pseudo flare or the real thing with a period

[mommyHeidi]

I have a question about those of you who still get your period and how you feel when you get it.

I only get my period a few times a year (on Seasonal) Birth Control. This time I have noticed that I feel like I am having a full blown flare. Weakness, numbness in my feet. I feel like I have sweaters on my legs. More headaches than normal.....I don't know if this is all in my head or a pseudo flare or if if I should call my doc...let it pass, wait till my period is over.

Just wondering if this is something that is common. Thanks ladies!

[SNOOPY]

Hello mommyHeidi,

It is quite normal for hormonal fluctuations to cause an increase, temporarily, in MS symptoms. Yes, you could call it a Pseudoexacerbation.

Usually symptoms can increase before/during ovulation and/or before/during your period.

[mommyHeidi]

Thank You Snoopy, I think I am going to wait it out. Sorry to be so personal. I have only had a handful of periods with with my MS after my son has been born and it has NEVER been like this so a red flag went up. If it doesn't get better in a day or 2 I know something is up for sure.

The guessing part is the worst part by far

[MSW1963]

I had a 5yr time frame with active MS sx's. ON and cognative problems always 5-7 days before my period. I was eventually dx'd with Catemanial Epilepsy=hormone eplipesy, based on EEG. Catemanial Epilepsy went out of fashion, but my EEG test results indicate something was going on. The epilepsy foundation site had an enormous amount of info about CE, one day it all just disappeared.

I also had huge problems with BC pills. Today, BCs have much lower levels of estrogen-progestin then back in the day, which could explain some of my problems, but not all.

My MS sx's were definately exacerbated before my period and exacerbated further while on BCs.