Comments on: Multiple Sclerosis and Apathy http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/ Within every Multiple Sclerosis Patient there Lies an Indomitable Strength. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:13:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jen http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-313 Jen Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:39:36 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-313 Hi Joan-- I guess I developed this site to pass along anything I've found that has helped me. I'm no expert about any MS topics except knowing that I hate it and wanting to empower others in a positive way (which doesn't require any medical expert knowledge.) Because it's a bit soon for me to be out of the workforce, I get really stir-crazy after a few months of unsteady occupation. I'm actually not a type A personality myself. I DO get nutty about editing my website (when I comb through recent posts to make sure I AGAIN did not let a typo slide.) Everything else I kinda let happen, without having to control every aspect. My problem is that I'm a bit hyper in temperament-- except during relapses--- and so I'm just a horse biting at the bit to go faster. My patience has been pretty much nil my whole life so I'm just learning how to be a slow turtle and let things develop slowly... Take care and we'll talk again soon... Jen Hi Joan–

I guess I developed this site to pass along anything I’ve found that has helped me. I’m no expert about any MS topics except knowing that I hate it and wanting to empower others in a positive way (which doesn’t require any medical expert knowledge.)

Because it’s a bit soon for me to be out of the workforce, I get really stir-crazy after a few months of unsteady occupation. I’m actually not a type A personality myself. I DO get nutty about editing my website (when I comb through recent posts to make sure I AGAIN did not let a typo slide.) Everything else I kinda let happen, without having to control every aspect. My problem is that I’m a bit hyper in temperament– except during relapses— and so I’m just a horse biting at the bit to go faster. My patience has been pretty much nil my whole life so I’m just learning how to be a slow turtle and let things develop slowly…

Take care and we’ll talk again soon…

Jen

]]> By: Joan http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-312 Joan Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:30:00 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-312 Jen - I agree with you and Lanette: I am so there with you! Today I realized that this feeling is like I'm just waiting for something, but I don't know what. I feel like I can't do anything until "it" happens. Talk about feeling STUCK. When I stopped working, I scheduled a lot of activities to stay engaged but have realized that I pushed myself too far and ended up just as exhausted and anxious as when I had a paying job (darn my Type A personality!). As a result, I've had to resign from some groups and cancel a number of commitments. Now I need to spend some time processing the suggestions you wrote and find a good balance. Thanks as always for thoughtful essays! Jen – I agree with you and Lanette: I am so there with you! Today I realized that this feeling is like I’m just waiting for something, but I don’t know what. I feel like I can’t do anything until “it” happens. Talk about feeling STUCK.

When I stopped working, I scheduled a lot of activities to stay engaged but have realized that I pushed myself too far and ended up just as exhausted and anxious as when I had a paying job (darn my Type A personality!). As a result, I’ve had to resign from some groups and cancel a number of commitments. Now I need to spend some time processing the suggestions you wrote and find a good balance.

Thanks as always for thoughtful essays!

]]> By: Jen http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-311 Jen Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:32:13 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-311 Hi Miss Chris! You sound like a pre-k teacher. Cute name. I've seen your comments at Brain Cheese's blog....Thank you for reading and commenting because it woke my butt up. I'm actually sitting up in a chair right now. Really, I did get out of the house for about 6 hours straight today, so I can't presently complain. Talk to ya later!... Hi Miss Chris! You sound like a pre-k teacher. Cute name. I’ve seen your comments at Brain Cheese’s blog….Thank you for reading and commenting because it woke my butt up. I’m actually sitting up in a chair right now.

Really, I did get out of the house for about 6 hours straight today, so I can’t presently complain.

Talk to ya later!…

]]> By: Jen http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-310 Jen Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:27:15 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-310 I think there are different kinds of apathy. Seems like a bunch of people are suffering from "stuckedness" due to the pressures of stress and others are so underwhelmed that making a move becomes like moving a building or turning off the tv remote (so hard some days..) Cattle prods are in order. I think there are different kinds of apathy. Seems like a bunch of people are suffering from “stuckedness” due to the pressures of stress and others are so underwhelmed that making a move becomes like moving a building or turning off the tv remote (so hard some days..)

Cattle prods are in order.

]]> By: Miss Chris http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-309 Miss Chris Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:50:22 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-309 Hi. I just found your blog courtesy of Braincheese. Great post! Hi. I just found your blog courtesy of Braincheese. Great post!

]]> By: Nadja Tizer http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-308 Nadja Tizer Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:10:11 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-308 Well said. I think I have the apathy even though I have a demanding job. I am doing it and trying to even do it well but looking ahead is hard. I just want to sleep. On the weekend, I don't want to make committments,even when they would probably make me feel better. I am just so unmotivated and uncertain about what I want to do and what I realistically can do. Well said. I think I have the apathy even though I have a demanding job. I am doing it and trying to even do it well but looking ahead is hard. I just want to sleep. On the weekend, I don’t want to make committments,even when they would probably make me feel better. I am just so unmotivated and uncertain about what I want to do and what I realistically can do.

