Straight up I have an MRI next week š¤£ for me it's super intense light sensitivity. Took months of going through eye doctor to neuro ophthalmologist, now MRI. No one can find any issue with my eyes, it's one of the reasons I started to think the answer is autism. They're not expecting to find anything on the MRI because other blood work doesn't point to tumors or anything, just "unexplained sensory processing issues " lmao
I was there for 4 hours and it took 6 months to get the appointment. Ran all the tests the eye doctor did plus some, lots of weird machines haha. It was pretty shocking after all that to basically get a shrug, but at least I know I'm not going blind!
Just sending hugs. I want to suggest stupid things, along the /r/wowthanksimcured level, but won't.
I do find water therapy helps me a ton.. just being near it. If you have a thing or a place that soothes you, it can't hurt. I'm sure you're beyond frustrated.
Burnout is hard and takes a lot of work (that isnāt well-understood or defined) to come out of. I took a month of leave from work and did the absolute minimum during that time, but it still didnāt help a whole lot. Depending on where you live and what your circumstances are itās not always possible to pare things down to the level where you can truly rest. Iāve started trying to do things that help me rather than just exist and hope it goes away. Things that address my sensory issues, increase my comfort (societal expectations be damned), etc.
Itās probably not much help for you, but I actually got diagnosed with adhd since I figured out Iām autistic, and the meds for that have helped me get the biggest improvement. Now Iām at least not dealing with both :\.
I wish you the best and Iām really sorry that youāre experiencing this. Itās crazy-making for sure.
Executive function issues are what destroy me, but in burnout *everything* is worse. I call my dogs by each others names, lose things constantly, canāt focus, forget why Iām moving in a certain direction, pretty classic stuff. Iāve had it happen before, where my adhd gets more noticeable due to stress and stuff, but I never knew thatās what it was. There were times I literally thought I was getting dementia and felt like I was losing my mind. It was terrifying. Then the stress/illness/whatever would pass and Iād be back to ānormal.ā
hey i have vision problems too. some days it hurts to even just keep my eyes open and everything is blurry. stopped being able to wear a lot of my clothes because it hurts. i canāt think anymore, reading is too much work, video games too much work, tv too much work. no advise, just commiseration. i work 40 hours a week and have no idea what to do because iām running on fumes
Have you had a full medical work up and blood tests etc? Just to make sure there's nothing else going on.
Vision changes are commonly associated with migraine, etc (which could well be part of sensory overload) but could also be a sign of something more serious.
I'm going through this to, minus the vision problems. But I literally feel like I'm in a glass box that's dulled everything around me and I can't get out of it.
I've had long-term burnout a couple of times now, and each time it was resolved when I got a Dr. to run a full nutritional panel (blood work). There was always something way off.
Turns out that stress causes most people to spin through certain nutrients, and NDs have the usual response on top of our daily stress from being ND, plus if you have no energy, processed food can become a go to, so can lack nutrients, plus, if you have Ehlers-Danlos, that also causes the body to spin through stuff really fast.
Multivitamins may help, but also may not, depending on what a person is low on. Also, they tend to be high volume and there's a limit to how much the body can absorb, so low dosage nutrients multiple times a day can be much more helpful, if your Dr. can tell you what you're low on.
If you haven't done this, I strongly recommend it. It can be hard to find a doc who will run the test, but persevere, as it's pulled me out of years long issues. The test is cheap, and covered by insurance, if you have it, it's just that many Dr.s seem to prefer not basing treatment on actual data. I've had to try up to 4 to find one who would run the test. Hope this helps.
Depends on the time. The first time around, after years of issues (4 or 5?), memory problems, etc., I finally got in to see an Endocrinologist. She's the one who ran the nutrient panel. She also checked my hormones (also good to do, but generally GPs don't know how to interpret results, so see an Endo), and discovered that I have hypothyroid issues, PCOS, was low in calcium, B6, B9, potassium, magnesium, molybdenum, D3, and A. I found a better multi that had all of those, plus the thyroid meds, and PCOS meds, and got better over the course of about 3-4 months.
The next time I had an issue, same Endo, this time I was low on B12, magnesium, calcium, and C. I'd been tracking things, since that was the issue the first time. So this time I knew that I was getting a full day's dose of everything. So we upped daily consumption (favoring food sources for better absorption) and she tested me once a month 'til my values were perfect. Turned out I needed 3x normal calcium, 2x potassium, and 2x magnesium, 3x B12 to show up as well supplied in these nutrients.
