Walking issues, such as tripping, stumbling, staggering
Loss of binocular vision and depth perception
Head tilt, and the associated pain/discomfort
Stiff muscles in your head, neck, shoulders and back
Difficulty or inability to read, use a computer or do other close/focused work
Nausea
Disorientation, dizziness
Snoring
Headaches/migraines
Spinal/back issues
Inability to exercise or participate in sports and other physical activities
Watching television, going to see films, cultural events, nature activities

 

 

 

 

These physical/coordination issues have really been hard for me.  At first, it wasn't so bad because the SOM came and went, so I could kind of take a break from an activity and then start again.  Never being sports-minded (some of it due to strabismus and lousy depth perception all my life) it was more close work like reading, art work, sewing, writing and doing the decorating and painting around my house that suffered.  But as the episodes began to be more severe and more frequent, I'll admit it--frustration set in.  Patching was the only way to watch TV, movies and theater events.

 

Binocular vision isn't anything you think about until you don't have it.  And then it drastically affects walking (sometimes used a cane), balance, stair-climbing and especially going back down, and stumbling.  Often I think I really looked like I had "tied one on".  I wish I had five dollars for every cup of coffee I knocked over or set down only to find there wasn't anything to set it on.

 

My head tilt was extreme.  The muscles on the right side of my neck were stretched to capacity and squashed on the left.  The very first thing I noticed after surgery was that I no longer had to keep my head practically on my left shoulder.  That was painful, but the kind of thing you kind of just forget about after awhile because it's part of life.   Most of my past photos make me look like a bird looking for flies--head cocked to one side so noticeably. 

 

Migraines--yes.  But I never figured out if they were related to SOM.  For sure, the combination of migraine and SOM is exceedingly unpleasant!  Don't have them very often any more, thank goodness.

 

Spinal problems have been going on since 1974, properly diagnosed in l995, and have  resulted in four surgeries.  I don't think these were in any way related to SOM.  The biggest issue is that when you're already off-balance and then have spinal problems on top of that, staying upright is a chore and falling becomes a real hazard.  And how many times I did fall--pretty theatrically.  SOM is a big pain when you're trying to recover from a surgery that puts you in a brace and makes you even more wobbly.

 

I'd say "yes" to disorientation at times--especially in big bright stores, and driving, but "no" to nausea.  But I don't get sick from motion anyway and probably that helps.

 

Overall, it's sad to think of all the things I just quit doing because I just couldn't enjoy them anymore, or wasn't able to accomplish them.  I wouldn't put myself in the "depressed" category, but it did get me mad and grouchy. However, on a "good" day, there's an appreciation for those things that other people just don't have.  Now, after surgery, I can do so many of those things again--LOVELY!