tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
I did search back topics to see if there were solutions to how others are dealing with fluorescent lighting and mostly it just has a lot of people talking about how they cause a lot of us lymies problems.
I'm getting to a point in my treatment that I want to start trying to live a SEMI "normal life" but everytime I spend any time in a grocery store or various stores we NEED to shop in for necessity items in life, things go haywire.
Anything from headaches, vision issues, confussion, pain....just not a pretty picture. Before my diagnosis, a neurologist told me that when they gave me an EEG, I had mini seizures that he called "migraine disease", which went beyond headaches but since my lyme diagnosis, I know that's the culprit.
So how do those having trouble with these lights, fend off the problems you get from something as simple as a grocery store. I can't change the lights in the stores and they ALL have them, so can't pick a different store to get groceries.
In past notes, I saw something about yellow or rose colored sunglasses? Is this the only solution? Has anyone found a way to not have these lights cause problems? Why are the symptoms worse some trips than others?
Any help on how to live normally and go to a grocery store without confussion would be a major step for me. Suggestions?
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Rose or yellow glasses that cover your entire eye across your face will help.
ONLY those shades will work.
Oil of peppermint (a drop) placed unfer your nostrils.. above your upper lip.... should help.
Chewing Altoid PEPPERmints before going in and while in there should help.
These little tricks have brought relief to many. Hope it works for you too.
And why sometimes worse than others you asked?
YOUR level of good/bad and the actual lighting strength, etc.
cottonbrain
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 13769
posted
I had special very dark glasses made by a clinic called Irlen. WIth the glasses I also wear a wide-brimmed hat with a black under-brim. Without these I get migraines and sickness.
Sometimes even with these I get sick.
Perfect strangers think it is funny to come up to me and call me Crocodile Dundee (I am female) or ask me where I got my hat. Sometimes people stare because they think i am blind.
I would love to thrash them with the glasses and hat but can't risk getting sick over it!
Posts: 1173 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2007
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
cathy,
my darkest RX prescription sunglasses with my NOIR, no infrared wraparound sunglasses and my straw, floopy hat really help me!
at night, i wear them, and if on highway at night, wear them for 2-lane highways to ease my pain when driving a few miles.
for 5 yrs. i couldn't go into a grocery store afer i left work due to my illnesses and sensitivities! hubby had to go alone.
so i've really improved vs. where i was then with all the CHEMICAL SMELLS to contend with in addition to the lights. Bettyg
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posted
I have this problem too. Although it is a little better now that I have improved. I still deal with it on some levels. I have read the old thread by Tincup on this and it was very comforting to know that I'm not the only one with this. With that said I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy!
What I am wondering is does this go completely away once in remission or is some of this possible damage? Those of you that are in remission or near remission, is this gone or do you still deal with it on some level?
Also, ever since being really sick from Lyme I have had some vision issues. It used to be very bad where I could not focus my vision on any one thing for more than two seconds.
I could not follow moving things with my eyes and I could not scan things with my eyes (exp. looking for something on a store shelf) without getting very disoriented. Most of this is better except the scanning problem. I still get that often. I also read Tincup's old thread on this... very comforting... thank you Tincup for sharing your experiences.
So, I am wondering if the vision problem is maybe more of my problem now then the lights. I just don't know. I'm thinking about doing vision therapy in future for this. Tincup, you have dealt with both sides of this, lighting and vision issues, I would love to hear your input. I also welcome anyone else's input.
tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
Excellent suggestions. I really appreciate all the feedback. Where are you purchasing these yellow or red tinted glasses? Are they something you could also use as "sunglasses" of any sort or are you using them strictly for this type of problem?
Also, Tincup, I love the peppermint tips. I wonder if I could get away with just trying that so I don't look like some spy that wanted to go in the grocery store. I have tried a baseball cap to try to shield the lights, but that didn't work either.
Guess as some of you are suggesting, it would take a wider rimmed and floppy like hat. It's just I really hate drawing attention to my illness as it is and this sounds like it draws attention. Think I'll try Tincups peppermint FIRST.
Mary, sorry I can't help with your questions about this getting reversed since I'm still in treatment and still fighting this one, but would love to hear that this too will start reversing since it's not fun.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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tailz
Unregistered
posted
I get all of those symptoms and then some when I attempt to shop, and I've found it to be related to the electromagnetic fields from the fluorescents and other sources, along with exposure to microwaves from all the shoppers making those urgent calls while they shop.
Yesterday I was at Wegman's (which is dimmer than most stores), feeling okay looking at seeds, and then suddenly I felt something tugging at my jaw. I thought - okay, where's the cell phone? - turned around to find a lady standing right behind me. I'm still paying today for that exposure.
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lymeinhell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4622
posted
I has this too. As pushing a shopping cart also gave me hideous neck pain that then turned to dizziness, I just turned over all shopping to my husband. Am normal now, but you couldn't pay me to go food shopping again...
-------------------- Julie _ _ ___ _ _ lymeinhell
Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed. Posts: 2258 | From a better place than I was 11 yrs ago | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I got this shortly after I had started treating with abx. It lasted many months (during treatment). Then it subsided and now it's practically gone. I still wouldn't want to have to work in one of these shops but shopping is no longer a problem.
For me I'm sure it was the neurotoxins from the bugs. Therefore, I think detoxing could be a good idea for you.
All the best,
Gabrielle
Posts: 767 | From Germany | Registered: Feb 2004
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
Gabrielle,
You said that you had had this, but have it under control after treatment for the most part. Was this a lyme symptom or one of the co's. At this time, I'm only being treated for bartonella but have been on babs treatment. So I guess I'm wondering if you know which treatment was most successful in reversing some of this for you.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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I'm sorry but I don't know if it was Lyme or another coinfection. I have positive tests for Bartonella and Ehrlichia. I also cannot say which abx worked best for it because my LLMD at that time loved to jump from one abx to another...
But as I really believe it was the neurotoxins that caused this fluorescent light sensitivity, I think it was Lyme which caused it. Unless Bartonella is also making neurotoxins.
This symptom just faded away slowly with treatment. I didn't do any special detox but today I think it would have passed faster if I had detoxed.
Sorry I cannot nail it down,
Gabrielle
Posts: 767 | From Germany | Registered: Feb 2004
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