For the average person, catching a cold is a minor inconvenience—a few days of tissues and cough syrup before bouncing back to work. But for those of us living with multiple sclerosis (MS), the narrative is often drastically different. We know that a “simple” bug can feel like a seismic event. As one community member vividly shared, “mundane ailments can knock us down for the count.” What might be a fleeting annoyance for our friends and family can hit us with the force of a freight train, leaving us drained and vulnerable.
Many of us recall a time before diagnosis when our immune systems seemed invincible. Now, however, the experience has shifted. One person described the sensation as feeling like they had lost a protective shield. Suddenly, the grocery store feels full of microscopic dangers, and the fear of getting sick becomes a constant companion. A standard head cold can now feel as intense as the worst flu, sucking every ounce of energy from our limbs.
The Physical Toll: Is It a Cold or a Relapse?
When a virus invades, it doesn’t just bring a runny nose; it often wakes up the sleeping giant of our MS symptoms. This is one of the most frightening parts of getting sick. We might notice our legs feeling like lead, our skin starting to buzz, or spasticity tightening up. One community member described this sensation perfectly, noting that even before the cold symptoms fully appeared, their body was “all a-buzz and their legs were doing a jumping bean dance beneath the surface.”
This flare-up of old symptoms is known as a pseudoexacerbation. While technically temporary, for many it feels exactly like a relapse in the moment. The slight rise in body temperature from fighting the virus can make our permanent MS issues grow to an uncomfortable level. We might find ourselves bedridden, not just from the infection, but from the overwhelming fatigue that crashes over us. As one of us shared, during these bouts, we can turn into a “moaning pile of flesh and bones,” losing our usual resilience.
The Mental Load: Anxiety and “The Shield”
Beyond the physical punishment, there is a heavy mental burden. For those of us on medications that lower our immune defense, the anxiety can be relentless. We might find ourselves obsessively washing hands and eyeing every doorknob as a threat. One community member confessed to feeling “surrounded by a danger I didn’t realize had been lurking in plain sight all my life.”
We worry that a fever might mean a trip to the emergency room. However, there is also a strange sense of relief when we realize we can still catch a normal cold and recover. One person shared the surprising nostalgia of being “just… sick… regular, old sick“ and eating saltines without needing steroids. It served as a reminder that even with a compromised system, our bodies are still fighting for us.
Finding Comfort in the Chaos
So, how do we navigate this? First, we must be patient with ourselves. We must listen to our bodies. Sometimes, managing our environment is key; checking the thermostat helps, as overheating can trigger our symptoms. As one person discovered, “just a couple of degrees can make a huge difference in how I feel and function.”
We accept that for a few days, we might need to be a whimpering mess under the covers, and that is okay. If you are currently fighting a bug, know that you are not alone. The “MS cold” is a unique beast, but we get through it together.
