Flashing Christmas lights!!

[Seacalm]

I just wandered if anyone else has problems looking at flashing lights such as Christmas lights ect post VM? If i look at them I immediately feel ill strange head, tongue, nausea, have to get out of the room. Then i get a really bad head and feel disorentated. I am photophobic anyway after VM to artificial light but I can tolerate some lights on for a bit, but flashing lights have an instant affect. I still can't watch the t.v. but i can use a computer but the light things seem to be getting worse.

[melpars]

Yes, I have the same problem. I'm 7 months post BM. I'm not reallly photophobic as far as I can tell. Regular house, store,office, and sunshine light don't seem to bother me. But flashing/changing lights,colors,patterns mess with me terribly. I also start to feel strange, nauseous, dizzy, and overwhelmed. My anxiety level gets really high. Too much noise, too loud noise, and too many questions or people talking to me at once does the same thing. I try to avoid those things, but that's impossible as I don't wish to be a hermit. I try to look away, look down, focus on something else, excuse myself and talk to someone one on one, go to the restroom, go get a drink, anything to remove myself from the situation for even a few short minutes really helps. The hardest thing to get people to understand, is that after an event, even just an afternoon or evening get together, or holiday dinner, a play, a day out.... I absolutely have to get on home and get comfy and quiet and spend the next day in as much comfort and rest and quiet as possible.

[Seacalm in reply to melpars]

Thank you so much for replying it is exactly how I feel. I hope you are able to enjoy the festive season without too much discomfort. I'm definately going to avoid all shops, restaurants and coffee shops over Christmas! ! Thank you again for taking the time to reply it means alot not to be alone with these strange after affects.

[MIAH2000]

Hiya. I have been in recovery since September 17 so long enough hahah. I never had sensitivity to lights when I had meningitis but I have noticed with the last few months and since the nights and drawing in, I struggle with driving at night due to car lights and more recently the xmas lights. I know my vision was affected because I had to get glasses after diagnosis but I think the sensitively is common, sorry I don’t have any ways to help you.

Best wishes

[Seacalm in reply to MIAH2000]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I really appreacite you letting me know you feel a similar way. I hope you are able to enjoy the festive season without too much discomfort.

[Hidden]

It sounds like you're brain is over stimulated. This is what my therapist and Dr used to tell me. I don't have the issue with the flashing lights. However, if the lights are on, kids talking/playing, and the TV os own all at once...I get the same feeling. When I notice it I start to turn things off or sit quietly by myself to allow my brain time to rest.

This weekend I did deal with flashing lights, a lot of people talking, moving, trying to shop it was too much for me. I was ready to leave. I needed a quiet place for me to regroup.

You may have to change the lights or do to a different area when it occurs to allow your brain to regroup.

I had V.M in August and is slowly recovering. It's funny people say I'm recovering fast but I don't think so.

I'm out of work due to cognitive impairment and Broca's Aphasia after VM. I saw in an old post you went back to work even after having trouble talking ( I have trouble talking when I'm trying to get my words I'm.thinking of out- brain fog). How are you doing with work?

[Seacalm]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I have to avoid shops etc for the same reason too much light and noise. Good job you can do Christmas shopping on line! !

I went back to work after 6 months and was really shocked how much it took out of me. With regards to talking the left side of my face went numb the more I spoke, had to limit it to one hour and built up over 4 months to talking 4 hours without symptoms. Having said that I feel in the past week I have gone backwards and couldn't even get to work on Friday I think the darker mornings, headlights , rain and Christmas lights have all had an impact. I feel as tired this week as i did in week 1. Such a scary thing VM.

It is good to hear you are making good progress take it very slow and steady. Listen to your body and hoping you make a good recovery. Best wishes for the festive season.

