Emotional lability

[Polly]

I have realised that emotional lability was almost the first sign that my husband had MND. We also have a very disabled granddaughter, but she is very happy and gets fits of the giggles. On a few occasions my husband and granddaughter were in hysterics, and to be honest, at the time I wondered if it might be the early stages of dementia. After that slurred speech became apparent.

At the moment we have not had any crying, and the fits of laughter aren’t inappropriate, just over the top! I was slightly concerned today, as we were working in the garden when he got the giggles and I was concerned in case he wobbled and fell. It seemed best not to make a fuss so I stayed away from him for a while.

I’m trying hard not to fuss and mollycoddle my husband. I think as a mum, we are programmed to protect those we love. A difficult balance at the moment, while trying to allow some sort of normality for as long as possible.

[Gillette]

Hi Polly,

It's such a lot for you to cope with, especially when you've been worrying about possible diagnoses. Do try to take care of yourself. Is there someone you can talk to and share the burden, so to speak? Sending electronic hugs.

[JAY TEE]

Polly yes agree the Emotional Liability with MND is amazing. I was formally diagnosed five years ago two weeks after my 65th birthday. I have grown up enjoying my classic music and I struggle not to laugh and cry. I go to live organ concerts at Brum Town Hall and Symphony Hall on Monday lunchtime by Thomas Trotter and luckily that loud so not heard. I chew a piece towl for my drooling and that helps me keep quiet. It was my 70th last Saturday and my 10yr old granddaughter is a brilliant violinist and I was crying badly. Her brother is 8yrs and learning the piano.
Best. Wishes John

[Barry52]

Hi Polly,

I hope I can reassure you that your husband’s emotional lability is nothing to worry about. I used to worry about embarrassing myself and family when laughing or crying inappropriately but now I let it out because they know I can’t control it.

Best wishes,
Barry

[Ellie]

Hi Polly,

Because your husband is bulbar onset, it’s likely that you are right in thinking he has some degree of EL, emotional lability, (aka pseudobulbar affect) although it sounds quite mild - more exaggerated laughing rather than uncontrolled?

As he has the ‘laughing’ version, it may explain his good mood, believe it or not! The more common ‘crying’ version of EL is associated with a low mood.

If it develops and causes issues, there are meds (antidepressants) which can temper the uncontrollable emotional outbursts, be it laughing or crying. Those affected can laugh at sad occasions too - not ideal at a funeral, for example, very different to laughing at a sad part of a film on TV with your family…

He probably will have assessments in the MND Clinic, usually by a Neuropsychologist. Many of us with an MND will experience some degree of change in our behaviour, emotions, cognitive or executive function.

Take care.

Love Ellie.

[Mandy124]

Hi Polly,

My husband is also diagnosed with bulbar onset mnd, he was a serious kind of man but know even though he has no voice left he can still make noises that resemble him laughing and giggling which was really strange at first but as I got used to it we both found it a positive change if anything with this thing can be called positive. He is two years in since the diagnoses but had it at least a year before that and probably more he seems to be progressing slowly, I too find I have to walk away from anything he starts doing more for my sanity than anything else, he wants to do things, which is good for him as he has always been someone who has to have something on the go, pity I can't use him in the garden but there would be nothing left out there resembling a garden after he got going, lol, it takes time to process your feelings, you will get there and this forum is great for support and incredible information when you need it, I don't post often but there is not many days that I don't visit the site and have picked up things that are useful to both of us,

Mandy.

[Polly]

Hi Mandy

Our husbands certainly sound very much alike! Mine also likes to keep busy. Although he still works in the garden, it’s frustrating for him not to be able to do anything more physical. It’s six months since we became concerned about his speech, but he probably had very mild symptoms for a few months before that. My biggest concern at the moment is the delay in being referred to our local healthcare team, especially as the symptoms seem to be worsening quite quickly. Already I’m finding the forum helpful. I don’t know anyone who has had MND and I felt very alone after we were given the diagnosis. The forum has changed that.

