Acute Hypersensetivity

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Does anyone have periods when you become much more sensitive than normal? Possibly accompanied by headaches or difficulty moving regularly or smoothly? Almost feels like it could be a weird partial seizure? Possibly beyond what would be a normal shutdown.

For me it appears based on triggered memories of another person, so I do not like giving out too many details.

I do experience this, but for me it's not based on memories. I'd say it's based on sensory overload: trying to endure too much light and/or noise. For example, I used to work the customer service desk in a bookstore. After a four or five hour shift it was hard to talk--coworkers used to joke that I was drunk.

This may seem off-the-wall, but do please consider it: you may be having migraine attacks. I had them ferociously when I was younger, and some - not all, but some - were triggered by strong emotional responses. Usually to stressful things, unpleasant memories.

I don't want to threadjack. But here are the symptoms I'd have - with technical terms, so you can compare, and look stuff up:
*Visual disturbances (in my case, bright lights that tracked across my field of vision. Called scotoma. Also partial loss of vision/restricted visual field.)
*Headache (after the scotoma). Sometimes completely disabling. Sometimes "vascular", so it got worse if I bent down or stood up quickly.
*Extreme sensitivity to light, to sound, to smell/taste: photophobia, phonophobia, dysgeusia - bad enough, and the light or noise can actually make you nauseous.
*Nausea. even without the light or noise.
*Clumsiness. My fingers would not work separately. Hands felt "muffled". Called "Mitten paresthesia".
*Aphasia. Couldn't get the words out right, for anything.
*Alexia/dyslexia. Even after the scotoma were gone. Written words stopped making sense, or they'd scramble.
*Dyspraxia. Motor impairment. Extreme clumsiness. Difficulty processing thoughts. Put that together with partial loss of vision and I was a disaster.

Here's the thing: it always passed. It also ran on a predictable timeline - if I got the scotoma, or that sudden hypersensitivity to sound or light, I'd have about 40 minutes to get myself into a dark room and lie down before the headache and other symptoms hit. (That advance warning is called "aura".)

And once it was gone it was gone completely - sometimes I even felt better after the attack than before. That's also part of the syndrome.

If this description matches all or most of what you are experiencing, you might want to check out the possibility of migraine.

Oh and: migraines are somehow related to seizure disorders, in that flashing lights (even driving through a tree-lined avenue in late afternoon!) can trigger migraines. And that business of feeling better afterwards is common in seizure disorders too.

I hope this helps. I'm not trying to scare you - migraines are more benign than some other things and mercifully tend to become less severe with age. They also have some effective treatments for them now.

Good luck. I hope you find this response and it helps.

Epilepsy is also quite common among autistic people. I was told by a neuropsychologist that it is possible to have small epilectic seizures that are not immediately recognisable as epilepsy. Don't know much about it, but it's worth ruling out.

This is what I experience, and I do happen to have seizures, but, until I was told, I had no idea seizures were what were occurring, because I had thought all seizures presented themselves in obvious ways. Mine are the result of blue light, light sensitivity, sensory processing, hertz frequency of the LED lighting in the office I work in. I am fortunate in the sense, that we have a courtyard, of which they've recently installed tables and chairs with umbrellas, and other seating. I try to work outdoors on my laptop, as much as possible. I, also, utilize f.lux software on my laptop. Here's a link to the description and download tab, in case anyone can use it: https://justgetflux.com/

I, also, experience ocular migraines, which don't really bother me, as there isn't any pain associated with mine. In my case, there is a circle of muted colors that are continuously spinning in my right peripheral.

Britte, how do your seizures manifest? I'm curious since I've worried this might happen to me, and also felt they would always be obvious.

I was compelled to return, here, as I was thinking that I have experienced the symptoms you described, or similar symptoms, when I re-experience parts of a past trauma, and I cannot stop ruminating and I feel as though I am in a fog-like state. Although, I suppose that is different than feeling hyper-sensitive. Your description, also, seems similar to derealization, which I have experienced, a couple of times.

The type of seizures I have are referred to as 'Focal Onset Aware Seizures'. I have only been aware of them on four occasions, and, then, a few times, I have had them and become aware, at the end of the seizure, and, I have been told that I probably have them at times, and don't realize it. I have, also, had a couple, while having EEG therapy for PTSD and GAD, but, not as the result of the therapy. The clinician picked them up during my treatment. With regard to the seizures that I've recognized at the onset, everything appeared, slightly, blue and blended together within my environment and I've experienced an extremely uncomfortable sensation in my nerves. It isn't pain, but, it is like a partial numbness. It's hard to describe, and, the type I have, are almost undetectable. I have recognized I've had one, after the seizure has occurred.

I am going to try to find you some literature, as there is a type of seizure, similar to mine, but described more like the experience you described, while your colleagues had commented on your appearance, while walking through your office, I believe (sorry, I read it a couple days, ago, so, I don't remember, what you said, word for word). I think what you described is referred to as 'wondering', or similar. Part of the description you gave, reminded me of what I have read in my literature I have at home, and, in fact, now that I think about it, and I just posted again, with regard to the OP's original post, there is a similarity to derealization. All of this is making me extremely eager to research these connections, and I just thought of something else. I will return with some literature, as mine are hard copies, so, I am going to need to find it online.

'Focal Onset Aware Seizures': https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-se ... l-seizures

'Focal Onset Impaired Awareness Seizures': https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-se ... l-seizures

Hi Esmerelda, I just showed your post to my sister, as we were conversing about the symptoms my nephew experiences when having migraines, which, like you, are triggered by lighting (particularly the lighting in his college classrooms). In addition to the symptoms you’ve listed, he experiences somewhat garbled speech. Do you also experience this? I told her that she should have him checked by a neurologist, as I’ve read if there are issues with speech it is possible that the person could be having some type of stroke. Thank you.

Hi Britte - yes I did when young, and so did my mother (I inherited this from her). Very frustrating, because I knew what to say, but couldn't say it properly. It;s actually a fairly common symptom for people who have "classical" migraine (with all the bells and whistles ).

There is a slightly higher risk of stroke for migraineurs (that's really what we're called) than for non-migraineurs as we age, if the symptoms don't diminish. Luckily, mine are now much reduced, but believe me I am always aware.

Good luck to your nephew. I know how frustrating it can be. (and to you as well).

Thank you so much for explaing what you have, to me. My nephew described that he, too, knows what he wants to say, but is literally, unable, when experiencing this. I am sorry that you have had to endure the migraines, but, I’m glad that your symptoms have lessened.

Thank you for the positive wishes for my nephew (and me). I wish you all the best, as well.