Easily Startled?

[fishead]

Jen,

Thank you for YOUR reply/input. I appreciate that.... As a "slave" to 3 kitties I understand the occasional dry cat food under the foot.

[CaroleL]

Lol Fishhead! I've had post from a very young age.

My uncle had MS. He'd never been sick in his life. He started falling for no reason. He was over 50. Neurologist discovered he had MS.

The doctor told him in was in his genes but it it only came out after a shock. My grandmother had died 3 months before.

A second uncle had the same symptoms and was diagnosed with MS. His symptoms came out 3 months after my grandfather's death.

[AnneLouise]

I startle very easily. Maybe I did before dx, but not like this.
The tiniest thing will cause me to jump a mile. And I really don't know why. And, like others have posted, sometimes there's nothing there.

I think that's why I get nervous driving. I'm afraid I'll overreact to something I shouldn't overreact to!

[HellsBells1]

Driving & Startle

Yes, I understand the driving fear. I seem to have gotten a bit better, but I didn't drive for awhile because of my meds, then when I started driving short distances, when a car would pull up to my right at the intersection (to stop at the lights or sign before coming onto the road I was on) I kept jumping and ducking.

We can, however, desensitize to some of the more common things that startle us.

[Debby]

I deal with this too...weirdly, sometimes I even know someone has walked into a room (unexpectedly), but when I actually see them I start screaming in some kind of delayed reaction. My husband and dd try to remember to knock before entering a room, but if they don't I'll often start the screaming schtick, and holding my chest because it feels like my heart will explode or just stop!

I also get startled at things that aren't there, OR things that are there, but that I see as something different than what they are. For example, we always put out a realistic, almost life-size Christmas bear on our porch every Christmas. This past Christmas it was there on the porch, as always, but one day while standing on the porch, I suddenly saw the bear out of my peripheral vision and it just "looked" like a big, hairy, black man standing there, and I jumped a mile and thought I was going to have a heart attack! I felt so stupid!

The other day in the grocery store I was near kneeling, looking at something close to the floor with great concentration and focus (reading labels!), when suddenly a lady gently said, "excuse me, could I reach in there", and I jumped, fell on my butt, turned bright red, and said, "sorry, didn't even realize you were there" while getting back to my feet and trying to laugh it off, meanwhile inside I was thinking what a complete freak I am!

One day I was going into the grocery store, when suddenly a man behind me (who was very close) coughed/harrumphed so loudly I freaked out, jumped a mile, and just barely stopped myself from letting out a blood-curdling scream! That would have been mortifying! I think it took my heart at least 15 minutes to recover. Maybe I can count these accelerated heart rates as additional cardio?! LOL!

So...glad I'm not alone in this...wondering how related to MS it actually is? I suspect I have some PTSD myself. How do you know which thing it's related to? Does it even matter? It is what it is, and I feel like a lunatic when I react like a crazy woman!

[SNOOPY]

I suspect I have some PTSD myself.

Hi Debby,

There isn't 'some' PTSD, either someone has PTSD or they don't. There is no in between

PTSD has diagnostic criteria. For more information about PTSD please click on the link I have provided.
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Sec...ontentID=68535

HellsBells1:
We can, however, desensitize to some of the more common things that startle us.

Based on my own personal experience I will disagree.

[HellsBells1]

An exaggerated startle reflex can be associated with PTSD, but is also associated with brain injury or lesions, and can be one of many sx associated with MS. If you get a lesion in the part of the brainstem where your startle reflex is controlled, you can get hyper startle reflex.

So, yes to both or either PTSD and/or MS.

[Debby]

Snoopy...I read the PTSD article, and wow! It was amazing and very thorough! Thank you for sharing that with me, and yes, I can now officially say I have PTSD!

[jonarm56]

stress, deadlines, anger

For me stress, deadlines, anger, all cause mind block, psychological urgency, shakiness, spasticity, numbness, very similar function to being startled?... I wondered for years why any stressfull situation would bring cognitive function to a halt.

[SNOOPY]

Snoopy...I read the PTSD article, and wow! It was amazing and very thorough! Thank you for sharing that with me,

Debby, you are welcome. I hope others will have a better understanding of PTSD.

and yes, I can now officially say I have PTSD!

Self-diagnosing is not the same as having PTSD. If you or anyone reading this believes they have PTSD then please see a Psychiatrist for a correct diagnosis.

jonarm56:
For me stress, deadlines, anger, all cause mind block, psychological urgency, shakiness, spasticity, numbness, very similar function to being startled?... I wondered for years why any stressfull situation would bring cognitive function to a halt.

The reaction you are having to stress, anger, deadlines, ect. is a normal response for many people --- with or without MS.

Stress can and does cause cognitive problems ---- with or without MS.

Fishead, I am sorry this thread has gone a bit off topic

[Debby]

Snoopy...I'm not self-diagnosing (dangerous territory). Both my therapist and several doctors have believed I have PTSD for a long time, but I didn't completely buy it...until I read the article you posted. I could see myself all through it as I read, and I now understand how they came to their conclusions, and the criteria they used. Everything just fell into place, and I knew I could no longer be in denial.

I do agree, however, that self-diagnosing is something to be very cautious about. I think it is all too easy to get on WebMD and think we know exactly what is wrong with us. Don't get me wrong, it's a great tool, and a great start to understanding what might be wrong, but we should always follow up with a doctor.

Thanks again for the link!

[SNOOPY]

Both my therapist and several doctors have believed I have PTSD for a long time, but I didn't completely buy it...until I read the article you posted.

Now I understand. I am sorry you have PTSD, but glad you understand how and why the diagnosis was made.

Take care