I'm wondering if anyone else gets this and/or could tell me what it's called...or at least a better way to describe it since none of my doctors seem to know what the heck I'm talking about.
Ok, I get this weird feeling sometimes that feels kind of like an electrical shock that usually starts near the base of my head (as far as I can tell) and then moves up into my head and then down through the rest of my body to my fingers and toes.
It doesn't hurt...it just feels weird and tingly and it sometimes makes me a little dizzy or nauseous (just like pretty much everything does nowadays lol).
When I first started getting it about 7 or 8 years ago, it used to be triggered mostly by sharp or startling sounds, but lately it has been happening more and more and is being triggered by movement also (walking and turning my head primarily).
I don't know if it's related or not, but the movement trigger thing seems to have started after/while a recent fairly high dose regimen of Levaquin for bronchitis.
Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about? I know I'm not crazy even though both my PCP and Neurologist seem to think so. lol
Thank you! Rachel
Posted by dguy (Member # 8979) on :
I had those for awhile. One possibility is low serotonin. People will also get brain zaps when their serontonin drops after SSRI discontinuation.
Thank you so much! I'll read that right now.
Posted by dguy (Member # 8979) on :
What helped me was small amounts of l-tryptophan (500 mg) and vitamin B6 (25 mg). Use caution though as their is some evidence that low serotonin may be the body's way of protecting the brain from the neurotoxic effects of quinolic acid. With a little google searching, you can read up on it.
Posted by Addix (Member # 19919) on :
I'll definitely look into that also...thanks.
Posted by Jasmin (Member # 19959) on :
Hmmm...don't know if this counts, but I feel like I have little buzzers going off in the bottoms of my feet and in my leg, and a wee, teeny, tiny one in my jaw muscles. Bzzz....bzzz.... it's rhythmic, and it is annoying.
Posted by Amy C (Member # 19297) on :
My son just complained of this symptom a few weeks ago. I remembered seeing it when I researched MS while looking for a diagnosis. So I looked it up again.
Posted by Addix (Member # 19919) on :
Wow...that sounds an awful lot like what I'm experiencing. Thank you for the link, Amy!
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
Are you taking Paxil or some other anti-depressant?
Dan
Posted by Addix (Member # 19919) on :
I take Lexepro, but a really low dose (5mg).
That seemed like it might be the culprit after I read dguy's post, but I've only been taking it for a few months...I've been getting the shocky things for years.
Posted by John S (Member # 19756) on :
It was one of my first symptoms. I got a couple in my eye that were near disabling.
Posted by Addix (Member # 19919) on :
Oh John! That must have been awful! It already feels yucky enough without it effecting my eyes.
I have one eye thing and that is bad enough. Occasionally I will temporarily lose the vision in my right eye.
I'm not completely blind in it (although that might actually feel better), but it's more like a window shade or something has been dropped down about an inch in front of my eye.
I can see the space "in between" and I feel like I can *almost* see around it if only I could find the right angle.
It makes me really dizzy and nauseous, but thankfully it only lasts a few minutes and then I see the "shade" start to dissolve away.
It scared the heck out of me the first time it happened (ok it still does), but my Neurologist and Ophthalmologist confirmed that everything looks ok. It's BIZARRE!
Posted by John S (Member # 19756) on :
The electric shocks for me have stopped, but I have other eye problems. Yes the best definition about every aspect of this disease is bizarre.
It is almost like a biblical curse.
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
Google Lexapro and Brain Zaps. My son used Paxil and this was a major withdrawel symptom. I do not think it is limited to withdrawel, but this is when it occurs most.
Dan
Posted by Addix (Member # 19919) on :
Thanks Dan.
I do think the Lexapro may be the reason why I seem to be getting them more often lately, but I was getting the zaps long before I ever started taking Lexapro (or any other anti-depressant for that matter) so I'm still curious as to what the initial cause might be.
Posted by Chaya (Member # 12880) on :
Addix, I had what I called "brain shocks" for many years. The sicker I got with Lyme, the worse they got. They were very unpleasant.
Before I started treatment, they got so bad I could barely stand to open my eyes. (They seem to be associated with nystagmus, a jittering of the eyeballs).
Today, after almost 2 years of treatment for Lyme, they're mostly gone.
I still get them once in awhile: 1. When my Lyme returns a little, and 2. When I've been too cold for too long.
Posted by dguy (Member # 8979) on :
quote:Originally posted by Addix: I'm not completely blind in it (although that might actually feel better), but it's more like a window shade or something has been dropped down about an inch in front of my eye.