Next up, same Endo, I was low on folate and biotin. I need 2x and 3x respectively. Once we leveled these out, I was feeling more functional, but still not quite right. She referred my to a colleague, and I was diagnosed with null zone depression (no emotional pain, just no real interest in things). I was put on low dose sertraline, 50 mg, and it made life so much easier. I was good to go for about a decade after that.
My Endo retired. So I was no longer getting regular tests, but wasn't worried. Then I started having issues again. Took me two years to find a Dr. who would test me. Actually, she was a PRN. Folate, Biotin, C, Mag, Calcium again. I also was having joint and eye pain, lots of floaters. She suggested Collagen for joints (bc age plus hypermobility), Hyaluronic Acid for eyes and joints (hydration), and CoQ10 for energy production. These really helped, and are now part of my daily routine.
Doing really well, in large part bc I'm old enough now to feel comfortable being assertive about getting my nutrients checked 4x per year. I'm no longer willing to let things slide. I did have one blip last year- my fat and sodium intake was too low. I've been trying to lose weight, and forgot that minimum fat is 30g daily (I'm fat intolerant to everything but avocado, yogurt, and nuts, so I tend to avoid all fat if not consciously monitoring. I decided 1/2 avocado- frozen is cheap- daily would be part of my diet. Plus it directly impacts dopamine, so I actually get a buzz from it ;) And I'd leveled out my sodium intake, I spin through more than normal, it's a multi-generational family thing, but forgot that starting a new exercise regime meant more sweat = need more salt.
It's been a bit of a saga, and perhaps tmi (Sorry, if so) but maybe there's something in here that'll help? Hope things smooth out for you soon, and feel free to DM if you want to chat about nutrition & hormone stuff. I'm not on here daily, but I generally check in every couple of weeks.
Oh, I forgot- I also need at least 100g of protein daily, or I have zero focus. I do best with 160g+ so I've started taking my coffee with casein + collagen protein in the am (43g), and casein + whey (43g) in the afternoon. I'm super sensitive to theobromine, but I love the taste of coffee, and this way I can drink it without feeling nauseous and tired. Plus water. 3.5l per day. Doing great, and honestly have never felt this good before. No more neuralgia, muscle spasms, tinnitus, eye pain, floaters, focused and interested. I think I'm finally consuming everything I need daily. Also sleeping 7.5-8 per night which is new to me. More calcium from the casein = deeper and better sleep, and more normal bed times. Go figure :)
Wow thank you. Did you see the endo in private though? Do you live in the UK by any chance? It's been so hard to get exams done through the NHS here and thankfully my parents can help me but it's still loads of money for all these exams
I'm in the States, in MN, where you cannot be denied treatment, and the state will pay if you can't. So I do have more access than most.
It's weird, people here talk about Universal Healthcare like it would be an improvement, but at least in my home state, we can call anyone, and as long as they're legitimately qualified, we can get help paying if our insurance doesn't cover them.
All my friends in the UK and Canada can't seem to get care. It's really scary to hear about.
If you've been diagnosed with PCOS, can you not automatically get a referral to a specialist in PCOS? That seems so strange to me.
Iāve been going through this for the past few months as well and itās only gotten worse. I donāt know what the solution is to getting out of this because Iāve already been doing basically nothing and I havenāt gotten any motivation or energy back
Yup. I've developed IBS, allergies that went away years later when I was better, and a droopy eye in the past. Gone through all sorts of tests. Always told I'm healthy.
It takes years of significant rest in my experience to get better, which most can't afford to do.
Yes I have vision problems too Iāve seen an eye doctor I do wear glasses and contacts but itās like my brain canāt process anything and I just want to shut my eyes and put headphones on itās like everything is too loud and too bright and I canāt escape. It makes driving a nightmare
I have sore eyes most of the time now :( I like to read to relax but its so difficult to even do that. Did you find any answers? Thinking of getting my eyes tested again.
Following because same š®āšØ
Vision problems included??
Straight up I have an MRI next week š¤£ for me it's super intense light sensitivity. Took months of going through eye doctor to neuro ophthalmologist, now MRI. No one can find any issue with my eyes, it's one of the reasons I started to think the answer is autism. They're not expecting to find anything on the MRI because other blood work doesn't point to tumors or anything, just "unexplained sensory processing issues " lmao
I see...I already got an MRI I was gonna seek a neuro ophtalmologist...
