If I am able to make it out to the store any little noise will make me feel extremely dizzy.
It can even cause an episode where I feel like I might pass out. It's really bad! It leaves me housebound 80% of the time.
I've been on treatment for about a year with no resolution to this symptom. Does anyone else have this? What helps?
Posted by Dogsandcats (Member # 28544) on :
My husband has severe hearing loss and won't wear a hearing aid.
Sometimes I almost am in tears with tv noise, cupboards slamming.
Others will chime in, you are not alone.
You might try searching on here. There are some recent posts that might help until someone else chimes in.
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
OMG i used to get SOOO irritated with noise. If anyone was talking slightly loud or anything I would TOTALLY freak out!
i haven't had the type of symptoms you're talking about though...
I don't really have trouble anymore.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I suggest having ear plugs ready. I take Mack's soft ear plugs with me wherever I go, and as needed, will either completely stuff them in my ears, or partially, if I still need to hear the surroundings.
California must be a noisy state - I'm the 4th one to chime in here!
Posted by linky123 (Member # 19974) on :
It's noisy here too. I beg my son to mute the commercials; they are so loud.
He says, "it's too quiet around here." UGH!
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Lauren,
If you are dizzy, earplugs can make that worse. I cannot wear them and walk. Ear plugs for sleep can help but I know the foam is not very good stuffed into my ears every night so I try to go without unless neighbor's sounds are just too much.
There are some noise cancellation options for daytime but, again, I'm not so sure this is good for my brain or ears due to the electronics. Still, my various headsets have saved me from injury.
I'm no stranger to passing out from sudden sounds of a certain loudness or quality, not even necessarily loud. Seizures, too.
I do have a couple different vestibular conditions but one of those (maybe both) also go along with lyme. Vestibular is inner / middle ear.
Check your medicines against the ototoxic lists in the thread below. You may need a change of Rx.
I am still housebound due to this hyperacusis. But, don't be discouraged by me as I have never been on a full protocol of any kind for very long.
Trying to stretch pennies, I have found what works best for the sound stuff is
Andrographis. Magnesium is also vita but nothing helped as much as andrographis. But, it's not for everyone.
The brand I use is often out of stock and I've recently gone months without it. So much worse for having done that. I've also been without magnesium. Ditto. So, I can tell that these two things have been my best helpers.
What you describe is not uncommon for lyme & co. and, for many who get adequate comprehensive treatment, I've read that this can get much better.
Treating for one year is a long time but, for many, it can take much longer.
Topic: TINNITUS: Ringing Between The Ears; Vestibular, Balance, Hearing with compiled links - including HYPERACUSIS & SCD - Superior canal dehiscence -
Posted by riverspirit (Member # 19435) on :
I'm sorry you also have hyperacusis. Wishing i could take a wand and give you more sound-tolerance.
This also keeps me not only homebound, but not able to have stimulation around me in general. I get up at night when all is quiet to go on line sometimes. It's also when i have a bit of energy.
The thing that i find important is to respect your own experience, no matter what others (or your mind) might want from you.
If sounds are intolerable, i hope you can be extra-kind and tender with yourself. We can't always control our environment, but we can see ways that we can have more comfort.
We do have to listen moment- to- moment, no matter what the agenda may have been. I have friends who shop for me, as going into stores isn't a choice right now.
Hope you can be easy and gentle with yourself ~
Posted by T.Maria (Member # 36396) on :
OMG...I am so happy that you posted this (not that I am happy that you are having this problem but I have been having so much difficulty with this and I wasn't sure why).
In Jan I had to limit myself from going to stores because for whatever reason it would magnify my dizziness. By Feb I stopped going to stores completely - I figured it's not worth it.
Last night I decided to try it.....it was AWFUL...but, just lastnight I realized that the reason for this extreme "store dizziness" is because my eyes and ears are hypersensitive. Maybe this is due to store lighting, maybe the movement of people...I don't know but this is a difficult symptom to deal with. I always loved shopping...lol.
Lyme can do all this?
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
Lyme sure can do all of this, T. Maria- I call it sensory overload. I've had it for years at varying degrees. The overload makes me feel lightheaded and seizure-like.
I find that speaking on the phone, for instance, is tolerable, for the most part, as opposed to speaking to someone in person. In person the addition of extra stimuli (eye contact) etc. becomes too overwhelming for the nervous system.
Road noise while driving in a car can make me squirm too...aside from the nervous system, the ears are often damaged by these various pathogens - I have crystal formation in my ears which adds to the lightheaded/ tilt-a-whirl feeling....
as the pathogen load lowers, often the nervous system heals and stimuli becomes more tolerable..hope that this happens for you!
Posted by T.Maria (Member # 36396) on :
I sure do hope this gets better. The pain, fatigue and malaise are difficult but this by far is the most debilitating for me. I think it's because it scares me.
I have often said that I feel like I am on the verge of a seizure (not that I have ever had one).
Car rides bother me too (especially the car heater/air conditioner)....but it's the stores that I can no longer handle. Home seems to be the easiest place to be for right now.
Thanks to this group so many things are coming together and things are becoming a little easier to understand. It is amazing how our language and descriptions of symptoms, feelings and experiences are so similar.
Once again, thanks for this post Lauren. I hope you feel well soon too! Posted by Lauren777 (Member # 31163) on :
Thank you all so much! I am sorry to hear that so many of us suffer from this symptom/condition because it has to be one of my worst besides the fatigue and sleep problems.
Keebler- you are always so helpful!! I stopped magnesium a few weeks ago and this might be making it worse. I'll try to get some and see if it helps. I'll also check the list against my meds.
Take Care.
Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
I LOVE ear plugs.
Before I knew I had Lyme (and still now) I was/am wearing ear plugs ALL the time at home. I have 3 kids.
Thing is, I can still hear everything with them in, but it mutes it all down for me.
Nothing like a fresh, new pair of ear plugs, lol.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Lauren, in that Ear Thread, you will also read about the importance of Fish Oil & Adrenal Support.
I'd like to write more in response to the heartfelt replies but that will have to wait. It's hard to write "free-form" but I do thank everyone for sharing.
Just wanted to be sure you saw the adrenal info. as that is a huge part of the foundation for being able to better manage stimuli of all kinds.
There are also some posts about ear protection when around equipment out of the house - and in. Earplugs are even required around hairdryers to help prevent damage.
When on certain antibiotics or other meds that are ototoxic - and for months afterward - ears can be damaged at decibel levels much lower than the typical 90 seconds at 85 db. that can cause permanent damage bu may not show up until a later date. (A hairdryer is about 100 db.).
Nourish & nurture your ears, yourself. -
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Re handling sensory overload, I find that I'm doing a little better, now that I've been detoxing with an FIR portable sauna.
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