I can't offer much help, but have you tried getting a light box? It helps a lot of people with seasonal affective disorder.

I know it can be isolating being alone all the time, and cooped up inside. Is there anyone that can take you out? Or a bus you can take maybe? Here they have paratranspo buses that will come right to your door and help you get into the bus and take you where ever you want to go. It works kind of like a taxi here, you just have to call them 24 hours in advance to arrange for them to come.

I hope you're feeling more like yourself soon

PJ Honey! defiantly something to talk with your doc about~maybe get your vit. D & testosterone levels checked out? the light box idea is a really good one too! (On the other hand, Do you need just a good ol' fashion Cry? Are you stuffing it, when it comes around? May just allow yourself One....recognize it fer what it is---do It---and be done with it.)
Open up yer curtains, Girl! Plop yer self down on the floor & move that body around!
I hate it when my winter blues set in!! usually hits me 'round January, thats when I start to focus on my Spring Time gardening ideas--Man that List Get Big! Hold On--brighter dayz are ahead!

There are many things it could be...Depression, the lesions growing where your brain regulates emotion ("Emotional Incontinence"). People with MS get "E.I."" sometimes & it can cause MS sufferers to cry at laughable situations, laugh at funerals for example, get mad but feel happy inside, get overly excited...

If you have Epilepsy caused by MS lesions, yes, there is a connection...then there are some types of epilepsy that have "E.I" as a symptom.

I have "Complex Partial" epilepsy & that can spread to all kinds of types of Epi. & I can at times get "E.I" as well from where the Epi. hits my brain & or spreads in my brain & from the placement of the MS lesions.

Also...it is natural to feel frustrated some days about being sick all the time. That's understandable! When I'm having allot of physical symptoms, what helps me is being honest with my feelings & finding someone (even if it's just myself) to talk it out with & express to. That way I get the feelings out in the open & I don't bottle them up inside. This helps me be OK with having feelings & not always feeling like I have to hide what I'm going through so I don't "bug" people. You know who will care & understand. Talk to them! Also, this helps me get past my frustration & look to the flip side of the coin...what the lesson is I'm suppose to learn...I feel that everything has a reason.

My walking is really bad & also painful most days so I look at it this way...When the time comes when God puts me in a wheelchair, it's a blessing...Now hear me out about this...It's a blessing because God knows my struggle with walking & he be kind to me & know that I need & break from the struggle. It will help me not just be me & do things anyway if I want to live & suffer the consequences.

I take the bad walking now...YES! Some days it bugs me that it's sooooo hard to walk at all some days, but I take this horrible walking period as another sign that God wants me to learn my strengths. To not just know I am strong, but realize by example that I am strong (cause I'm a visual person & I can't just be told something to understand it fully, God knows this) so he's giving me an example of my strengths & letting me know that I have been sick for 20 or more years progressively & so It's amazing that I hobbled along this far, for so long. Knowing that I can find something to be proud of myself for through all this, even if it's hard to find is comforting to me & helps me get through it all, day by day!

There are a few awesome saying I love...

"It's the character that's the strongest, that God gives the most challenges to!"

"God will not give you more in a day than you can handle...
I just wish, some days, God didn't think so highly of me!" Hehe!

Take care,
Stay sane!

Do you have any pets? My 12 lb miniature schnauzer is worth more than his weight in gold. Funny, smart, loves to play. Springy enough to jump up on the bed, couch, in a car by himself. Schnauzers have hair instead of fur and don't shed. They do need clipping but some owners have learn to do that themselves. You can talk to them and they respond. You can complain about what ails you and they listen intently. I'd say anyone with MS, this needs to be a gotta have.

When I was at my neurologist office the other day. A lady came in with a collie. Right into the waiting room and back with her to the exam room. When I left I noticed she had a van I assumed she drove as she came by herself. It had placards on the side to the effect that the dog was licensed to accompany her I guess everywhere. I'm sure he was trained to help her as well. Might be worth checking into as a wheelchair didn't slow this old lady down.

P.S...Also, if God sees your effort through all this, he will give you a break from it all when you most need it.

I've had many examples of this throughout my struggles. Some days he just wants YOU to take your own breaks for yourself & other days things like one person holding the bathroom door for you after so many symptoms & everyone else is looking at you sideways is just what you need. God sees what you need & provides...

BUT ONLY to those who put in the very best effort they can given the circumstances.

No one can expect that anyone should just hand us things because we NEED it without even trying to work with what God gave us, no matter what that may be.

ONLY ONE who reads minds is God. HA! Everyone else has trouble just guessing.

Easy M...I had a MAltese that was amazing like your puppy is & was even an alert for my medical conditions...Could sense it when I got a seizure or got sicker & let me know. He was a blessing & was the sweetest dog ever.

Now my amazing cats have taken on this task & alert me to my medical conditions as well.

I agree...Talking it out to your pets helps & they even listen & truly care & love you no matter what. Another of Gods blessings.

I would try to do some exercises from the w/c. It's good to get the blood/oxygen moving. Also, are there any movies that make you laugh or take you someplace that brings a smile? There are movies available on youtube if your computer accommodates them ok.

LIght therapy is a great idea. Do you have the blinds open to let the sunshine / light in?

Any hobbies that bring a smile to your face? Things you enjoy doing that you can interact with others about? That can be uplifting.

I was thinking of making a video of family for a project for next Christmas. Do you enjoy projects like that? Seems there are alot of online programs to make videos and crafty things with photos.

Sometimes a good cry is therapeutic. A good laugh is good too. I love Goldie Hawn or Meg Ryan for that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlfqjP4Vrls

Thank you for all of your insights.. I think tomorrow calling my neuro and going to discuss it with him.

I do take vit d-3 every other day. Just had a MRI

cont- - had mri a month ago no change. I when no one is here with me,, my husband working, and kids are working or school, who knows.. hate it

I take 10000 units of d3 each day. Tested for D to relieve cocnern of the neuro and I'm inthe lower portion of the normal range.

sounds like you have some great advice already, don't have anything to add. I just wanetd to say that I'm glad to hear that you are going to talk with your doctor about this. Being in a w/c full time is life changing,and I can't imagine dealing with that myself. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Only concern about Vit D is it is fat soluble. The vitamins A,D,E,K are as well and can create bodily harm if taken in excess.

I want to thank all of you for your concerns/ideas,,, calling the doc this morning as soon as they open.

PJ:

I discovered that when I leveled out my carbohydrates, I lost a lot of the emotional roller coaster rides. Lots of people have undiagnosed insulin resistance that can be playing havoc with emotions. Also, taking a little 5-HTP has made me a much happier person.

Living in the far north, I couldn't make it through the long dark days without a full spectrum light above my desk and over the kitchen work area. They're in a regular fluorescent fixture, but give off a light that is very much like daylight. They really lift my mood - but need to turn them over for awhile before bedtime, or else it interferes with getting to sleep.

Otherwise - sometimes having a bad day reaction is normal & we shouldn't feel guilty. I get tired of hearing how people should be positive every minute of every day - it's simply an unrealistic expectation.

Being sick all the time is depressing! I too am stuck at home with disabilty and trust me I understand how lonely it gets. I also would cry a lot for no reason. My nuerologist put me on proszac and that has helped a lot. Sometimes you just can't help it sometimes it's where your lesions are. What helped me to not feel so alon e was playing onlinne games like World of Warcraft. A lot of times there are otherswith dxisablities on too so u can talk to someone about. Another thing that helped to was getting a bird. They just keep you company and you don't have to walk them lol. Well I hope this was helpful. Feel better and just remeber notrhing is forever no matter how tough it seems.