than you, but I think I can identify! Being strong for others is something that I have read often happens when someone has a long-term condition, and it puts a lot of pressure on your shoulders - which has to come out somewhere!
Another thing - I think I’m right in saying that MS can, of itself, make you more emotional (someone else might be able to explain it better).
Whatever the case, I think you’re totally normal! Trying to get to grips with the diagnosis is hard work. I’ve already had to do it with another condition, so I do have experience of the emotional ups and downs that jump up and bite you with a chronic health issue.
How to deal with it? Give yourself a break, first of all! You don’t have to be strong for others, that’s for sure. Do you have a good GP, or an MS nurse you can talk to? They might be able to suggest some counselling, if that’s what you want.
Take care -
MonkeyGitl
Hi Claire, since I have been visiting theser boards there have been a number of people reporting this. I think it is referred to as Pseudobulbar affect and it is speculated to sometimes be the result of lesions in specific areas of the brain that lower the threshold for triggering an emotional response and in some cases triggering a completely inappropriate emotion response e.g. laughing at something sad.
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Hi Claire, sorry about your dx :0(. I’m in Limboland at the moment so I can’t say that anything can be attributed to MS for sure but one of the things that is on my symptom list is a growing inability to be sensible with my emotions. My ever helpful family say my sense of humour has been removed, I have to admit on some days I know this to be true but I can’t seem to stop it happening, my fuse is extremely short these days but I used to be such a very laid back person. I’m not sure if it is the neuro issue or just the having to cope with everything that makes me short tempered, anyway, off now to shout at hubby for not straightening the cushions on the sofa properly lol
Hope you get on top of it soon, maybe a visit to your GP to talk it over with, they might be able to offer some help with CBT or something?
Good luck
Sarah xx
Hello 
I get weepy at films, adverts(!), programmes, someone talking about something sad…the list goes on. It’ only happens when I’m in relapse or a flare up though. Xx
Thank you for your replies everyone they are all really nice and very helpful. I feel a bit more like I’m not alone with all of this x