Welcome James!!!!!!  This is a wonderful support group and you will find lots of really helpful information on the pages here.  I am sorry that no one else has welcomed you, but spring is a pretty busy time for most people.  At least it is for me because we are finally settling in after lambing and getting the gardens planted. 

I gree with Dolly,  James.  Welcomes are important.  I really appreciated the ones I got when I joined.  Made me feel as if there really were people out there who understood what it was like to have your world lurching and twitching, and I have gotten heaps of good advice for coping.  The support has and continues to be the best part.  If you have a story to share, please share.  Are there questions you'd like to ask?   I quickly found out there are no silly questions--only good answers.  Welcome.      Annie

I’d like to WELCOME both of our new members!!  Welcome Sam & James!!  Sorry you both had to find us, but glad you did.  You won’t find a better group of understanding people than here.  We feel your pain and there’s plenty of support here.

 

Our system at work has been having problems.  Apparently someone is trying to hack into us.  I have been sending e-mails to you guys but they keep coming back.  I’m going to take a chance and see if this one goes through and answer Sam at the same time.   We’ll see.

 

Sam, I too get dizzy spells.  I can feel a dizzy spell coming on and I know that my eye will start rolling up and twitching within a minute or two.  My episodes can last anywhere from 30 seconds to 15 minutes was the longest.  After my eye returns to normal I have a pretty bad headache around my right eye (that’s my SOM eye) and I know this is going to sound weird, but my eyeball hurts too.

 

They tried me on Tegratol but that didn’t do anything for me.  Nortryptalyn has worked the best.  Although the side effects are pretty nasty.  (it’s a trade-off)  My Doctor has weaned me off the Nortryptalyn the past 3 weeks and I haven’t had another episode so he feels I may be in remission.  The only thing is he can’t tell me how long the remission period will last.

 

I know that for myself and many other members we have found that stress and lack of sleep can trigger episodes.  So my suggestion is try Yoga, meditation or whatever works for you but learn to drop some of the stress in your life.  And get as much good sleep as possible.

 

Keep in tough and let us know how you’re doing.  Both of you.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome. Sorry I'm so late getting back. My only internet access is at work and they pretty much totally blocked it off the last few weeks.

Fortunately I'm back on. I haven't tried any medication for my SOM or any exercises. My SOM isn't that bad I only get 10-15 second bouts and even at that I only need tilt my head a few degrees and its fine. I don't really get much pain more of a straining sensation in my eye when it occurs. For this I am grateful.

In case anyone has had the same experience; the only real trauma my eye or surrounding area ever recieved was when my abcess(which I still have) under my right molar kicked off. The pain was incredible way worse than breaking a bone. The whole right side of my face became swollen but my right eye became bloodshot. But not all of my eye strangely, only a thick line from the bottom up to the bottom of the cornea and from the top of the cornea to the top of my eye...Strange!

Anywho that was three years ago and I've lived with it since.

My doc reckons theres not much point trying surgery or drugs as the condition is more of a nuisance rather that a problem.

Well SOM history for ya.

James

I would have to dig through some paperwork, but I think that you are the third or fourth person who has mentioned that they noticed their symptoms following a tooth/mouth abscess.  Certainly one of the less comfortable ways to become a SOMer.   And, the vertical blood vessel thing is both fascinating and a teeny bit creepy.  However, I adore creepy, and if you are ever so inclined to share, a close-up photo of that eye would be delicious...errr...interesting to see.

 

I really and truly hope that your SOM fails to progress as it has for many of us.  To be able to stay at a level similar to yours is every SOMers dream.  As far as posting, please don't give it a second twitch.  This site is very quiet most of the time, but we don't have any minimum participation requirements (or even suggestions, for that matter ) and it seems as though that is the way everyone likes it. 

 

Nice to hear from you!!

Most peculiar, sez I, and every time I hear of another tooth-sinus-molar-nasty infection thing, I get more cheeful about not being a Froot Loop for suspecting that kicked my SOM off.

 

I had all the infection, swelling, etc., but only the upper right quadrant of my future SOM eye would become totally bloodshot and Halloweenish.  It looked very odd.  That went away after awhile, though.  Too bad the SOM didn't go with it.

 

May you remain a low-key SOMer.  It's an easier way to live!

 

Hi, Juds.  Delicious?  Now there is indeed an interesting means to describe a deep and dark fascination!

 

Annie