Easily Startled?

[fishead]

I used to only be easily startled, when I was having a flare. Now it seems I am simply "easliy startled" (as in allll the time.

I jump & my heart rate accelerates even if it is just the phone piercing the silence of the house.

[mercadies25]

I don't know if it's an ms thing or not but I am easily startled as well. I am even startled at things that are not there, but that I imagine are there.

just weird.

[SNOOPY]

Hi fishead,

Exaggerated Startle Response could be MS related. There is very little information about the startle response and MS.

MSAA has a little information:
http://www.mymsaa.org/publications/m...research-news/

I have an exaggerated startle response. Mine is not MS related, it is a result of PTSD.

[maitrimama]

My exaggerated startle reflex is PTSD as well but sometimes it gets even worse. My family all know to make lots of noise coming into the house!

[fishead]

Snoopy,

I still have to read the article, but thank you for providing it. SORRY you have PTSD, I hope you have a good therapist and good meds.

[sgrammied]

Startled

I get startled very easy. My kids and grand kids enjoy watching me jump. Whether it be the phone, forgotten alarm clock, or the kids wanting to see me jump. Even strangers in the store, if they come up behind me, I jump.

I do not know why I am so sensitive. But the kids enjpy it. Nothing I can do about it.

[SNOOPY]

Your welcome, fishead and thank YOU. PTSD, like MS, is something I will always have. I am at a point with both, that it is what it is and I go on living my life to the best of my ability.

[fishead]

SNOOPY,
I am glad you "go on living life", as well you SHOULD.

I had a motor vehicle accident (flipped my mustang and was upside down-hanging by seat belt-for over an hour...although this HAPPENED back in 2010) and am now wondering if I may have some sort of late onset PTSD. Who knows. I don't feel "traumatized" by this, it is just very annoying and I TOO (grannie) jump often.

[HellsBells1]

I have a hyper-startle reflex that started in October. The response started a few weeks before the startling started to trigger my new-onset movement disorder (Myoclonic Jerking) of the left-side torso, hip and knee.

If I get startled, I jump out of my skin, and then the jerking (which is constant anyway) will become much more exaggerated and frequent until I settle down.

I also get startled by things that aren't even there, or if I am standing too close to a TV, I duck and jump as if something is jumping out of the TV to fall on me, or run at me. That's humiliating when it happens in front of others.

Very much MS-related, although not specific to MS (of course).

[CaroleL]

I guess I'm not alone. I also suffer from PTSD.

[fishead]

OH wow, HellsBells, you even jump from things on TV? WOW.

After reading your post I remembered and incident that happened last year: I was on vacation in South Carolina...(so was "on edge" because I wasn't "at home", and maybe THAT had something to do with what happened).... THIS is what happened. My friend and I were walking into her house, when her neighbors set off fireworks, that could be HEARD not SEEN. The popping went on for QUITE a few seconds...enough that I rushed into the house and curled up on her stairs (just inside the front door), until the noise subsided. It took me about an hour to "recover" from that. Is THIS "PTSD-like"???????

[maitrimama]

Fishead - ptsd can surface years later and can manifest in many different ways. It can also have different root causes - the classic one being the ttraumatic life threatening event, a long standing life experience like war or even something that doesn't appear to be traumatic but because it undermines your feeling of well being it causes deep seated trauma.

[fishead]

CaroleL,

HECK your recent trip to ER, was (seriously) enough to give you PTSD

[fishead]

maitrimama,

thank you for the explanation! I never felt my life was at risk, even when hanging upside down (it's okay to laugh...I AM), but then I have always "down-played" anything like that.

[Cat Mom]

I thought I was easily startled due to being in my own little world and not paying attention! A few years ago, I unexpectedly stepped on a piece of dry cat food and my skin went numb, it took a few weeks to go back to normal.

I do not have PTSD but my heart goes out to all of you who do.

Jen