Sensory overload and jumpiness


Posted by Shirley-Arkansas-USA ® , Jul 13,2001,20:00   Archive
Hi everybody,
I was reading over on the dystonia bulletin board and a couple of things caught my attention.
One was concerning a "startle reflex". I have noticed that since I have developed Blepharospasm that I do startle much more easily. In fact, it doesn't take much at all. I'm much "jumpier" than I used to be. My husband or sons will come up behind me or into a room where I am and if I am not aware that they are there or coming in, I will almost jump out of my skin at times. Sometimes I will be involved in doing something and somebody says something to me and it startles me. This used to happen to me occasionally but is much worse now than it used to be.

Also, certain noises or sounds irritate the dickens out of me. I literally cannot tolerate them. It is like major sensory overload. Somebody tapping on the table will drive me straight up a wall.

Anybody else have problems with this or notice that this has occurred since your onset of BEB or other dystonia? Or is it just old age creeping up on me?

Shirley in AR.




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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness

Re : Sensory overload and jumpiness --- Shirley-Arkansas-USA
Posted by Billie Lowe ® (billie lowe,Billie Lowe), Jul 13,2001,22:57 Top of Thread Archive
Hi Shirley, I have always been jumpy. People love to scare me, mostly guys. I think that is a guy thing. My husband used to walk past a room that I was in & if I didn't know he was there I'd always jump. He thought it was really funny until one day I scared him really bad and he dosen't do it any more. One day he was using the water pick on his teeth. He was bent over the sink and you know a water pick makes noise. I walked past him and didn't realize he didn't know I was in the room. I patted him on the butt and said "Hi honey" as I walked passed. I really scared him & water went everywhere.
I think people scared me know, because sometimes my eyes are shut while I'm walking and once I get them open someone might be standing closer to me or then I thought and it will startle me.
I am not sure that I understand about dystonias. Meige is a dystonia isn't it?
Billie



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Dystonia

Re : Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness --- Billie Lowe
Posted by Moderator-JB ® , Jul 13,2001,23:21 Top of Thread Archive
Billie:

Blepharospasm and Meige are but 2 of many types of Dystonia. A person may be affected by only one type or may have a combination of others.

http://www.dystonia-foundation.org/defined/forms.asp

Judy




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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness

Re : Sensory overload and jumpiness --- Shirley-Arkansas-USA
Posted by cliff ® (Cliff Gilinsky,cliff), Jul 13,2001,23:39 Top of Thread Archive
Hello folks; I feel like I'm supercharged sometimes. Just like my body is generating electricity. Makes me feel jumpy too. I don't know alot about energy fields but I know that in the past I could get a TV to stop rolling its picture by standing by it and I could get sensitive devices like a PH meter to wave all over the place by being close. I think I know what you are feeling Shirley and I really don't care for it. Cliff



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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness

Re : Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness --- cliff
Posted by coleen dennis ® , Jul 14,2001,07:46 Top of Thread Archive
Hi everyone! I think it may have something to do with the neurotransmitters in the brain. I have Fibromyalgia also and that happens alot with me. Since I was diagnosed with the Fibro I found that I startled easier and it goes with that also. I have a book written by a doctor with Fibro and she can set off or stop things like computers and such. I have had that happen at work but was afraid to let them know it could just be me. I think there may be a similarity between the Fibro and the dystonia. By the way, both my doctors the other day agreed that my neck twitches could be the beginning of a new dystonia. The Botox doc said to wait and see if it continues and if so I can go to a Neurologist. Just one more character in my cast of characters. I may write a book yet!

Everyone have a great day.......Coleen




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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness

Re : Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness --- coleen dennis
Posted by Delaine Inman ® , Jul 14,2001,20:53 Top of Thread Archive
Yes, since I've had fibromyalgia certain noises, frequencies, repetition and tones get on my last nerve and with the BEB it seems to be getting worse and I am more jumpy. The remarks about feeling electricity in your body or walking by things and changing them hit a nerve too. I couldn't wear a watch with a battery from the time I was 16 until I got BEB and now I can??? With the old EKG machines I could make them go crazy and I could walk by the heart monitors and the colors would change. When we had antennas instead of cable I always made the TV better the closer I sat or if we couldn't get a station I could hold the antenna and we could....that was rather tiring though. We are made up of pure energy and that is what an EKG and EEG pick up...the electrical activity. When I studied energy fields in the body I became very good at feeling energy fields around people, trees, rocks, and plants...groovy. I definitely believe FMS, BEB, and dystonias are misfiring electrical activity or blocked nerve flow of some kind. I am much more easily agitated or irritated than I was before BEB by crowds, noises, and over stimulation in the environment.



