Chalk up another diagnosis

[colormist]

Not HFI related, but I think I finally figured out another diagnosis. Thankfully, the last time this happened to me was in 2001. It started when I was a little kid--around 6 years old is the earliest I can remember. Textures would feel weird and I couldn't stop feeling them, the room would get smaller or larger, I would shrink and grow and float. It always happened at night. The worst part was sound, which was really, really loud. I knew it wasn't loud, but it was. Screaming in my ear and I could hear everything. I could hear my hand moving, fabric shifting, my heart beat, and my breathing drove me to tears. I wanted to cry out loud and have someone help, but I knew I wouldn't be able to tolerate my own voice.

I read about this before and it seemed familiar. But the one symptom that stuck in my head was the sound, because it traumatized me. The growing/shrinking/feeling/floating was fine, but I couldn't stop the sound.

It's called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome -- which is, coincidentally, my favorite book. aiws.info/

Here's a detailed description of this guy's experiences (my symptoms never lasted more than a few minutes at a time--somehow I learned how to control them): lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,332520392-118450,00.html

I guess with that and HFI, I've figured out all the odd things that happen to me that were unexplainable. I never would have guessed that it was a form of migraine.

[sarahk]

Mike: I might be able to give a more medical diagnosis--sounds like an Aura-a medical mystery which refers to sounds/lights/experiences someone feels-often before a seizure-they can be defined as simple seizures-but don't have to be related to epilepsy--I've done some research on this as when I was 13, I had a 6 hour seizure (shaking and all...set a record in CA) (sarah and I are a great match, huh)

Before we got my meds figured out-I had experienced several of these (in my teens)-but haven't in the past several years.

Mine were more auditory than visual, lasting about 30 seconds. Once or twice I had a bad migraine headache after.

I would hear weird sounds-almost sci-fi-like and always feel out-of-body--as if I was floating and always felt deja vu (which is a Really weird feeling) once or twice I recall having double vision.

During stronger/louder episodes I also experienced a tingly sensation, on the left side of my body only-which started at my scalp and went down the left side of my body.

The only explanation I can get from the doctors in that a portion of my right frontal lobe brain region is not developed--if you look at a brain MRI you seek squiggly lines-part of my brain doesn't have squiggly lines--looks as if someone smudged it.


www.epilepsy.com/stories/ps_1064005012

health.yahoo.com/nervous-resources/aura-and-seizures/healthwise--tm6354.html