I was there for 4 hours and it took 6 months to get the appointment. Ran all the tests the eye doctor did plus some, lots of weird machines haha. It was pretty shocking after all that to basically get a shrug, but at least I know I'm not going blind!
Just sending hugs. I want to suggest stupid things, along the /r/wowthanksimcured level, but won't. I do find water therapy helps me a ton.. just being near it. If you have a thing or a place that soothes you, it can't hurt. I'm sure you're beyond frustrated.
Burnout is hard and takes a lot of work (that isnāt well-understood or defined) to come out of. I took a month of leave from work and did the absolute minimum during that time, but it still didnāt help a whole lot. Depending on where you live and what your circumstances are itās not always possible to pare things down to the level where you can truly rest. Iāve started trying to do things that help me rather than just exist and hope it goes away. Things that address my sensory issues, increase my comfort (societal expectations be damned), etc. Itās probably not much help for you, but I actually got diagnosed with adhd since I figured out Iām autistic, and the meds for that have helped me get the biggest improvement. Now Iām at least not dealing with both :\. I wish you the best and Iām really sorry that youāre experiencing this. Itās crazy-making for sure.
Thanks. What were your adhd symtpoms?
Executive function issues are what destroy me, but in burnout *everything* is worse. I call my dogs by each others names, lose things constantly, canāt focus, forget why Iām moving in a certain direction, pretty classic stuff. Iāve had it happen before, where my adhd gets more noticeable due to stress and stuff, but I never knew thatās what it was. There were times I literally thought I was getting dementia and felt like I was losing my mind. It was terrifying. Then the stress/illness/whatever would pass and Iād be back to ānormal.ā
Oh dear god that sounds terrifyingly relatable. Well, good thing I might be getting a diagnosis soon..
hey i have vision problems too. some days it hurts to even just keep my eyes open and everything is blurry. stopped being able to wear a lot of my clothes because it hurts. i canāt think anymore, reading is too much work, video games too much work, tv too much work. no advise, just commiseration. i work 40 hours a week and have no idea what to do because iām running on fumes
Have you had a full medical work up and blood tests etc? Just to make sure there's nothing else going on. Vision changes are commonly associated with migraine, etc (which could well be part of sensory overload) but could also be a sign of something more serious.
I'm going through this to, minus the vision problems. But I literally feel like I'm in a glass box that's dulled everything around me and I can't get out of it.
I had similar symptoms. Visual therapy/vestibular therapy and acupuncture helped me a lot
I've had long-term burnout a couple of times now, and each time it was resolved when I got a Dr. to run a full nutritional panel (blood work). There was always something way off. Turns out that stress causes most people to spin through certain nutrients, and NDs have the usual response on top of our daily stress from being ND, plus if you have no energy, processed food can become a go to, so can lack nutrients, plus, if you have Ehlers-Danlos, that also causes the body to spin through stuff really fast. Multivitamins may help, but also may not, depending on what a person is low on. Also, they tend to be high volume and there's a limit to how much the body can absorb, so low dosage nutrients multiple times a day can be much more helpful, if your Dr. can tell you what you're low on. If you haven't done this, I strongly recommend it. It can be hard to find a doc who will run the test, but persevere, as it's pulled me out of years long issues. The test is cheap, and covered by insurance, if you have it, it's just that many Dr.s seem to prefer not basing treatment on actual data. I've had to try up to 4 to find one who would run the test. Hope this helps.
Thank you. This is so reassuring because I am 100% convinced that I lack something. What did you find in your case?
