A new excuse for the crazy…..
I am usually known for posts that offer a comic nature to my life with multiple sclerosis. But today, I would like to talk to you about a serious issue, one of which you may not be aware, MS PBA.
Yes, I know, you think I must be writing in the midst of one of my cognitive episodes as you have never heard of MS PBA. You are likely thinking I typed a letter wrong and maybe I meant, MSPCA.
No. I love animals as much as the next person but I am not referring to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
So now you are wondering if I meant MS PDA. No to that as well. I am currently single and there are no public displays of affection going on in my MS world.
If I happen to be witnessing some PDA in your world, I am probably gagging out of spite.
If I wasn’t single, and out in public with my beau, I probably would display lots of PDA mostly because standing is exhausting and as I am not ready to start using a cane, I would probably be falling all over my beloved in an attempt to stay upright without tiring myself anymore than I have to.
And I am not talking about MS PB&J either. While a healthy diet is important, and peanut butter is a delicious source of protein and fiber (I am getting some healthy nutrients right now with a jar and a spoon beside me,) the jelly not so much.
PBA is a medical condition that can affect people with neurological disorders. I learned this while trying to fight brain fog with bad television.
A commercial appeared showing a man crying, followed by a woman laughing, then a woman crying and a man laughing and so on. It was an advertisement for PseudoBulbar Affect and it is a legitimate diagnosis where people display bouts of uncontrolled laughing or crying emotions.
Too bad I didn’t know about it in the years before my diagnosis when I was a teary eyed mad woman freaking out everyone around me.
I wouldn’t mind if I was displaying the laughing side of the illness; I strongly believe an all out belly laugh is good for you. Unless you are laughing at someone bigger than you who decides to beat you up because you are laughing at them.
But being able to blame the random sobbing on something other than the sappy movie or PMS? Excellent!
The commercial provided a phone number if you wanted more information. I called and received a packet within the week. The packet described PBA in more detail and gave helpful tips;
keep a diary to track the uncontrollable emotions (too grueling)
tell people what’s going on (like they’d believe you- they already think you are crazy)
breathe (duh, don’t we have to do that anyway?)
It also suggested if these tips and others provided don’t help, you can go on medication. So I looked at the medication info and the side effects mirror MS– dizziness, weakness, UTI’s, and flu like aches.
Figures. Thus, I stopped reading about PBA. My crying spells have calmed down and so I will live my life in the throes of MS PBA without an additional RX.
But really, MS, can you give me a break? Can you at least make my unruly symptoms be of the laughing kind?
Note-I intend my blog posts to be humor based. But if PBA is an issue for you or someone you know, you can obtain more information at www.pbafacts.com
Image courtesy of [farconville] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of [piyahpantawong] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of [farconville] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
so much like you, I wish that I would laugh instead of cry:) However, I care for someone who is nonverbal, and her only response to ANYTHING is smiling and laughter. This is often NOT appropriate. I DO take a small daily dose of an antidepressant. I don’t notice any changes in ME except that I don’t cry incessantly. I’m glad to know that this has a name!!!!
Absolutely and I would have never known this had a name except for seeing the cheesy commercial. I’m glad you found this helpful and thank you for checking out the blog! I can see how the woman you care for laughing and smiling all the time could be inappropriate. But I am glad that she has that outlet. When you get down, please try to find your own giggle or two….
I’ve seen those commercials too, I’d like to try and blame my outbursts on this, but I think sometimes I can just be the “B” word, although I do tend to blame my outbursts on the MS, I’m sure I’d be an Angel if I didn’t have that!:D
I don’t believe you could ever be the “B” word Vanessa!!! I think you and me and all the other lovely people with MS are fabulous angels whose bodies get taken over by the MS Monster sometimes, making us seem less than our angelic selves! That’s my story and I am sticking to it!
Have the same thing. Except I cry. Have to take anyi frpressent for it. Which help. Never knew it was a MS thing just thought I was depressed. Whi’d of thonk it 🙂 thanks for the info.
Glad you found this post helpful Laura! Bummer about the crying though… MS just won’t give us a break…. Thank you so much for checking out my blog! I hope that gives you some laughs here and there between the tears.
i laugh now more than cry thanks to the med. I am a upbeat person 99.9% of the time. Even before the MS, so when the tear started I knew it wasn’t normal. Now I.m more myself, at least personality wise anyway. 🙂
I just fall for myself mow. LOL All pun intended.
LOL!
Huh, who knew? All this time I thought PBA stood for the “Pro Bowlers Association.”
I’m gonna start crying now!
Dear My Odd Sock, you are so funny that when I read your blogs and your comments, I can’t stop laughing! Sometimes I laugh so hard, that I start hysterically crying for no reason. Oh, wait a sec, let me re-read my blog and get back to you….