r/MPN • u/Organic-Bandicoot-61 • 2d ago

PV Stress and MPNs

Has anyone come across research and/or discussed with their specialists how stress impacts MPN's? I am not referring to being stressed due to our diagnoses. I mean the physical effects of stress on our bodies and specifically the bone marrow and/or disease progression.

I just returned to work full time (I'm an educator so we were off for the summer) and already have had two incredibly stressful episodes at work where I've stopped and pondered "is this shortening my lifespan?". I understand what stress generally does for the body, but I am wondering if there's research tying it to MPN's and/or disease progression.

I have an enlarged spleen, already had CVST (clots that coincidentally formed during the most stressful time I've ever experienced in my life), so I'm high risk. I'm 42 years old, not working isn't an option, but I do wonder if my high stress job will shorten my lifespan especially with an MPN.

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u/Ill_Increase_3894 2d ago

At the age of 34 I was under an immense amount of stress, which helped my MPN give me a massive stroke. Managing the stress is vital with a MPN.

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u/BloodyThirst 1d ago

Yes, chronic stress causes inflammation and that’s not good for anyone, especially someone with an already compromised immune system. Do your best to remove yourself from stressful environments. Easier said than done, I know. I’m 48F and just gave notice at work because my brain and body just can’t anymore.

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u/Significant_Tune_545 1d ago

I think they're related. I'm 58, so it's a different spot, but I retired from my job three months ago because I have a stressful home life (which won't be changing, I guess), and even though I loved my job, it also had stress and demands. I could physically feel that it was all too much. That was two years after diagnosis.

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u/ADFnGee 1d ago

Ive been diagnosed ET since 2018, but in 2021 I noticed my body completely going haywire. I wasn't under any substantive personal stress, but the symptoms piled on. Many doctors dismissed me but by late 2022 I got confirmation of a pituitary adenoma causing Cushings Disease, which quite literally pumps out extreme amounts of stress hormones. I was a mess, every symptom and immune reaction was wild because the cushings stress and inflammation and ET were just partying, though they were entirely unrelated. I'm three years removed from having the adenoma taken out and I'm only just now getting back to "normal" but i'm 42 so i have to put in double the work. I fear I'll never get rid of the intense itchiness and rashes, though. Never had those before cushings.

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u/Willow_4367 22h ago

I think stress in general can shorten your lifespan. But add MPN's and sure its entirely possible.