Posted by Ritch on August 21, 2002, at 9:31:44
In reply to Re: more on Tactile synesthesia » Ritch, posted by IsoM on August 21, 2002, at 1:24:42
> Trust me to know about weird neurological disorders, Mitch. What you're describing sounds somewhat like Todd syndrome, also known as Alice-in-Wonderland syndrome for its strange distortions of perception. It's supposed to be rare but again, I wonder if it's not something that hasn't been described much & therefore not diagnosed much. I've never talked to or asked my doctors about it - I just accepted it, but as soon as I read about it, I knew that's what I had. My Mom has also described feeling similar & one son of mine has too.
>
> It says most people feel alarmed when they've experienced it, frightening them a great deal. But since I first experienced these sensations when I was 9 or so, & have had them irregularly off & on through my life, I simply "explored" the sensations when they came without feeling worried.
>
> Anyway, here's a few more links to check out another interesting subject. Decide for yourself. I've never felt the need to worry about it or treat it.
> http://rikkus.info/aiws.html
> http://www.the-cma.org.uk/HTML/alice.htm
> http://www.drhull.com/EncyMaster/A/Alice-in-Wonderland.html
> http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.edu/forum/GeneralNeurologyF/ToStevebutnotfromShaman.html (the last being a post from a neurology forum)
>
> The first site is the best & most complete. It's been said that this syndrome may be a result of a viral infection. This is interesting as the first time I experienced it I was ill with a high fever. But I think the tendency may be inherited seeing my mother & one son have experienced it too.
Well, that was an interesting bunch of info! It was peculiar that it is often associated with migraines. I haven't noticed it much for quite some time especially since I have switched from lithium to anticonvulsants. Depakote is indicated for migraines... perhaps a more conventional antimigraine medication such as sumatriptan would be helpful.. If I 'have' that it would be very mild. The two most prominent symptoms I have experienced are the scale distortions, not the shape ones. The scale distortions are me vs everything else, not an individual object, and it is subtle (perceptually). The best way to describe it is getting your prescription changed noticeably with a new pair of glasses, and walking outside the optometrist's office and your car seems "little". Also, I have been sitting in my living room and the entire room seems to be huge-walls far far away. Mind you, it doesn't really LOOK that huge, it FEELS huge. None of this frightens me, however (except the nighttime Prozac-induced car flying episode ;). Well, I have discussed the music thing here plenty. But, in your links it mentioned hearing 'echoes' of audible sensation. If my loud bleeping alarm clock goes off in the morning sometimes and I shut it off, I can still hear it almost as loud continuing to go off for several moments, sometimes minutes.thanks,
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:117101
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020821/msgs/117226.html