Sensory issues?

[Shiro]

Hey guys,

 

I'm new here and just got an official dysautonomia diagnosis in June of 2018 after 2 years of symptoms.

Based on my reading and other peoples' experience, I think my worst "attacks" (nausea, rapid heart rate, light headedness, shivering) are caused by adrenaline surges.

I am a HUGE movie fan. I've noticed, though, that I almost always have an attack when I try to see a movie in theaters. Usually it's within the first few minutes, but sometimes I'll have multiple attacks.

 

Does anyone have an issue like this? Or heard of it? I saw something last fall that included dysautonomia in a list of sensory processing issues but that's the first I've heard of it.

 

I thought it was maybe that the vibration from the sound system was messing with my heart rhythm, but now I'm wondering if it's adrenaline? 

 

If anyone has any insight or experience I'd appreciate it. Did anything help? 

 

I haven't been to a theater since The Last Jedi in December 2017

[StayAtHomeMom]

You could have light and/or sound sensitivity. I have sound sensitivity and it can be difficult to deal with. Construction noises and sirens can trigger it on a daily basis. I used to love to listen to blaring rock music, now I can hardly tolerate any music barely on. I currently have the issue of a neighbor (I live in an apartment) that has their speakers next to the wall or something and the bass from movies and music while they are blaring it thumps through the wall. Makes my heart go nuts.

Finding out what the exact trigger is and avoiding it can make a big difference. Good luck. And BTW I haven't been to the theater in years. I would be terrified to try. 

[jklass44]

I'm a big movie go-er as well and on occasion I've had these sensory attacks in the cinema... It doesn't happen all the time though. When it does I get really dizzy, almost like motion sickness, my heart rate goes up and I get a wicked headache. The first time it happened I thought I was just really excited about the movie or something (haha) but it's happened a few more times since then so who knows. I usually just take some ibuprofen before I go to a movie now just in case. Does this happen to you if you watch movies/tv at home?

[Lily]

Perhaps your sensory processing issue sets off your POTS and is not the same disorder.  I have major problems with perfumes, but not with the same effects that you describe.  What happens if you wear earplugs to dampen the sound a little?

[MomtoGiuliana]

There are past discussions about this.  Here is one:

https://www.dinet.org/forums/topic/10761-adrenaline-and-watching-movies-games/

 

 

[Guest ScottS]

At age 61, having dealt with POTS in its various manifestations since age 13, I can barely watch anything even on TV with the volume turned just shy of all the way down anymore. It's not the content that overwhelms me but the sheer intensity of the lights, camera, bang, boom, loud music, action that gets to me. My head spins. In short order I'll start to feel cornered, then claustrophobic.

Now, here are some oddities. I can watch just about anything issue free, no matter the intensity of the cinematic experience, on my 13" MacBook. My head doesn't spin. I won't, in any way, feel overwhelmed. I can also - thankfully - still listen to music on my stereo. HOWEVER (emphasis intended), I absolutely must - at all times - be sure to keep the SPL (sound pressure level or, to use a less technical term, volume) below a certain point. Yes, that means I actually keep a SPL meter on hand when first setting or changing the volume on my stereo. Anything over around 85 dB starts to set me off on a downward, sensory overload spiral. Here's one last bit of POTS induced weirdness. Excessively loud sounds from even the simplest of household appliances can sometimes start me feeling agitated or anxious. There are even times and days when something as innocuous as someone near me blending a smoothie can set me off. How strange is that? (And where is that cuckoo face emoji when you need it?)

[Shiro]

On 2/7/2019 at 6:43 PM, jklass44 said:

I'm a big movie go-er as well and on occasion I've had these sensory attacks in the cinema... It doesn't happen all the time though. When it does I get really dizzy, almost like motion sickness, my heart rate goes up and I get a wicked headache. The first time it happened I thought I was just really excited about the movie or something (haha) but it's happened a few more times since then so who knows. I usually just take some ibuprofen before I go to a movie now just in case. Does this happen to you if you watch movies/tv at home?

Not at my own home, but a friend of mine has a pretty sweet home theater system and that can set me off, though not as strongly as a 'real' theater. (He was actually very proud of this, I think it's his goal to have a theater grade system in his basement XD)

[Shiro]

On 2/8/2019 at 8:07 AM, Lily said:

Perhaps your sensory processing issue sets off your POTS and is not the same disorder.  I have major problems with perfumes, but not with the same effects that you describe.  What happens if you wear earplugs to dampen the sound a little?

Haven't tried -- I thought the issue might be more the reverberation of the sound waves throwing off the rhythm of my heart instead of it being a sensory processing issue. I might try ear plugs, though I have low level anxiety about doing things that might be triggers

[StayAtHomeMom]

On 2/9/2019 at 11:56 PM, ScottS said:

At age 61, having dealt with POTS in its various manifestations since age 13, I can barely watch anything even on TV with the volume turned just shy of all the way down anymore. It's not the content that overwhelms me but the sheer intensity of the lights, camera, bang, boom, loud music, action that gets to me. My head spins. In short order I'll start to feel cornered, then claustrophobic.

Now, here are some oddities. I can watch just about anything issue free, no matter the intensity of the cinematic experience, on my 13" MacBook. My head doesn't spin. I won't, in any way, feel overwhelmed. I can also - thankfully - still listen to music on my stereo. HOWEVER (emphasis intended), I absolutely must - at all times - be sure to keep the SPL (sound pressure level or, to use a less technical term, volume) below a certain point. Yes, that means I actually keep a SPL meter on hand when first setting or changing the volume on my stereo. Anything over around 85 dB starts to set me off on a downward, sensory overload spiral. Here's one last bit of POTS induced weirdness. Excessively loud sounds from even the simplest of household appliances can sometimes start me feeling agitated or anxious. There are even times and days when something as innocuous as someone near me blending a smoothie can set me off. How strange is that? (And where is that cuckoo face emoji when you need it?)

That would be an interested experiment. I wonder if different frequencies and different decibals would cause the trigger. I never thought about it. I may have to try that. 

[Moin]

I am not a doctor, but a very keen observer. I’m 60, suffering from Dysautonomia all my life. I can give you my opinion only. 

In Dysautonomia we suffer from nerves weakness, and at this age even for me watching TV at a distance means I’ve exert more mentally to concentrate on what’s being shown. Concentration means exerting your nerves. I’m a man of very weak constitution, 6-4” with 60 KG weight, and therefore all these nerves weakness are very pronounced and easily registered by me. 

Anyway that was my opinion.