Real Story: Mary-Beth
Mary-Beth, who has epilepsy, was struggling to find the cause of her symptoms. Then her neuropsychiatrist gave her an assessment for Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA).
Mary-Beth is a real patient living with PBA. Image reflects patient’s health status at the time the image was captured.
I started experiencing uncontrollable crying and laughing episodes in 2017. The physical part of my episodes was completely detached from the mental part of it, as if a force outside of myself compelled me to cry or laugh. This complete disconnect led me to seek answers.
I went to my neurologist, and she thought I was depressed. But I’d been in therapy for many years, and I knew this wasn’t depression. She suspected a mood disorder. But none of those felt true to me. I had enough self-awareness to know it had to be something else. I just knew I was crying when it didn’t make sense and there had to be an explanation.
As these episodes continued, doctor after doctor suggested I was depressed or asked me if I thought something else was wrong. It took three years, and I began to feel as if doctors were throwing medications at me like they were spaghetti, and I was the wall — just hoping something would stick. None of the medications were working, and some of them were making my life worse.
Mary-Beth (left) is a real patient living with PBA. The other person depicted is not a real doctor. Image reflects patient’s health status at the time the image was captured.
My diagnosis finally came through a process of elimination. My neuropsychiatrist started asking me questions we hadn’t explored before. She asked me what happened when I tried to stop laughing or crying. She asked me about the feelings I had inside related to my experience on the outside. She asked if my laughing and crying was dramatically exaggerated compared to how I was feeling.
A lightbulb came on for both of us and she diagnosed me with PBA. I felt immediate relief at understanding what was happening to me. I had never heard of PBA and when she described it to me, it actually felt right.
Carol is a real patient living with PBA. Image reflects patient’s health status at the time the image was captured.
Next Up: Treatment With NUEDEXTA
Carol was persistent in her search for answers about PBA, after discussing it with her doctor, she started taking NUEDEXTA. Then she started seeing results.
Ready To Talk? A PBA Talk Peer Mentor can help.
The PBA Talk Mentor Program gives you the opportunity to talk with someone who is also living with PBA and may know what you’re going through. Over a phone or video call, your PBA Talk Mentor can discuss questions you may have about PBA, chat about how you are feeling, and give you the personal one-on-one support you deserve.