I've had that too, and it was classified as ophthalmic migraine. Taking more thyroid hormone eliminated that problem, but I later discovered that the l-tryptophan and vitamin B6 yielded similar benefits without the need for more hormone.
Chaya, thank you so much for sharing! It is such a relief to think that I might not have to endure these things for the rest of my life.
Now that you mention it, another trigger for me sometimes is moving my eyes "too far" in either direction.
I am so glad that you have found relief for yours! The are horribly unpleasant...not to mention embarrassing if you get one while you are talking to someone.
Posted by Addix (Member # 19919) on :
quote:Originally posted by dguy: I've had that too, and it was classified as ophthalmic migraine. Taking more thyroid hormone eliminated that problem, but I later discovered that the l-tryptophan and vitamin B6 yielded similar benefits without the need for more hormone.
Lately I have also been getting the "aura" vision that I normally associate with the onset of a migraine headache quite a bit...only without the headache. I'll bet they are pretty much the same thing, but they just "look" different.
That article was very interesting! I have noticed that as my health has degenerated over the past few years, the more severe my symptoms of depression have become.
l-tryptophan and vitamin B6...definitely worth a try!
Thank you!
Posted by Chaya (Member # 12880) on :
I know, they're horribly embarrassing. My reactions were extreme because the feeling was so intense--and the worse thing is it would most often happen when someone said something or walked up to me, because apparently then my eyes would freak out and that caused severe brain shocks. I felt like an idiot and I think I made people feel bad, too. No doctor could help me and my Lyme doc hadn't even heard of them--but he was at least the only one that treated them as a serious problem.
I'm convinced they were from Lyme because the treatment just about completely cured them. Who knows, it may be the supplements I'm on right now that solved the problem.
These little buggers will infiltrate just about anywhere, won't they?
Posted by MY3BOYS (Member # 17830) on :
possible cranial nerve inflammation as underlying cause? sounds very possible. suprised neruo didnt pick up on that??
for me, the hearing issues (loud, fading, ringing, etc. ) is related to the muscle in the inner ear not working right. seen lots with MS.
vision issues: blurry, in/out, "shutter" vision...neruo agrees is all related to lyme in brain/ nervous system and cranial nerve involvement.
i am having sleep deprived eeg to check for possible siezures, maybe good idea in your case esp. if you get an "aura" feeling???
Posted by Addix (Member # 19919) on :
quote:Originally posted by Chaya: I know, they're horribly embarrassing. My reactions were extreme because the feeling was so intense--and the worse thing is it would most often happen when someone said something or walked up to me, because apparently then my eyes would freak out and that caused severe brain shocks. I felt like an idiot and I think I made people feel bad, too. No doctor could help me and my Lyme doc hadn't even heard of them--but he was at least the only one that treated them as a serious problem.
I'm convinced they were from Lyme because the treatment just about completely cured them. Who knows, it may be the supplements I'm on right now that solved the problem.
These little buggers will infiltrate just about anywhere, won't they?
They make me feel like a twitchy weirdo because my body's completely involuntary reaction is to kind of freeze up and compress my neck.
It feels like I must look like a turtle trying to duck its head inside its shell. Or like someone just stuffed a hand full of snow down the back of my jacket. lol
quote:Originally posted by MY3BOYS: possible cranial nerve inflammation as underlying cause? sounds very possible. suprised neruo didnt pick up on that??
for me, the hearing issues (loud, fading, ringing, etc. ) is related to the muscle in the inner ear not working right. seen lots with MS.
vision issues: blurry, in/out, "shutter" vision...neruo agrees is all related to lyme in brain/ nervous system and cranial nerve involvement.
i am having sleep deprived eeg to check for possible siezures, maybe good idea in your case esp. if you get an "aura" feeling???
I would expect my neurologist to pick up on a lot of this, or at least be able to figure out what I'm talking about (then again I'm not very good at describing it), but he seems to have a very one-tracked mind when it comes to my care.
Don't get me wrong...I really like him, but he is treating me for a sleep disorder (idiopathic hypersomnia), so his main concern is making sure the ridiculously high dose of adderall that I've had to step up to over the years in order to function during the day isn't causing too much damage.
Once/if I get a lyme diagnosis I'm sure he'll become much more involved with my (many) other neuro issues. I also plan on asking him if he would be willing/able to serve as my local doc and coordinate my treatment with Dr. W.
I worry about that a little bit though because I don't know where he stands on the lyme issue. I've never worked up the nerve to ask him about lyme since he's the one doctor who doesn't treat me like I'm a hypochondriac and I'd really like to keep it that way.