Is there no end to the parade (or is merry-go-round a better image?) of MS Symptoms to identify and cope with?

As if the pain of spasticity, general muscle weakness, lassitude, and cognitive deficits were not enough, now I find “Second-Level Stress.”

• Poor relationships due to changing roles and expectations.
• Increased work stress from diminished productivity or performance.
• Increased mental health symptoms.

The last including Anxiety Disorder. Apparently, people with MS have a 43 percent chance of meeting the criteria for an anxiety disorder. Now, I wasn’t out fishing for new symptoms to adopt. I’ve been feeling increased anxiety for months. Thoughts that seem to speed up out of control, feeling tense and increasingly fatigued (though I’m not sure how much more fatigued I can feel), decreased ability to focus or concentrate – these are all things I’ve observed in myself recently, and wondered what was going on. I would never have associated these feelings with MS. It was only the delivery in my inbox of this article that snapped it all into perspective.

My initial response is an eye roll, and a “Great! Another freakin’ symptom. Thanks, MS!” My second, more reasoned response, is, “Great. Now I can look at treatment options.” There are several ideas mentioned in the attached article, and I’ll investigate until I find something that works. While past treatment experience doesn’t fill me with confidence, I appreciate having a course of action to pursue. I’ll add it to the list.