Pseudo Relapses – What Are They? What I learned

Wow, it’s been quite some time since I’ve written a blog post and for that I truly apologize. I know I haven’t reached a huge crowd on here but I do hope this information and my story reaches someone who may be experiencing the same things. So much has been going on for me health wise that sometimes you just have to take the biggest step back. But when I can get a chance to release some information I definitely will do so!

So, what are Pseudo Relapses? Have you ever heard of it before? I posted about this on my Instagram account and explain how at my recent appointment, my neurologist expounded on this more to help me understand what’s been going on for the past few weeks/month. If you have Multiple Sclerosis, you can experience these pseudo relapses where old lesions on the brain are triggered by any stress, pain or heat sensitivity that mimic an actual MS exacerbation where the pain is real and scary because to us it feels like our symptoms have worsened and is a possible sign of disease progression. It all makes sense because all my MRI test would be clear, my neuro exam would be stable, my blood work was fine but I still feel terrible! So, I hope that this information reaches some who may be confused or scared when these episodes happen and also to never stop searching because the pain is REAL.

Now after my last infusion in July, two weeks after I felt terribly and to the point where I couldn’t walk. My MS effects my legs and balance more than anything and so I immediately reached out to my doctor to let him know. At the time we were in the dead of summer and the humidity was at an all time high. Looking back now, it makes total sense why I was having those issues because heat sensitivity effects MS symptoms as it is. He explained how the damaged nerve may still have a measure of limited function but when stress, pain or heat is happening it slows down or even stops the communication all together. And then at that point you start to experience the pseudo relapse.

Of course never just assume that your not experiencing a real relapse. Always reach out to your neurologist and make an emergency appointment to be examined. They will know by looking at you, what could be happening; while of course ordering an MRI or additional testing. With that being said, there’s so much to learn about this disease and to be honest it’s so difficult because of its unpredictability. You literally have to be on high alert 24/7 because you just never know. Hang in there all my chronic Illness warriors. We take one day at a time!

Let me know if you’ve experienced this before or learned something new like me! Make sure to subscribe and keep up with my post!