Author Topic: Wide open spaces and crowds  (Read 2829 times)

hapicap

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Wide open spaces and crowds
« on: January 29, 2021, 09:46:11 pm »
I am just over 2 years post midfossa Approach for right sided AN.  I still experience feeling overwhelmed when out in large spaces, in crowds or areas where there is a lot of visual stimulation such as the mall or grocery store (pre-pandemic).  I was trying to work on this last year, walking at the mall and performing head movements in order to challenge my vestibular system.  I have a tendency to self isolate, even pre- pandemic and noticed that this exacerbated my symptoms and an increase in loss of balance.  In addition, going out was causing me to feel exhausted all the time.  Add to that, the feeling that I don’t feel like myself, ie; more self conscious about my movements and how I appear to others.  I had significant balance issues pre-treatment with improvement post-op, but continue to have random balance issues and I feel as if I always appear unsteady, when in reality, I know I do not come across that way to others.  It’s hard to explain, but I feel as if I am always “off, or foggy,”  Just wondering if others have any of the same issues that linger. 

Hera

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Re: Wide open spaces and crowds
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2021, 04:05:09 pm »
Hey Hapicap - Your description resonates with me.  I am post middle fossa 3+years and was doing well until the pandemic as  I was inside so much more.  I decided to use my Drive walker again around election time because I was unsure I could stand in line for such a long time to vote and the walker really made a difference.  If I am going to go more than half a mile (NYC), I take the walker and it makes me feel more secure. more stable.

I am going to go back to PT after the pandemic to gain strength and balance.