Life itself is stressful. Add MS to that and that is enough stress for a lifetime. It seems when there is more going on in my life, my symptoms tend to "act up" more.

Yes!!! Stress makes all of my symptoms flare up. Emotions play a huge role in my daily ability to function.

Even light stress bothers my legs; making them very very weak that even the crutches barely support me 2 feet!!

Then OF COURSE my mom chimes in with her snide comments adding more stress ".. Weeell!! I don't think that pill OR ANY OF YOUR DRUGS ARE helpin you ANY!! You should REALLY THINK about goin to a dissabillity house to have people carry you around! You look terriable TRYIN to get anywhere!!"

So of course that adds further to my stress and makes me want to stay locked in my room as if I'm 6 years old and just got punished

Life is just Irritating!

the last time i was really stressed, i started having trouble speaking and swallowing.

I've that found low benzodiazepines (e.g: xanax, valium, ativan, klonopin, etc) help in a situation when stress is imminent. The only downside of those is the bad sleepiness side effect, which may countered with caffeine. So, benzos might possibly be helpful.

"Low dose"

Stress really affects me. I've been under a lot of stress lately and the tingling has turned into burning, stabbing pain. I go to see my neuro on the 10th and will ask to go back on something to help me cope again. I had just gotten off after 2 years but I can't do anything about those around me.

Gentle hugs, Linda

Research sugess that the various types of stress may interact with MS in different and sometimes contradictory ways. Consider the following facts:

Sudden acute stresses, such as car accidents seem to have no impact on either tye onset or progression of MS. In fact, evidence suggests that brief traumatic stresses may even reduce a person's risk of MS relapses. Isn't that hard to believe?

A large study found that the death of a person's child significantly increased his or her risk of developing MS.

Ongoing, chronic trauma or stress seems to increase the risk of MS relapses. Handling stress varies so much depending upon a person's coping and problem solving skills and support system. Because MS varies so m;uch from one person to another,and no two people have the same coping mechanisms or resources, no one can really predict ho life's stresses are ging to affect you or anyone else. So rather than worrying about how the unavoidable stresses of daily life are going to affect your MS, your best best is to figure out how to manage those stresses more comfortably. Develop a Stress Management Plan. Try googling that. Exercise more, learn some deep breathing exercises too and/or meditate.

Ichoppel,

Do you mean the acute stress can help develop more symptoms and not Ms? according to my doctors and my own research stress doesn't cause MS but it may trigger the symptoms.

I'll be happy to hear your opinion.

I love my Xanax. :)

mteverest, think both cases are true: Stress is an environmental trigger that can cause MS, if the MS genes are present in the person. Also, stress and an acute stressful situation can worsen MS symptoms or bring about new MS symptoms.

Recently diagnosed, but have unknowingly gone years undiagnosed and untreated. Have SPMS, and never got to know my RRMS. Everything is stressful, right now. Just having MS is stressful. So many symptoms to deal with that aren't letting up, no success with treatment, so far, dealing with complications, being abandoned and rejected, unbearable lack of support and compassion from others, somehow continuing to live most of my life, but putting up a front to hide my agony, all with a lack of rest, amounts to nothing but a big ball of stress. My symptoms seem to stay flared and severe. Told I need to slow down, but if I do, I'm afraid I'll stop. So, my life now is nothing but stress. Wish I could find a way to break this cycle. If I get past one thing that is stressing, there are ten more waiting. I truly believe it was stress caused by someone that blindsided me that triggered the transition to SPMS. Went from feeling on top of the world to the absolute worst I've ever felt. Was then hit like a freight train by multiple symptoms after, and got a solidified diagnosis within 2 weeks. Now, I'm an absolute mess. Feel I'd just have been diagnosed with RRMS had I not been dealt an unexpected blow. I am happy for those who only have a stressful moment to cause a flare up. I pray I can be that way, and soon.

Stress has always bothered me.
a couple of yrs ago was the worst
In Jan 2010 My Hubby heart was bad he got a 2 bi-pass done in May then went into heart failure. It was a very stressful time. I was very tired from taking care of him. At the time I could walk I had very few mobility issues.

Well after months of stress and months of me tiring myself out taking care of Hubby in Oct I woke up one day and my legs were numb. I was not dxed as of that time. Two weeks later I woke up one day and I was paralyzed from the waist down.
I went to hospital was admitted and got dx
After that I went through a period of time when I had a new MS attack every 4-6 weeks. I was told my MS was very aggressive.
I had a very poor diet for so long when they did blood work to test the vitamins all came back low.
I am on a good diet now and have lots more energy

I was told then they think my MS went nuts b/c of how hard I pushed myself too hard for too long and I was too tired.