Hi all, I was diagnosed at the end of July 2013 so I am still learning to live with MS both emotionally and physically, but I recently started to feel like I was doing better. I have had some really weird symptoms though at present and am not sure if this is an ‘episode’ or indeed ‘normal’. I managed to go 6 years between my episodes and my most recent was when I was diagnosed at the end of July so I’m a bit upset and frustrated to be experiencing an episode again so soon. What I’m not sure about is it started with a cold and what feels like a chest infection, ie just a ‘normal’ time of the year illness but then I’ve started to experience MS type symptoms such as my mobility is effected and I can’t walk properly on my right side, the side that seems to be effected when I have episodes, I was wondering if this is an ‘episode’ or if any of you find when you have common colds or illnesses then your MS factors kick in too, ie when my chest clears my walking will come back? What’s weirder still is that I can’t walk but this time I can get up and down stairs and over thresholds with ease and can even run but I can’t walk?! This seems to be an ever surprising illness which I am continuously learning from! Your advice and experiences would be good to hear. Thanks all x
My ms nurse told me that infections can cause a change in your body temp which can worsen your MS symptoms. Hopefully it’s just the cold and not the MS.
When I get bladder infections my MS symptoms definnitely get worse. My understanding is that because in MS our immune system attacks our central nervous system, but when we’re ill this makes our immune system more active, and therefore our central nervous system gets attacked more. An expert might contradict that, but that’s what I always thought. And when I get rid of the infection, my other symptoms get better.
Dan
Hi
I had a bad chest infection and cough in February and I developed some symptoms of my ms (pins and needles), it took a few weeks after my infection had cleared up for them to go. Then last year I had a ear and throat infection and also had pins and needles during and after it but I had an appointment with my Neuro when i still had the pins and needles and I mentioned it to her, she said the symptoms should clear when the infection does (so she gave me steroids) but I will be totally honest I dont believe that, I think its just our bodies reacting to different things going on. If I am very tired or stressed I would get sensations and stuff so there will be there wee things happen that just become every day and you adjust your lifestyle to it. But if you are worried about these episodes contact your MS Nurse or Neurologist to put your mind at ease. Hope you feel better soon xo
Thank you all for your replies, they’re really helpful and comforting. I feel really frustrated and personally this is the bit I hate the most about the illness…you seem to get knocked out when you’re ill and have no idea when you get your life back! So frustrating! Prob for me is it’s early days so I’m still learning and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to cope with it all or it’s ok to give in and be off work or whether I should plod on etc as I have no neuro or ms nurse as I seem to have been lost in the system so not sure what to expect or who to rely on for support and advice any more?! Sorry what a moaner lol! I hope you’re all feeling ok x