Michele, about the dog incident...IMHO, I think that maybe your emotions are being affected "in your brain", which would be in the frontal lobe. A lot of people with MS speak of having emotions that are "out of control", i.e. crying for no reasons or for silly things, anger outbursts, etc.... I would think that anxiety and fear would fall in this same category.....feeling/emotions - frontal lobe. Just as every other part of our bodies are affected (hands, feet, balance, vision, hearing, cognition, etc...), so are the emotions!! You are not "losing it"...it's the MS!

I seem to have more difficulty controlling my emotions than I used to...esp. anger and crying. I also cannot tolerate being around alot of loud noise, people/crowds, etc... I don't like being "overstimulated" in any form or fashion now.

About the van incident...I can definately relate to the memory problems. I've also found that, just within this past year, I've had momentary episodes where I couldn't remember how to do the simplest of things....like work the washer, empty the vacuum cleaner container, dial a number, etc....silly little things that you've done day-in & day-out for who knows how many years and then all of a sudden.....BAM...your mind is lost in cyberspace and you can't even really remember where you are, what you're doing/how to do it, etc..???? Then, just as suddenly as it went away, it seems that your brain just floated right back into your skull and....there it is....your back!! You remember...whatever it was that you forgot! Hopefully you can remember, that is...in some cases, I just have to give it up and move on to something else until later (my ability to recall names/words has gotten horrible!!).

Of course, technically, we know the info is up there, we just cant' get the "wiring" to make the correct "route" to get to it!....then again, it could be missing due to atrophy of the gray matter! YIKES!! Or is it the white matter?....no lets see...white matter is what atrophies in Fibromyalgia patients...GEEZ, if I do end up with a Dx of MS, in addition to Fibro....my poor brain won't stand a chance!!!

It's a scary world to live in, isn't it?? Not knowing if, in the next minute, your brain is going to take a notion to "vacation" and leave you "hanging out to dry" somewhere!! Hang in there....you're not alone!! ~Tonya ;)

Michele, about the dog incident...IMHO, I think that maybe your emotions are being affected "in your brain", which would be in the frontal lobe. A lot of people with MS speak of having emotions that are "out of control", i.e. crying for no reasons or for silly things, anger outbursts, etc.... I would think that anxiety and fear would fall in this same category.....feeling/emotions - frontal lobe. Just as every other part of our bodies are affected (hands, feet, balance, vision, hearing, cognition, etc...), so are the emotions!! You are not "losing it"...it's the MS!

I seem to have more difficulty controlling my emotions than I used to...esp. anger and crying. I also cannot tolerate being around alot of loud noise, people/crowds, etc... I don't like being "overstimulated" in any form or fashion now.

About the van incident...I can definately relate to the memory problems. I've also found that, just within this past year, I've had momentary episodes where I couldn't remember how to do the simplest of things....like work the washer, empty the vacuum cleaner container, dial a number, etc....silly little things that you've done day-in & day-out for who knows how many years and then all of a sudden.....BAM...your mind is lost in cyberspace and you can't even really remember where you are, what you're doing/how to do it, etc..???? Then, just as suddenly as it went away, it seems that your brain just floated right back into your skull and....there it is....your back!! You remember...whatever it was that you forgot! Hopefully you can remember, that is...in some cases, I just have to give it up and move on to something else until later (my ability to recall names/words has gotten horrible!!).

Of course, technically, we know the info is up there, we just cant' get the "wiring" to make the correct "route" to get to it!....then again, it could be missing due to atrophy of the gray matter! YIKES!! Or is it the white matter?....no lets see...white matter is what atrophies in Fibromyalgia patients...GEEZ, if I do end up with a Dx of MS, in addition to Fibro....my poor brain won't stand a chance!!!

It's a scary world to live in, isn't it?? Not knowing if, in the next minute, your brain is going to take a notion to "vacation" and leave you "hanging out to dry" somewhere!! Hang in there....you're not alone!! ~Tonya ;)

Not sure how that happended....a strange looking page popped up with my post written all weird, then it got sent twice...I've been noticing some weird quirks with this website since all of the new changes....anyone else noticing??
~Tonya

Thanks, Tonya, for your reply. I hadn't even thought about the emotional aspect, but that may just be the case. It was so strange, though. I think my concern is that the MS might be progressing. Oh, I hope not. I also worry about dementia or Alzheimer's after having the experience with the lights in my van. My memory is not great at all lately and just seems to be getting worse. I still have good memory days, but the bad memory days seem to becoming more frequent.

