‘Supermarket Syndrome’
For many people with a vestibular disorder, a trip to the grocery store can turn into a battle with dizziness. The lights, rows of shelves, and crowds of people can trigger symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and light-headedness. If this is something you struggle with, this article provides some suggestions for treatment and coping.
i get you.was ALWAYS very prone to a long time artificial lights at work.Now i cannot work.noise and moving items drives me NUTS, and brits love moving stuff.go to LIDL or Aldi, they dont do it.It becomes IRRITATING.before I BUY it has to have same place.a bit of autism you think, in that case I AM.
I totally agree about needing stuff to be in the same place..
My local supermarket just got renovated, and it does look smart but..I can’t find things now. It’s hard to zone in on a product..to differentiate..when everything seems to blend into one. I make a list and seldom stray from it once I’ve located where these items are..
it is mad.i have been artificial light sensitive,since my hubby Ian passed on 2nd marriage for him i get ALL FOOD AND NON FOOD DELIVERED IN MY FLAT.i dont have a driver, ian was driving me everywhere.but i reconsidered my opotions AND DECIDED to marie again.I GOT USEDN TO BEING ALONE, but THE BEST I AM MARIED TO.I AM THE SWEETEST. PLEASANT WOMAN AND 4 3 ,5 YEARS I WAS anything but pleasant, sweet.after HIS WORK ABROAD FINISHES....I technically became a recluse, speaking daily with my ma in slovakia.i am 46.she is 70, my bro has the same ataxia sca 2 as me, but LESS AFFECTED.i speak French, cannot spell the english word mto marry.generally a bit pricy, online shop, found a few tricks...,but invaluable..
Hi wobblybee I always like your posts, very informative. Unfortunately a vestibular hypofunction and ataxia together make life difficult for me. Years ago a balance therapist gave me exercises to do which I still do most days. About to try a hearing aid for those "messages" to be clearer for my cerebellum. I think I have visual vertigo and messages get muddled up.Any way worth giving it a try, it's free for 7 days.
So far..I’ve been told my additional problems with dizziness are due to BPPV..I already know I test negative for CANVAS ( Cerebellar Atrophy with Neuropathy and Areflexia Syndrome) but after reading through this link.. I realise it would take more testing to find out if something else was in the mix.
Currently, I can sit still and have overwhelming dizziness, the room doesn’t spin..everything stays stable..but there’s a spinning sensation in my head.
And, after bending, when I stand upright 🙈…you can probably imagine the sensation.
The recommended treatment for BPPV is the Epley Manoeuvre…which I’ve had numerous times but without any positive effect.
I have a combination of eye problems along with the dizziness..yes it does make life very difficult.
yes that is the same for me, I get dizzy in crowds and cannot cope with it. Even high building in London made me dizzy or corridor’s. Then I can get panic attacks because of the situation. I have autism too as well as ataxia.
Hi Suzy, hope you don’t mind me jumping into the conversation, I haven’t been on here for quite a long while but just saw this message and your response and it struck a chord.
My daughter also has autism and adhd alongside a few other things on top of her ataxia, so I understand some of the extra stuff that come along with it although it is still a learning curve as new things develop and change as my daughter is 25 now.
Regarding the high buildings specifically, if you haven’t already, it may be worth seeing if you can be tested to check if there is anything else going on. Everyone, myself included, unfortunately kept assuming it was just the ataxia. As I have it myself initially, I thought it was just the symptoms changing as she was getting older, and not being able to express that or understand it but she said it felt different but not express how very well because she found it hard to communicate. When I did listen and take on board what she was saying , we eventually, got her treated which took a while as you can imagine. She had very low blood pressure, which for a long time no one would take seriously, and we were advised to change gp as they didn’t even take notice of her bloods which indicated there was an issue.
When we changed though, she was referred to an older persons consultant who realised there may be a connection with another condition she has and it wasn’t good thing as most docs tried to pass it off having such a low bP, especially when it causes dizzyness to the stage of passing out and feeling or being sick. They did tilt table tests and discovered she had something called pots which is what caused all the dizziness when she looked up or down or moved too quick. Just an added addition to the ataxia. It’s kind of an add to a condition ehlers danlos syndrome, which is a connective tissues disorder which causes dislocations and makes you a bit more bendy than most people but can also stop cause pain.
So anyway, to cut a very long story short, I guess I am trying to say , if you haven’t already, it is worth getting them to check the basics of what else could be causing your dizzyness. If possible check your blood pressure regularly and see if that drops at any time, especially when getting up quick or out of bed in the mornings and things like that.
We so often put all of our symptoms down to ataxia and so to doctors. Or anxiety , especially if you are a woman.
My daughter was saying adhd is often misdiagnosed in females as is autism and often assumed some kind of anxiety or depression. Girls may often have those, but it may be a symptom of the condition because they haven’t been diagnosed or treated or supported properly as you may know yourself.
Sorry it just frustrates me, knowing the struggles my daughter has gone to, trying to get to where she has today. I’d love to get to the stage where things and diagnosis and support improve for everyone but particularly girls and women.
Good luck to you and. Everyone on your journey and on getting all the help you need.
Hi thanks for sharing your story. I fully understand where you are coming from. Yes my bp is low at times and my doctor has said it is POTS. I cannot stand on the spot for too long , my heart rate goes up. When I stand up my bp drops. I wish I had a definite diagnosis but still don’t, I am waiting for genetic tests, so here’s hoping. Merry Christmas and thank you.
Suzie
Thank you for the article. Your resourcefulness is so appreciated.
I like to use supermarket syndrome as an excuse to not have to go into the grocery to accompany my wife. Sometimes she even makes me stay in the car because she says she can shop faster and I can pull up to the curb to pick her up. There’s always a silver lining if you look hard enough.
Coping with a diagnosis of Ataxia
Could these symptoms be CANVAS
Clinical trial of Niagen for treatment of a neurological disorder.
My darling Dad died. I’m mortified and can’t cope xx