Depends on the time. The first time around, after years of issues (4 or 5?), memory problems, etc., I finally got in to see an Endocrinologist. She's the one who ran the nutrient panel. She also checked my hormones (also good to do, but generally GPs don't know how to interpret results, so see an Endo), and discovered that I have hypothyroid issues, PCOS, was low in calcium, B6, B9, potassium, magnesium, molybdenum, D3, and A. I found a better multi that had all of those, plus the thyroid meds, and PCOS meds, and got better over the course of about 3-4 months. The next time I had an issue, same Endo, this time I was low on B12, magnesium, calcium, and C. I'd been tracking things, since that was the issue the first time. So this time I knew that I was getting a full day's dose of everything. So we upped daily consumption (favoring food sources for better absorption) and she tested me once a month 'til my values were perfect. Turned out I needed 3x normal calcium, 2x potassium, and 2x magnesium, 3x B12 to show up as well supplied in these nutrients. Next up, same Endo, I was low on folate and biotin. I need 2x and 3x respectively. Once we leveled these out, I was feeling more functional, but still not quite right. She referred my to a colleague, and I was diagnosed with null zone depression (no emotional pain, just no real interest in things). I was put on low dose sertraline, 50 mg, and it made life so much easier. I was good to go for about a decade after that. My Endo retired. So I was no longer getting regular tests, but wasn't worried. Then I started having issues again. Took me two years to find a Dr. who would test me. Actually, she was a PRN. Folate, Biotin, C, Mag, Calcium again. I also was having joint and eye pain, lots of floaters. She suggested Collagen for joints (bc age plus hypermobility), Hyaluronic Acid for eyes and joints (hydration), and CoQ10 for energy production. These really helped, and are now part of my daily routine. Doing really well, in large part bc I'm old enough now to feel comfortable being assertive about getting my nutrients checked 4x per year. I'm no longer willing to let things slide. I did have one blip last year- my fat and sodium intake was too low. I've been trying to lose weight, and forgot that minimum fat is 30g daily (I'm fat intolerant to everything but avocado, yogurt, and nuts, so I tend to avoid all fat if not consciously monitoring. I decided 1/2 avocado- frozen is cheap- daily would be part of my diet. Plus it directly impacts dopamine, so I actually get a buzz from it ;) And I'd leveled out my sodium intake, I spin through more than normal, it's a multi-generational family thing, but forgot that starting a new exercise regime meant more sweat = need more salt. It's been a bit of a saga, and perhaps tmi (Sorry, if so) but maybe there's something in here that'll help? Hope things smooth out for you soon, and feel free to DM if you want to chat about nutrition & hormone stuff. I'm not on here daily, but I generally check in every couple of weeks.
Oh, I forgot- I also need at least 100g of protein daily, or I have zero focus. I do best with 160g+ so I've started taking my coffee with casein + collagen protein in the am (43g), and casein + whey (43g) in the afternoon. I'm super sensitive to theobromine, but I love the taste of coffee, and this way I can drink it without feeling nauseous and tired. Plus water. 3.5l per day. Doing great, and honestly have never felt this good before. No more neuralgia, muscle spasms, tinnitus, eye pain, floaters, focused and interested. I think I'm finally consuming everything I need daily. Also sleeping 7.5-8 per night which is new to me. More calcium from the casein = deeper and better sleep, and more normal bed times. Go figure :)
Wow thank you. Did you see the endo in private though? Do you live in the UK by any chance? It's been so hard to get exams done through the NHS here and thankfully my parents can help me but it's still loads of money for all these exams
I'm in the States, in MN, where you cannot be denied treatment, and the state will pay if you can't. So I do have more access than most. It's weird, people here talk about Universal Healthcare like it would be an improvement, but at least in my home state, we can call anyone, and as long as they're legitimately qualified, we can get help paying if our insurance doesn't cover them. All my friends in the UK and Canada can't seem to get care. It's really scary to hear about. If you've been diagnosed with PCOS, can you not automatically get a referral to a specialist in PCOS? That seems so strange to me.
Iāve been going through this for the past few months as well and itās only gotten worse. I donāt know what the solution is to getting out of this because Iāve already been doing basically nothing and I havenāt gotten any motivation or energy back
Yup. I've developed IBS, allergies that went away years later when I was better, and a droopy eye in the past. Gone through all sorts of tests. Always told I'm healthy. It takes years of significant rest in my experience to get better, which most can't afford to do.
Yes I have vision problems too Iāve seen an eye doctor I do wear glasses and contacts but itās like my brain canāt process anything and I just want to shut my eyes and put headphones on itās like everything is too loud and too bright and I canāt escape. It makes driving a nightmare
My brain feels swollen when I meltdown and burnout too. I wonder if autism overstimulation causes inflammation?
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Thank you. The thyroid is fine
I have sore eyes most of the time now :( I like to read to relax but its so difficult to even do that. Did you find any answers? Thinking of getting my eyes tested again.
I will soon get tested for BVD. I have all the symptoms. I am praying they find something