How do you know if its a flare or exacerbation? Help for a newbie

[MSwhileOverseas]

It's 3:15AM here in Jakarta (my temporary home away from home) and I am awake and little scared. I was diagnosed with MS on valentines day after having a bad flare. I had double and blurry vision, weakness, numbness, tingling and foot drop all on the left side, cognitive issues and of course can't forget the fatigue. Since then I started rebif and have made a lot of improvement but not complete recovery.

Ok here is my issue. I have a bladder infection that I have probably had for awhile but just realized and got antibiotics for on Monday. That night I couldn't sleep and only got two hours of sleep.

The next day my left arm started getting numb but felt different than when I had my first attack. Plus I have electrical shock like sensations in my head and neck when I move too quickly. My muscles are so stiff and tight on the left side but my entire body is weak, it takes everything I have to get to the bathroom.

How do you know if its a new flare or just an exacerbation from the infection and lack of sleep. It's going on 48 hours now, do I call my doctor now or give myself a chance to get over the infection and sleep?

On another note i have an appointment at an MS center in Houston while I am home for the summer. It took awhile to get the appointment but I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. I have to fly from Indonesia to Singapore to see my neruo here and while he treats a few MS patients this disease is very rare here so I am excited to see the MS specialist.

[22cyclist]

Call your neurologist, but it is most likely due to the kidney infection. Your doc will make a decision whether to treat you with steroids or not.

I hope you feel better.

Let us know how it goes.

Lisa
Moderation Team

[mjan]

I have no bits of wisdom or advice, but wanted to say I am thinking about you, alone and scared, away from home then having MS on top of that! Thank you for your service.

You can email me anytime if you need someone to chat with..anytime. Address is in my profile.

Please let us know how things are going.. hope as this infection clears up, you start to improve quickly!!

Hugs, Jan

[Marco]

It is not abnormal to have new or increased symptoms when you are fatigued, overly stressed, sleep deprived or fighting off an unrelated illness.

When I don't get good sleep I can have all kinds of crazy things going on, add in extra stress or an infection and my body would be going bonkers in one way or another.

The NMMS has a page dedicated to exacerbations found here: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...ons/index.aspx

I would definitely call your neurologist and let them earn their keep.

Thank you for sharing with us and know that more than a few people will be praying for you tonight.

[MSwhileOverseas]

Thanks

I emailed my doctor and he thinks its from the infection. I am feeling better today, so hopefully that will continue.

Thanks for all the support, I get a lot from reading everyone's else's post. Thanks for taking the time to respond to mine

[Mamabug]

Just for your knowledge: A flare and a exacerbation are the same thing. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...ons/index.aspx (I notice that Marco already sent you that link.)
The first line of the article also indicates that a flare or an exacerbation may also be called an attack or a relapse.
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Not every MS-like symptom is a flare. Pseudo-exacerbations have very real, and very similar symptoms, but do not require treatment, and will go away, easily, on their own, if the negative stimulation is removed.

For example, UTI's (urinary tract infections), colds, viruses and heat are also something to be aware of. They can:

• either mimic a flare by causing similar symptoms
• can trigger a flare

The green box on the right on the exacerbation link gives you information about pseudo-exacerbations. The PDF file that you can click on, there, is long, but worth the read. Very informative.
IMSJuly04Article - Is It an MS Attack—or Not (.pdf)



~ Faith