Do Your Symptoms Flare Because Of Talking?

[janiedelite]

I was wondering how many dysautonomia folks here deal with increased symptoms as a result of talking (whether that be phone calls, talking with family, etc.). What kind of symptoms flare up with talking? Does anyone have any suggestions for avoiding these problems while talking?

For me, talking makes my neuropathy worse (especially the burning in my face and mouth). My face and head turn warm and will flush. My BP goes up and my chest gets tight and hurts. My head hurts more and my whole body feels hot. It feels like an exaggerated adrenaline rush.

This issue is one of the main things that keeps me from living a more normal life. It's so annoying and often debilitating! I love to talk and am VERY opinionated! I've even wanted to teach nursing someday, but can't maintain a 10-minute conversation without laying down in a quiet place to reduce my symptoms.

Thanks for giving me a place to voice my opinion without talking

Janie

[all4family]

Hi Janie,

YES, YES, YES!! This is one of my worse symptoms too!! I am so glad you posted this, because I am sitting here so scared right now, because I was talking to my mom on the phone, and had to cough just once, and then tried to continue talking, and thought I was gong to faint. I had to tell her I just couldn't talk right now.

I don't get the burning you describe, actually I do in the face, but not the mouth, but everything else you describe definatly! Plust that is one of the reasons I will faint. More then once when I was talking, and trying to get the whole thing out, (was also standing) I get all that, then faint. I did it in front of my 80 year old neighbor, and hit the cement, now she is afraid to talk to me unless I am sitting! (which is actually a good thing)

Does your head feel like your straining??? You know like you are trying to have a BM?

It's hard to be a chatty person that can't chat!!! I'm glad too that we have each other on here!!!! Thank you so much for posting this...it's made me feel a little better!

Suzy

[janiedelite]

Hi Suzy,

Yes, my head feels like it is straining. How do you manage this symptom and talk with your kids on a regular basis? My hubby and I are actually thinking of maybe adopting an older child and I'm concerned how this symptom would interfere with being a mom.

Thanks so much and have a good evening, Janie

[bizbiz]

YES! I think this would have to be the most depressing symptom for me, because like you, I used to love to talk and always had very stong opinions on things which I would always try to get across.

The way I feel when I talk is very difficult to put into words. I start getting a tingly feeling in my head and tightness in my throat - it feels tight like someone is choking me, but also tight like my throat it closing and I have to gasp for breath. And yes, I guess it does feel like I am straining. I also get a feeling of pressure on my chest, like there is no room left for air in my lungs...kind of like the pressure you feel from water when you are in a pool, or in the bath. Sometimes my body starts to feel really weak - if I am holding a drink or a fork I just lose the energy to hold it.

Once I get this way I usually excuse myself and ask if I can go and lay down somewhere. It usually passes after 10 or 15 minutes of lying down. Or I just stop participating in the conversation and listen just to give my body a break.

The strange thing for me though is that it doesnt happen all the time. Somethimes I can talk to someone for half an hour and feel fine...?

[ana_22]

sometimes i get really light headed talking. this usually happens when im standing and talking. sometimes when im sitting.

[mrsdavidson8605]

I have trouble getting my thoughts together which is frustrating bc I pause in conversations frequently now. Also my husband is a very loud phone talker so I find myself asking him to lower his voice on the phone all the time bc it makes my symptoms worse..

[janiedelite]

Thanks guys. It's helpful to really know that this symptom isn't so rare. Yes, bizbiz and ana, laying down does help the symptoms subside. If the phone rings, I try to make sure I'm laying down before I answer it so I can stay laying down. Although often I still get more symptomatic even if I lie down during the conversation.

And yes, Kansasgirl, my hubby will try to talk with me from another room and it seems to take so much energy/breath to project my voice. I just remind him to come closer to talk so I don't have to project my voice and it's not so bad.

We went for a walk this evening and I notice that while talking, it seems so hard to catch enough breath to walk. I'm thinking it's just the physical act of breathing enough to talk that makes this so difficult. I used to sing all the time (in choir, around the house, at church, etc.). Now at church, I just sing the words of the hymns in my head. Regulating my breath to hold a note while singing is nearly impossible most days. It must just be another result of thoracic hypovolemia...?