[Mandy124]

I think the health teams seem to take time to get in motion, have you had any of the mnda association visitors contact you as yet they are not in every region I'm afraid but here in Norfolk we have been lucky with all the team that works with us from our consultant, nhs nursing team to the mnda visitor who have all been helpful and supportive from my point of view they have help reassure me that there is help there if I ever need it my husband didn't like them coming round at first but knew I needed them too and has come round to them visiting us occasionally to see how we are getting on (it made him feel that mnd was always being brought up and wanted it to be in the back off his mind instead) I hope it's not to long before things start happening for you both,

Mandy.

[Polly]

No contact with visitors as yet. It’s very difficult to start at one hospital trust, be transferred to another, then back for local support services. Hopefully things get sorted ASAP.

[Kayleigh]

Hi Polly,

Some regions have Association Visitors, in addition to a local Regional Care Development Adviser. MND Connect can ask them to get in touch with you (or you might wish to contact your local Adviser yourself).

Further details are given on the MNDA's 'local support' webpage:-

https://www.mndassociation.org/suppo...local-support/

Love and best wishes,
Kayleigh x

[Polly]

Thanks Kayleigh

Coincidentally we received a letter from MNDA this morning about this very thing.

[Kayleigh]

It's good to hear you have already received a letter Polly.

I find the local support the MNDA offers is very helpful and makes me and my husband feel less isloated. I hope you and your husband find that your local support is helpful too.

Love and best wishes,
Kayleigh

[Ellie]

Hi Terry,

I hope you don't mind (I don't think you will) but may I ask a question about the laughing, please? Does the laughter happen purely as a physical response, so that you may laugh even though you may be sad, angry or whatever emotion. Or is it that the emotional lability causes you to have inappropriate emotional responses sometimes, which trigger laughter because you find something funny?

I hope you can understand my questions: I was tying myself in knots trying to explain what I meant!

Dina,

I'm sorry but I copied and pasted your post out of Mama Ric's thread as I am sure you wouldn't want this sensitive topic to go off point and upset Mama Rics - I hope you are not offended...

Perhaps delete that post and we'll continue talking about Emotional Lability here because it is also an important topic.

Love Ellie.

[Ellie]

Hi Dina,

I'll give you my experience of my mild Emotional Lability (aka PBA PseudoBulbar Affect)

I've the 'laughing type' too, which, if I could choose to have either the laughing or crying type, I'd opt for the laughing type as it's associated with a better general mood. Some people are affected by both laughing and crying.

In me, it manifests itself as heightened emotions, for example, if I'm stressed or nervous, I'm likely to laugh, not outrageously nor for long, but audibly and for me it releases tension in myself but can cause tension in my poor husband

If I watch a sad film or documentary, I can laugh instead of cry. Again, not uncontrollably, but it would be deemed 'inappropriate' if my family didn't understand the reason why.

Because I cannot speak and say empathetic things like, "oh, isn't that awful" etc., I cannot diffuse my emotions and temper the Emotional Lability (EL) erupting.

That said, I'm very lucky in that I only have mild EL and it doesn't interfere with my day-to-day life, nor do I need to take antidepressants for it.

Hopefully this gives you an insight into how EL affects me - others will have different stories.

Love Ellie.

[Terry]

Thanks for being it up Dina,

I have I would say medium emotional liability, and I don't take anything for it.

I think that the frontal lobe area of the brain can be sometimes affected by Mnd. This area limits emotions but they are created elsewhere. For me, it happened quite early on and does not seemed to got any worse.

I do laugh when things are funny but I also can laugh at the wrong times, especially when with my wife. I can have uncontrollable laughter with funny things, like when I am saying and thinking something funny using my taking machine.

I also cry with films etc, I quite often can't watch things or watch a film over seven days when I calm down enough to take a bit more.
I also cry when people are very kind or caring, not just to me but anyone or anything nice.
So weddings, funerals, some music, well loads of things, even meeting old friends are a almost no no.

I took citalopram for three days and I noticed a difference with controlling my emotions but I felt like it affected my movement so I stopped. This is not a fair trial because it takes two or three weeks to get used to most drugs and I probably could have taken half a tablet.

Please post things where you think is relevant , Ellie and me might redirect them in certain cases. I still love you.

Love Terry