Hi everyone nyd, could valium have been masking my symptoms

[Notyetdiagnosed]

Hi all first time posting here. I recently stumbled across an ms wiki page while looking for reasons my back might of been spasming and tingling and feeling a weird sort of numbness. I was horrified as the more I read the more I realised I had so so so many of the symptoms associated with ms that I had just ignored and put down to other logical explanation. I promptly went to my gp the next day and after telling her my concerns and symptoms and what I can gather was failing some reflex tests she referred me to a neurologist. What I would really like to know tho is I was diagnosed bipolar and clinical depression many years ago and up until two years ago when I moved and changed docs (she refused to keep me on my current cocktail due to the length of time and strength of the doses) I was taking a heavy concoction of valium, serequil and Cymbalta daily for approx 6yrs. Since coming of these meds (I didn't even realise until I started trying to log when things started going weird) slowly but surely what my gp now suspects is ms symptoms getting progressively worse and new ones on top of old symptoms are occurring with no hint of letting up any time soon by the feels. Could taking all of these drugs for a mental illness actually have hidden potential early warning signs of ms... Any advice or shared experience would be greatly appreciated

[Scott1]

Hi,

That is a great question and deserves proper consideration.

The only way I can answer it is to look at what a lot of doctors reach for when an MS case is presented. Often they go for antidepressants. The argument they use is it helps with spasticity.
That class of drugs work by rebalancing the chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters. The common antidepressants are reuptake inhibitors which means they hold the neurotransmitter in the gap between nerve junctions called the synapse. The theory is holding the neurotransmitter there increases its ability to regulate communication between nerves and regulate mood. Chemicals in this process include serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Some drugs are prescribed on the basis that improving that signalling between nerves will also work with spasticity in MS. I struggle to follow the logic.
Spasticity occurs when an imbalance in chemical signals caused by a range of factors including injury interrupt the normal signalling process resulting in increased muscle tone. The neurotransmitter most involved is acetylcholine. It triggers the flow of sodium into the muscle cell which starts the process that causes muscles to tighten. In a sense, in MS, this happens too often (OK I'm simplifying here) without relief and the muscle does not get a chance or a signal to relax. Using an antidepressant would be a strange way to control MS. The reason it happens is the understanding of what reuptake inhibitors really do is not known and maybe there is some benefit.
As antidepressants can alter mood they can also alter sensation. Sometimes you still notice the symptom but you just don't care about it. Not ideal but if the doctor says "how do you feel?" you might just say "better".
Given what you have described I would suggest you also get tested for mycoplasma. It can cause symptoms that mimic depression and elements of MS as well.
Antidepressants will not cure depression nor will they alter the path of MS. In both cases they may buy time but I'm not sure who for.

Regards,

[ElliotB]

You seem to have been aware of your symptoms (unless I am misunderstanding what your wrote) so I guess for you the answer is no, isn't it?

Keep in mind that every case could be different so your experience may not be the same as someone else's.

By the way, many people are unaware of what their symptoms add up to until a diagnosis is made. I have MS in my family but was unaware that the symptoms I was experiencing (at the time) had anything to do with MS until I had a major attack and ultimately my diagnosis. But after my diagnosis, it all made sense.

[thisiswater]

This is very interesting to me. I saw a list of MS meds recently and realize that I've been on some (for depression/anxiety) that could have been actually controlling/masking symptoms: SSRIs, Clonazepam for anxiety; Wellbutrin for depression, etc.