Thanks guys, Janie

[all4family]

Hi Janie,

I think that is great that you want to adopt. My kids have learned a lot through me being sick. Like compasion, and how to be considerate. I used to lose my voice, (but this stopped I don't know why) and they got a big kick out of calling me squeeky. But we would write notes, and they would tell people on the phone what I was trying to say. They know the look on my face when I am having problems, and usually they are pretty considerate, and let me rest. Not only that, but nothing speaks louder then a great big hug!

I always have my husband trying to have conversations with me from another room! He always sits in the living room and yells at me to come out here and look at this. (always something I'm not really interested in looking at!) I have reminded him over and over, but I just can't seem to get him to figure this one out!!! How do you do it?! Oh well though. For all his positives this one I will just have to learn to deal with!!

Suzy

[carinara]

most of the time talking makes me very lightheaded and dizzy. Sometimes i have to lay down whilest on the phone ( at home) and close my eyes and whisper in order to try to keep an conversation up.

The same thing happens to me if i try to sing, blow my nose, or try to play my flute. (i guess its similar to the

valsalva maneuver).

It also changes from day to day or hour to hour, yesterday for example i had no problems holding up an conversation but at other times its a nightmare.

carina

[janiedelite]

Suzy, thanks for the encouraging advice about communicating around your kids. . As for hubby, when he calls to me from another room and I'm having a hard day, I just stay quiet and he comes out and asks what's wrong. Then I politely, and with a smile, remind him it's hard for me to shout. You're right though, he's practically perfect in every other way! I try not to get frustrated with him, and he's so patient with me in return.

Carinara, there certainly are some days that are worse than others in the talking respect for me, too. I bet it's hard to play the flute with this disease!

Have a good day, Janie

[mancmm19]

Add me to the list! For whatever reason intense conversation and laughter make me feel funny I find that if I talk for a period of time, like when explaining a story, I feel my BP rise and my face feels flushed. I will feel pressure in my head and need to take a few deep breaths. Laughter does the same thing...especially if something is really funny! Sometimes my facial muscles will spasm as if I don't control them (smiling for pictures triggers this sometimes as well) My body feels very strange and out of it after I laugh or talk for too long of a period of time. I'm "glad" to hear that others have this symptom!

Last week I needed to give a presentation to 30 co-workers...needless to say my nerves were a little jarred! I had asked to do the presentation sitting down to avoid becoming too "potsy," but about 3 minutes into explaining my work with consecutive talking, I began to feel odd. My ears went out and it was as if I could only hear myself in the distance. My face felt flushed and I felt my BP rise and I probably had a shocked look on my face, but I tried not to react to my symtpoms and keep talking. I'm sure my co-workers noticed but I paused after I was finished with my sentence and I literally felt myself returning back to "normal" gradually. I wonder what attributes these odd scenarios to POTS? It really knows how to mess with every part of daily functioning doesn't it?!

[janiedelite]

Add me to the list! For whatever reason intense conversation and laughter make me feel funny I find that if I talk for a period of time, like when explaining a story, I feel my BP rise and my face feels flushed. I will feel pressure in my head and need to take a few deep breaths. Laughter does the same thing...especially if something is really funny! Sometimes my facial muscles will spasm as if I don't control them (smiling for pictures triggers this sometimes as well) My body feels very strange and out of it after I laugh or talk for too long of a period of time. I'm "glad" to hear that others have this symptom!

Last week I needed to give a presentation to 30 co-workers...needless to say my nerves were a little jarred! I had asked to do the presentation sitting down to avoid becoming too "potsy," but about 3 minutes into explaining my work with consecutive talking, I began to feel odd. My ears went out and it was as if I could only hear myself in the distance. My face felt flushed and I felt my BP rise and I probably had a shocked look on my face, but I tried not to react to my symtpoms and keep talking. I'm sure my co-workers noticed but I paused after I was finished with my sentence and I literally felt myself returning back to "normal" gradually. I wonder what attributes these odd scenarios to POTS? It really knows how to mess with every part of daily functioning doesn't it?!

Wow, Michele, you really described what happens well! I'm glad you were able to sit and recovered fairly quickly. Having an "invisible illness" stinks, huh? Who would think talking would be impaired! My husband feels badly for me when I'm flared and have to rest quietly, but I think he kind of likes the quiet too...