Wondered if anyone has had this strange sleep symptom. Here it is, so I wake up a few times in the night and always get back to sleep okay (at least now I do, last year sleep was bad), but around those times I notice a pulsed tinnitus that occurs. Kind of like ābrain zapsā if anyone can relate to coming off the SSRIsā¦ At other times I notice this weird state of consciousness that feels like some machinery noise is in my brain (not really tinnitus though), with some visual flickering zig/zag like stuff with my eyes closed. Then it stops for a split second randomly and starts again, like short pulses of quiet. Itās happened about 10 nights over the past couple months. Itās all kind of dreamy stuff, when I fully awake its all gone.
Last night I focused on this sensation and just tried to relax with it and it kept pulsing quiet, quiet, quiet, and then I was able to fully make it quiet permanently for the morning. I wonder if this is just some weird sleep transition thing, like REM or something. I guess it doesnāt really bother me, Iām not worried about it, but it is preferable to have the quiet instead of the machine. Such a weird sensation because its totally binary, like ON and OFF just like someone turning ON/OFF a light switch.
Just wondering if anyone else notices something like that. Oh yeah, it seems to be a little more prominent now that Iām on Verapamil too (currently at about 60mg, trying to increase slowly). Not sure if its related but thought Iād add that.
The weird machine noise symptom is gone now, I still have a bit of pulsing tinnitus.
Iām still annoyed by sleep however. I know its normal for vestibular dysfunction to feel disoriented in the dark. I keep catch my eyes keep darting around and moving, like they are trying to figure out where Iām at in space. I still feel like Iām on a boat, although I donāt get very motion sick as I"m used to it. The gaze stabilization exercises have been helping quite a bit during the day, but I canāt really do them in the middle of the night (-:
Iām also tired of these anxiety dreams. My brain knows somethings wrong, so it keeps creating these ridiculous dreams. You know the type, goes something like this: wife lost the keys and sheās stranded at the grocery store, gotta pick up my son at daycare too but my car wonāt start, super critical deadline at work, etcā¦ I think the correct term is Kafkaesque.
Overall, I get enough sleep but its just not very good quality. Iāve tried various sleeping aids. Zquill works well to fall asleep, but if someone wakes me up I feel like the Incredible Hulk, like almost to the point of violence which is scary. Melatonin doesnāt do a whole lot except make me groggy. Havenāt tried Trazadone in a while, but as I remember that was more like a tranquilizer than real sleep. It seems there are no real good solutions, Dramamine also makes me groggy but I might try a bit of that again.
The best sleeping aid so far is a little THC (from the CBD oil), but Iām not okay with taking that every night as Iām a bit depressed and I start to develop a real dependence on it. Works really well though, great sleep.
Any suggestions on sleep? Of course I also do meditation and no TV and all the basic sleep hygiene stuff. It seems there are no real shortcuts here, Iām at least thankful that Iām getting enough sleep now. But its been 1.5 years since Iāve slept normally, gets frustrating.
I had some conversation with a tame psychologist when I was waking up with quite severe anxiety (havenāt had yr meds or other sleeping sensations myself, apart from dreams for which propranolol is notoriousā¦) and that was the solution I was given. He called it ābody anxietyā. He said just accept it, donāt fight it, try to relax through it and itās probably caused by your brain having sensed changes and not being quite sure whatās happening.
When I discussed this with my eye doctor he said āthatās most probably because they are darting around trying to figure out where you are in spaceā.
IMHO could just be the eye exercises that are the cause. I did VRT for 6 months and it was the eye exercises that finished me in the end. Took my balance out completely for more than a week at a time and brought on 4 or 5 acute 8-day attacks in less then 6 weeks. My world record. I had been averaging perhaps 3 attacks in 2 years up til that point. IMHO might just be worth you seeing an eye specialist just to establish if thereās a reason which might stop the eye exercises from helping you.
I went to a ophthalmologist and they didnāt find anything. I still feel like there is something weird going on with the eyes, but it could just be that they are working extra hard due to vestibular problems I guess.
I agree with the ābody anxietyā theory, I rarely have mindful anxiety these days. If wasnāt getting enough sleep then I would consider medications. To this day my mom is on 150mg of Trazadone per night due to insomnia that should couldnāt solve at about my age.
Wow, never heard of that profession. Frustrating why the Ophthalmologist didnāt mention seeing an Orthoptist even though I told him my main reason for the visit was my dizziness. He just dilated my pupils, blew some air in my eyes, and then sold me some expensive reading glasses while my vision was still blurry.
Orthoptists deal with eye defects and eye movement disorders. Usually work our of hospitals here in UK.
I had something like this although not at night as far as I remember. Gaze stabilisation works for many people but if, for some reason, oneās eyes do not track in the usual manner (like mine donāt) one may never get improvement with gaze stabilisation exercises. And I suspect the attempt may upset an already irritated migraine-type brain. The defect can be very slight and unnoticeable to you either by the eyes outward appearance or its working performance. I can follow a tennis ball at Wimbledon on TV as well as my husband who has perfect sight.
Yeah, I can play table tennis and juggle without any issue. But staring at something perfectly still I get flickering and darting. Like one eye is trying to dominate or something but then the other eye takes over for a bit. Iāve always found it annoying when meditating with eyes open, and actually it can happen while eyes closed too.
The gaze stabilization is definitely giving me some relief, but its a bit easy to overdo it then I need to lie down and rest for awhile.
@ander454 where are you? you could see a neuro oftalmologist or vision therapist. I have found a couple of problems with my eyes (convergence problems and superior oblique palsyā¦ @Onandon03 doctor changed diagnosis from vertical heterophoria to superior oblique palsy in one eye and put prism in just one eye). Also, i am taking a lot of magnesium and seems that it helps with sleep. I am sleeping a little better.
Iām in Seattle, WA. There was a vision therapist linked through Dr. Hains website around in the area. Was thinking about seeing her. Do you think the Ophthalmologist I saw previously would have checked for all these vision disorders? There were a fair amount of tests he did, I think Iāll call him tomorrow and ask him about these conditions.
Well, āsuperior oblique palsyā - certainly had to look that one up. Apparently can result for being in RTA.
If memory serves, werenāt you in a bad crash or am I thinking of someone else. So doctor changed diagnosis and prescription. That might make sense. The glasses should help now and not walk you into any more walls. Iāve always found with new prescriptions I could either wear them (brain took to then instantly) or I couldnāt. āGetting used to themā has never been an option for me. Maybe my migraine brain. No idea. Iāve yet to met somebody who could āget usedā to varifocals either. Sure there must be people but I personally know at least five who tried and tried and still had to give up. It appears our brainās know best all along and they soon let us know when somethingās not right/quite it their liking. Thatās probably why we are all here on the mvertigo.org website I guess!
i dont think regular ophtalmologists check for these conditions. But ask him and see what he says, if not look at the vision specialist of Michigan, they have a list of providers they have trained on these conditions around the country.
yeah, it was not a crash, was a diving accident, hit my head and broke my neck 12 years ago. But i think actually this was brought up by pregnancy, I think.
Anyway, i am getting my glasses next week, will see if that makes a little difference.