[Sunny308]

Car lights are super bright to me and I haven't been able to leave my apartment in a few months due to severe noise intolerance, and extreme fatique. Seems everything got turned up volume wise and I can't tolerate many sounds at one time. I had to insulate my windows and doors to block out traffic noise and I can still hear the vibrations. Flashing ambulance light i notice now. I can't stay on phone for over a minute or So, or my head goes numb, body clenches up, chest gets tight

[Seacalm]

I am so sorry you are struggling so much it must be very scary. From your posts I know it has been going on a while and you must feel physically and emotionally exhausted. Because my visual sense is so over sentised I have tried to focus on different senses to help manage the difficult times . Have you tried relaxing calm aromas at home like lavender oil and focus all you attention on that when you feel overwhelmed by the noise and focus not on auditory but smell . I don't have pets but I do have kids and I often stroke a large teddy bear as this also helps focus on different a kinesthitic sense. Focusing on relaxation techiques has really helped. Flashing lights are everywhere so I now just wear so glasses and hard. Really hoping you get some relief soon.

[Sunny308 in reply to Seacalm]

I will try those! But I'm really worried I continue to get worse, and feel very ill at times. Think I have severe M.E

[herbmonster]

Yes! This time of year is bad for me prefer the summer.

Had BM in 2014 and VM 2017. Since the BM I find even the bright lights in supermarkets horrendous. I have glasses now with special lenses in to help. I can't tolerate artificial lights at home so the bulbs are those day light ones in my lamps.

I find headlights on cars a problem, and the flickering especially if in the corner of my eye.

I work in a school and I have to have filters on my computer screen, special lights in my classroom as I find it is intensified along with noise.

What I say to people is it can't be good for anyone really?

[AmyLHardy]

I am post VM since July, middle of my crazy season in my business

A little history:

Oct 2015, i got hit on my motorcycle, broken tib & fib near joint of ankle, no pressure on left leg for 16 weeks, fast forward 6 months , horrible reaction to plates and screws, surgery to remove metal and screws was done, less constant pain

(All the while running 2 business as best i could)

3 months later my best friend was in a horrible accident and almost lost her leg (best friend and my office manager) she is still recovering.

To make a long story semi short, the pain and lack of mental clarity (and many other things) kept "assuming" was just because of all the stress i was under

Oct 2017, tired all the time, didn't want to get out of bed, couldnt stay focused, sensitivity to lights, etc etc.

Lyme disease that was dormant reared its fabulous head due to stress, lots of homepathic treatment, over next 4 to 5 months made a big difference, also worked with a cranial sacral therapist to release pressure

THEN juky 2018 awaken at 3 am with the worst neck, head pain i have ever had, i missed my business meeting, my cranial therapist asked why i missed meeting around 10 that am i told him, he said come see me today.

4 pm i go into his office he listens, and begins to work on me and stops. He says you need to go to hospital now.

Menengi's are inflamed.

Skip to hospital

There 4 days 3 spinals, 2 were attempted in E.R. epic fail.

Antibiotics, pain, so many needles and tests etc. Etc.

Go home, rest as much as possible.

Did the best i could

As time went on, i would forget words during sentances off and on headaches, swelling in neck and head (lower)

Massages every 2 weeks, reiki, blah blah blah.

Began adding a weekly session with EFT woman

Began tapping, tegarding pain from.accident, not realizing that this would stimulate the headaches. Ugh

Sooooo, i spent time.on the phone with Casey EFT and she set up a homeopathic remedy for all the ions of symptoms i was having

4 pills under my tongue b4 bed and no joke i woke up next am no headache no neck pain (1st time since the morning i awake with menangitis) over the next 24 hrs, my clarify was back, i was able to form complete sentances without stumbling on words or drawing a blank. I slept the best i have slept in years, my constant lists to remind me to do things on lists lol

Stopped, i no longer felt like i became ADD over night.

Its been 3 weeks and i still feel way better.

Next week i am going to start the work with tapping on my leg again to hopefully move forward with that recovery.

I am so grateful for the healers i have in my life.

All i got from my primary physician was, "the infection is gone, it cant be from that"

BULLSHIT.

There are prob 100 symptoms, feelings etc that i have gone through or felt through this process.

Dont give up, search outside of your "comfort zone" if you need contacts to those who have helped get me on a semi-sucessful track again let me know

Amy

[Ambermead]

I couldn't even use a cell phone for a month, watch tv or even go outside because of the lights. Hopefully it will get better soon.... it took me around 2 months to even drive.