]]> By: Jen http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-307 Jen Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:29:08 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-307 Linda-- I just prodded my poor husband out of deep sleep to get in the shower and get the hell to work. I watch his apathy a lot of mornings as he struggles to get into the shower. His job is so stressful (he's a trader at a small investment firm)and I think this makes him ambivalent about going to work because he just wants to stay home and avoid the stress. Poor guy. So there's another example of someone who works more than full-time and is "stuck" because of high stress. Yeah-- I always wonder if I have organic, MS-induced depression/apathy. It's hard to tell any more because I'm taking Betaseron, which can cause it, I live a bit of an underwhelming life (which can also cause it), and there are areas in the brain that control mood and they can be damaged by MS. I JUST DON'T KNOW!!!!! But I'm up early today and will be leaving the compound by 10:30 am to see my nephew. So I'm workin' it...... Linda–

I just prodded my poor husband out of deep sleep to get in the shower and get the hell to work. I watch his apathy a lot of mornings as he struggles to get into the shower. His job is so stressful (he’s a trader at a small investment firm)and I think this makes him ambivalent about going to work because he just wants to stay home and avoid the stress. Poor guy. So there’s another example of someone who works more than full-time and is “stuck” because of high stress.

Yeah– I always wonder if I have organic, MS-induced depression/apathy. It’s hard to tell any more because I’m taking Betaseron, which can cause it, I live a bit of an underwhelming life (which can also cause it), and there are areas in the brain that control mood and they can be damaged by MS.

I JUST DON’T KNOW!!!!! But I’m up early today and will be leaving the compound by 10:30 am to see my nephew. So I’m workin’ it……

]]> By: Linda D. http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-306 Linda D. Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:23:21 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-306 I honestly believe (without any scientific proof/evidence) chemical changes in the brain of an MSer promote exactly what you are describing...there is a feeling of disconnect with the world or sometimes as if poking at the world through Saran Wrap, which FEELS mentally spawned in nature, but truly "may" be neurological in pathology. I'm just sayin...LOL I DO work more than full time and I get what you describe even GETTING out of the house mostly daily. WOOT?!? Linda D. in Seattle I honestly believe (without any scientific proof/evidence) chemical changes in the brain of an MSer promote exactly what you are describing…there is a feeling of disconnect with the world or sometimes as if poking at the world through Saran Wrap, which FEELS mentally spawned in nature, but truly “may” be neurological in pathology.

I’m just sayin…LOL I DO work more than full time and I get what you describe even GETTING out of the house mostly daily. WOOT?!?

Linda D. in Seattle

]]> By: Jen http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-305 Jen Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:53:36 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-305 I've been apathetic so many times in the past few years--- I'm so sick of it! I volley between being out in the world and then relapsing to being home and recuperating to an apathetic, bored status. I can't honestly tell if apathy spawns depression or vice-versa. Neither are good. I'm pretty much bored. I think Betaseron also causes depression. All the interferons--- Avonex, Betaseron, and Rebif-- can. I take an antidepressant so it's hard to say if Betaseron would make me depressed. But I did go off of the antidepressant for a while and I was a bit edgier. On the antidepressant, I'm pretty functional, even with the Betaseron. I’ve been apathetic so many times in the past few years— I’m so sick of it! I volley between being out in the world and then relapsing to being home and recuperating to an apathetic, bored status. I can’t honestly tell if apathy spawns depression or vice-versa. Neither are good. I’m pretty much bored.

I think Betaseron also causes depression. All the interferons— Avonex, Betaseron, and Rebif– can. I take an antidepressant so it’s hard to say if Betaseron would make me depressed. But I did go off of the antidepressant for a while and I was a bit edgier. On the antidepressant, I’m pretty functional, even with the Betaseron.

]]> By: Lanette http://www.msstrength.com/multiple-sclerosis-and-apathy/comment-page-1/#comment-304 Lanette Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:36:48 +0000 http://www.msstrength.com/?p=651#comment-304 I could not have written it better myself. I am where you are right now. Only I am having more of a problem navigating Apathy as it is new to me this year. Actually all of this new MS progression is new to me this year, so I am trying to adjust as quickly and best as possible. Sounds like you have a good handle already on the balance between being underwhelmed and overdoing it. Question for you - you are on Betaseron. I've just recently tried and quit Rebif after some severe reactions to it in regards to anxiety and depression. Does Betaseron affect those 2 MS Symptoms as well in a negative way? I could not have written it better myself. I am where you are right now. Only I am having more of a problem navigating Apathy as it is new to me this year. Actually all of this new MS progression is new to me this year, so I am trying to adjust as quickly and best as possible.

Sounds like you have a good handle already on the balance between being underwhelmed and overdoing it.

Question for you – you are on Betaseron. I’ve just recently tried and quit Rebif after some severe reactions to it in regards to anxiety and depression. Does Betaseron affect those 2 MS Symptoms as well in a negative way?

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