Emotionally Hard-wired: Pseudobulbar Affect and MS

This article is so useful as I to become emotional at the slightest event in. Y life, I have the primary progress sive MS which I have had for 31years but had no knowledge of the pseudobubolic (not sure I have spelt that right)

I've been extremely blessed with family and friends who have shown me patience, kindness, consideration, understanding, and empathy within regards to the ups and downs I face on the daily roller coaster ride that is MS. However, the 1 single most important person contained within all of this, my "WIFE", has given and/or shown me the LEAST of all these. I understand she's "LIVING" it with me more so than everyone else, but it would also seem she would have/be more prevalently experienced in this area than all others. I feel as if she's EMBARRASSED to tell people that I have MS. She was 5 months pregnant with our first little boy in September'12 when I woke up blind, and ever since then she's acted differently at and towards me. Almost as if I had STOLEN THE SPOTLIGHT from her and her pregnancy, especially when everyone began calling asking how "I" was doing, and not "HER". Most "MEN" wouldn't have endured the treatment I have from their own spouses, but I continue to do so. I can't help it if I "LOVE" her, although I know I can't MAKE HER love me as well. We now have 2 boys, ages 3 and 5, with whom I stay at home with. I was blessed with very high salaried positions in outside sales which has provided me with a higher than average SSDI monthly payment. I keep the boys, I do all the laundry, I keep the house spotless (people can't believe 2 toddlers live in my house when they enter it), I pay the mortgage, ALL THE BILLS, buy all groceries, and all clothing needs for my boys. The ONLY THING she provides is working her MINIMUM of 18 to 20 hours per week at Starbucks, simply to maintain benefits/insurance on herself and "ME" (the boys are on Medicaid), yet this still seems to be far too much for her to handle. Anyways, I've gotten off on my soapbox and began "VENTING" on here, so I'll shut up....

Yes l go thru the same thing, with my MS. Mostly when i get excited I start almost to like sobbing or even worse, at a funeral, start laughing or chuckling.Now in the past few few years I am rather mindful and a out those situations. But within the other situations I Wil turn it into a joke. Now sometimes my wife will let me know when I'm inapproprate. Otherwise about 90 % of the time I will make a joke.

I too suffer from PBA, also mild. I thought it was just me, not a part of my MS, even though I knew my brainstem had been affected.

Happily, my great neurologist suggested a drug, Nuedextra, which is specifically for PBA. It keeps me from all that crying I was doing. It makes me feel more hopeful about my life and my ability to function with MS.

That, in turn, has given me the emotional stability to work on functioning as well as possible and being thankful for small victories. That change, in turn, has helped me, make more progress.

I had worried that it was controlling my emotions too much, but that isn't the case. I can still cry and be upset when life warrants it. I just don't cry at random not even particularly sad or upsetting things.

It's made huge difference in my life.

Thank you for that, Jennifer. I cry more easily and frequently than before and now I understand it may be partly out of my control. I had never heard of pseudobulbar affect before.