Michelle

I know what you mean Michelle, they are for me too. I quit working full-time in the public schools as an SLP b/c of the progression of my cogitive/memory issues. They were interferring with my job and making me be unreliable and inefficient. I decided that I just couldn't do it anymore...just too darn stressful and demanding. I'm trying to start up a jewelry business soon....that way, I can pick and choose my days/hours, depending on how I feel. My hubbie also worries about me, says that he sees my cognition going downhill fast also. I guess it must really be getting pretty bad when your husband and kids keep telling you you're getting Alzheimer's. Of course, my gang has been telling me this for 4-5 years now. I laugh at myself a lot, but deep down inside, it's not funny at all....it hurts and it's scary! Just know that you're not alone Michelle! ~Tonya

One suggestion that I have tried because I also do not like to be over stimulated with a lot of noise and people because it caused anxiety in me is chiropractic care and also massage therapy. I am lucky to have my insurance to cover this - you may want to look into it for yourself. Since beginning these treatments I feel more intuned with myself and my feelings and am able to handle them is a fashion that is more acceptable to myself. Another added bonus is that I have not had a migraine since the doc started cracking me - I was getting migraines 3 times per week and also memory problems - snafus... Hope this helps.

the other day i had the same problem with my memory. I was trying to call my boyfriend whom i've been with for over a year, and has had the same number the whole time... I picked up the phone and couldn't remember! I tried a few times, calling random people. finally, i had to look at my cell phone and get the number from there!! I was shocked at myself!! I often experience that fear (that you had with the dogs) but just with noises and sudden movements of people. I'm more jumpy for no reason!

You are not alone. I have the same cognitive problem with not remembering how to do something I've done for years. One example...I'm constantly forgetting where the ignition is and how to put my keys in it and then I can't remember how to get to the grocery store I've been using for years. Totally frustrating and I feel like a major dummy afterwards.

I, too, have probs with being overly sensitive to lights, sounds, & other stimuli as well as with crying and anxiety/fear for no reason; I mean absolutely for NO reason! I found that making myself rest every day NO MATTER WHAT for 30mins-one hr in a very quiet room with earplugs (this blocks out stimuli to my eyes & ears) helps with these probs. I suffer the consequences on the days that I don't or on the days that I just rest my eyes but not block out the noise surrounding me.

Isn't it amazing how MS can really mess with you! Take care and lean on others who walk in your shoes everyday~* Lisa

Thank-you all for your replies. I greatly appreciate it. I think the cognitive symptoms bother me the most or at least find them the most frightening.

I, too, have become 'jumpier'since MS. I scare very easily and never used to. While riding in a vehicle with someone else driving, if the vehicle seems to get to close to the side of the road, I jump. My husband comes into a room where I am concentrating on something and scares the &**# out of me! He doesn't mean to do it and is a bit 'put out' that I react the way that I do. I keep telling him that I can't help it. I don't really understand why I'm so much more sensitive this way.

I am concerned that when school starts (in just three weeks) I might 'see' something in my classroom or totally forget how to do something. Last year, I told my students about my diagnosis and they were wonderful and understanding. If I forgot what I was going to say, usually a student just 'gently' reminded me what I had been talking about. I appreciated them so much. I guess the future will be what it is and there is no use worrying about it...just borrowing trouble and I don't need to do that!

Hi eloise, you might want to read the "congnitive issues" discussion too. There are lots of cognitive issues talked about that I completely relate to. you might too. I also have had strange issues with the car. How about the radio looks like I've never seen it before, or where does the key go, or how do I open the door, or which thing is the handle. Oh yeah, been there, done that. I think the advice you got about the dogs sounds logical too.

I am so happy that I'm not just crazy! So many times I have experienced the same things and 'chalked' it up to being from anti-depressants or side effects from other meds. I can't tell you how many times I have been driving and out of the blue, I can't for the life of me remember where I am. I can remember where I'm going, but can't pinpoint the exact location of where I am at that point and how to proceed. I usually just keep driving straight, hoping that I will "recognize" something soon, or my memory will reboot itself. By then, I usually can navigate back towards the locations I was going to in the first place. It gets frustrating, but now that I know it could be another symptom of ms, i know its probably not from meds.
I also have problems with grabbing the wrong things. I often wind up washing my body with shampoo and my hair with soap until I realize it's the other way around...but atleast I still remember to shower! I guess we all just have to be lighthearted about it all.
I can definitely relate with your "anxiety" and jumpiness. I'm not good with even small groups anymore because of it. Too much stimulation and input. My brain goes into meltdown and I wind up sleeping for 16 hours straight and still feel bad when I wake up.
Good luck with everything. My thoughts are with you. THanks for sharing! We're not alone!

I was at a concert with a friend the other night. When were ready to leave, he got out of the car for some reason, then when he got back in the car I had no idea who he was for about 10 seconds.