"Attack" question - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

lilc · 12-18-2005, 10:33 AM

I've been a little baffled about my RRMS dx as I had been thinking, "I've never had an attack". Finally realized that the episode of extreme, constant "vibrating", that has subsided, was in fact an attack. I am blessed that it was only annoying, not painful.
I can only recall one other thing that (I now know) was an attack - severe sciatic pain for several months, at least 10 years ago. (I've had flares of that pain since, but nothing near as bad as that first time.)
My question is: do "attacks" seem to have a pattern (regarding timing) for an individual?

Natatude · 12-18-2005, 12:25 PM

mine are usually in the summertime,, but right now i think i am having one in the dead of winter,,, but had an MRI that my neuro ordered and i havn;t heard from him and that was done on dec 8th i figured if i was having a relapse he would have called me but who knows i think i will call him tomorrow and make sure,, or stop in tuesday whil i am christmas shopping.

StephanieAnne · 12-18-2005, 04:37 PM

1st one in April 2004, 2nd one September 2004,

I believe that stress brought my relapses on, my dad died 1 month to the day that my 1st relapse started, and in September we had a celebration of his life party, in my parents yard, tent, tables, caterer the whole 9 yards and that was a a HUGE undertaking with my mother becoming the most demanding person that we have ever seen!

and that is when my 2nd relapse came to visit.

Since then my life has changed alot, I don't work any more, I take an antidepressant, gone thru counseling to deal with the stress and depression and now all I do is take care of me, my house, my husband and 2 cats and shlepp my mother to her dr's appts, she has Lupus, actually my neuro said with her having Lupus, that it is not uncommon for another family member to get an immune disorder aka me and The MS

I think that PMS and even menopause, can bring relapse like feelings, I have had those feelings for about a month and finally feel better, I woke up today and instead of getting into my recliner, I read the paper, and puttered around the house. It felt good!

So to answer your question, a pattern of attacks, it did when I was stressed.

lilc · 12-18-2005, 06:04 PM

Steph, that makes a lot of sense. My episode in March was after an emotional "meltdown". The "sciatica" was when I was ending a 12 year relationship. I'm also going through menopause now, have often wondered if hot flashes have the same effect as extreme EXTERNAL heat!
The reason I asked is that a little part of me keeps wondering, "when is something going to happen?" It isn't a constant worry, it just pops up sometimes. It is so very clear that stress in very bad for me, now more than ever. The numbness increases when I get stressed, and that makes me irritable, which causes more stress...
I have been taking Lexapro. Didn't like feeling "flat", so started taking half a pill per day. The intense depression I was feeling a few weeks ago is gone, this is good. Still get stressed, but I know I have to do better at managing it all.
I'm so glad you felt better today! I have to go back and check the threads, but was it you who fell down and twisted your ankle in the snow? I fell down some steps at a restaraunt a couple of months ago and sprained my ankle, it still hurts. I've never been graceful, but falling down made me feel like such a doofus! I watch my step now, something I've never had to devote energy to before. Guess it is just part of the "new norm".
Wishing you a Blessed Christmas!

StephanieAnne · 12-18-2005, 09:16 PM

Lilc
Yep, I fell, hurt my ankle, knee and arm, and now my husband makes sure that there is about a 1/2 inch of rock salt on the driveway at all times, he is a funny guy

and we have our driveway plowed when it storms.

for hot flashes, try Vitamin E 400ie a day, it has helped me very much I don't know if what I am experiencing is menpoause, all I know is after my last steroid treatment, I started getting hot flashes, and my mom suggested the Vit E

My neuro said that sypmtoms of a relapse have to last for at least 24 hours
to be considered a relapse. There are times when I get restless legs very bad, and that was a symptom of my 1 relapse, but usually I am exhausted and they are gone in the AM. Believe me when a relapse comes to visit you will know it! You are doing what you need to do to keep Mr MS Relapse from visiting stress is an amazing thing, amazing for what it can do to a body!
keep counting those blessings