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"Fishbowl Head"

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WHWT:
Does anyone else have "Fishbowl Head"?

I'm 14 months past surgery.  I have some vision issues, too.
I have what I call "fishbowl head".  My head is the fishbowl, my brain is the water, and my eyes are the goldfish.  When I walk, everything sloshes around, and the fish (my eyes) can't stay on course.  The person carrying the fishbowl (me) tries hard to keep it steady, but no dice.  As long as the water doesn't spill out, I guess I'll be OK.
I still have trouble tracking moving objects; I can't focus on things that are far away; and I still have some double vision on the surgery side.  Eye doctor says eyes are fine.  Things could be worse..................

jerseygirl:
Hi,

I also felt like this for a few months after surgery that I had 18 years ago (also suboccipital). This feeling started improving and eventually went away after the lumbar-peritoneal shunt was installed for normal pressure hydrocephalus. Could it be the case with you, too? I hope you brought it up with your doctors. In any case, good luck and let us know how it works out.

                Eve

Captain Deb:
GL
How much PT are you doing? Are you walking a lot? Losing the "wonkyhead" depends a lot on your activity level. The more you use it, the quicker you lose it!! The whole theory with PT is that the more stuff you do to make you symptomatic makes the symptoms go away. Sort of like desensitizing people with arachnophobia by putting spiders on them!!! A friend of mine with the same balance impairment that I have has spent a lot of her time on her sailboat and is way ahead of me in the wonkyhead department. Go Figure!

Capt Deb 8)

jerseygirl:
For me the "fishbowl effect" was distinctly different from the "wonkyhead" feeling that I still have to this day. The latter is proportionate to the amount of exercise I do: the more I exercise, the better I feel. However, the "fishbowl effect" was not amenable by exercise. In fact, exercise created the weirdest sensations. I can also describe the " fishbowl effect" as the awareness of the anatomical structures. I learned that it is not a good thing because normally we are not aware of them. I became "aware" of my spinal column right after I came from the steroids after surgery. Reported it to the surgeon - he shrugged his shoulders and said it was nothing. I was back at the hospital in three days with aseptic meningitis. After I was treated for that, I developed this "fishbowl effect" and kept coming back to the hospital 3 more times until the doctors decided it was normal pressure hydrocephalus and installed a lumbar-peritoneal shunt. That started my healing process. The only thing I can say is that the doctors tend to ignore patient's discomfort so it is really important to convey t them how strange, abnormal and limiting they are  not  get intimidated by their answers because under normal circumstances nobody is aware of their internal organs.

         Eve

Zanybrainy:
From what I have experienced, part of the problem is your vision is taking over for your balance nerve. Now your vision is trying to handle two functions.  I did some exercises in the hospital that seemed to help.  Look at at an object on the wall and focus on that object while turning your head side to side. Don't turn your focus with your head, keep your eyes forward.  I know it is harder for me to balance when I turn my head to the side while I am walking. Hope this helps, Cath

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