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Re: Neurotransmitters and Electrical activity

Re : Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness --- Delaine Inman
Posted by Shirley-Arkansas-USA ® , Jul 14,2001,21:25 Top of Thread Archive
This is all very interesting. I'm curious about the watches not working. Several of you have mentioned that and I don't really understand why the battery or watch would stop working. I've never had that problem and am a little curious about why or how that would occur. Anybody able to explain this to me?

Also, one of the drugs that helps me is Adderall which is a stimulant medication. It is primarily used for kids or adults with Attention Deficit Disorder. They believe that it works by allowing the neurotransmitters in the brain to connect properly. They misfire and don't connect properly in people that have Attention Deficit Disorder (which I do). It definitely improves my symptoms of Blepharospasm and allows my eyes to open. When I don't take it my eyes think that their normal position should be closed. It is like my brain is confused and is getting the signal wrong and the Adderall corrects it. It doesn't stop the spasms or squeezing, though.
The brain is such a miraculous and complex piece of work. I wish that we understood more about it.

Shirley in AR.




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Re: Neurotransmitters and Electrical activity

Re : Re: Neurotransmitters and Electrical activity --- Shirley-Arkansas-USA
Posted by Delaine Inman ® , Jul 15,2001,12:26 Top of Thread Archive
When I was 16 my parents bought me a nice watch(I had only had a Timex before) and it would run on the dresser or anyone else, but not on me. From that point on and in my nursing career I had to wear a wind-up Timex. Lo and behold I stopped being able to find them, so someone sugessed putting thick foam tape(you know like we used with pressure dressings) on the back of a battery Timex and it worked. Well oddly enough the year my BEB symptoms started my tape came off and my watch started working without it. Now I can wear any brand. Weird or what?



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Re: Neurotransmitters and Electrical activity

Re : Re: Neurotransmitters and Electrical activity --- Shirley-Arkansas-USA
Posted by Virginia ® , Jul 15,2001,17:19 Top of Thread Archive
My problem with watches is somewhat different from Delaine's. I has nothing to do with the battery - I was having the problem with wind-up watches. Some of them will stop, but mostly they just don't keep the time right when I wear them - usually they run fast. I even managed to mess up a pocket watch attached to my keys when I made the mistake of putting it in my jeans pocket. I don't even try anymore (the pocket watch was after the BEB was diagnosed).

Virginia in AL




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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness/watches

Re : Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness --- Delaine Inman
Posted by kathy ® , Jul 15,2001,16:59 Top of Thread Archive
i also for years had the problem of stopping battery operated watches. i am wondering about this too. also my radio got static when i would move around it or wave my hand to try and stop the static. what on earth do you think this could be??



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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness

Re : Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness --- cliff
Posted by Virginia ® , Jul 14,2001,08:32 Top of Thread Archive
I don't wear a watch because they don't work while I have them on. My sister has the same problem.



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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness

Re : Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness --- cliff
Posted by Sally - in - Idaho ® , Jul 14,2001,12:49 Top of Thread Archive
I wish you would all come stand beside my computer and get my Internet to stay connected!!!

Sally




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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness

Re : Sensory overload and jumpiness --- Shirley-Arkansas-USA
Posted by Pete in Or. ® , Jul 14,2001,11:29 Top of Thread Archive
I do not believe that it is old age Shirly, just hightened awareness due to experience. Changes in the weather set me off, and auto air conditioners too; and I am also sensitive to some other persons personal habits and mannerisms.



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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness

Re : Sensory overload and jumpiness --- Shirley-Arkansas-USA
Posted by Lynn Yarbrough ® , Jul 14,2001,12:38 Top of Thread Archive
Although I don't startle at all easily, I can appreciate how this might be noticeable in BEB sufferers. I think we all feel an enhanced stress level as the BEB progresses, and that's likely to be what makes us jumpy. I have noticed the sensory overload; I used to feel like I was drowning in inputs from every direction. Again, getting my stress level under control has been a major factor in my improvement.

--- Lynn




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Re: Sensory overload and jumpiness

Re : Sensory overload and jumpiness --- Shirley-Arkansas-USA
Posted by Sally - in - Idaho ® , Jul 14,2001,12:53 Top of Thread Archive
My stress level is reached much more quickly than in the past. I was fairly easy-going (on the outside anyway!) but now I erupt at everything. Part of it is probably due to the fact that I AM old, plus hard of hearing, plus the added stress of BEB and having my eyes closed half the time. My husband is always asking me, "Are you blind or something?!!" And I reply, "Yes!" I think we feel a protectiveness toward ourselves and that causes us to startle easily, not knowing what is out there to "get" us.

Sally in North Idaho




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