Light sensitivity and bouts of nausea

this 2 days i had episodes where suddenly the glare from the computer or the lights feels too bright for me... and also had on and off bouts of nausea or just feel 'full', not thinking much abt food....and sometimes i'd feel out of sorts (like a brain fog?)

i wonder if these are the side effects when u r trying to wean off medications (ativan, propanolol). i don't have panic so far, but the general anxiety get to me at times. i have been weaning off medications gradually, taking half a pill instead of one and slowly trying to get it o a quarter pill and totally off it when i feel comfortable.

had some gastric issues too and i would hv this bitter taste or saliva in the mouth, and have to spit it out, sorry if it sounds gross . 

on the other hand,  grateful the panic subsided. but now i guess there's the anxiety and these new 'symptoms to deal with...at times still have that twinge of fear if it'll get into another panic   hope not.

Hi S.R. I am wondering if you have ever had migraines before?  I just recently started experiencing them, but suspect that I have had the 'silent-type' for some time (aura w/out the actual headache)

The light sensitivity and nausea, as well as the 'foggy-brain' feelings sound very migraine related.

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the medication changes, or if it could be hormone fluctations (that's my trigger) or just because some people have these.

I agree with Kitt that you should consult with your dr. on this. Keep track of your symptoms and let him/her know what is happening and when, then he/she will have a better idea how to treat it:)

Good luck, and good to hear from you.
Scaredy Cat

Kitt, i had intend to wean off the meds when the a/p is at a more manageable level, also coz my bp is already always a little on the low side 80/60 to 105/60 range...so when i take these meds, especially propanalol, sometimes i gets dizzy / lightheaded.
wanted to explore other ways and alternatives to deal with the a/p too if possible..

my therapist had suggested taking lexapro while weaning off the ativan, but he didn't force me into it and just suggested it as an alternative or we could give the CBT a try first without the lexapro and see how it goes. i kept the lexapro with me when i go to work or go out in case i needed it, but its like a last option coz i wanted to try wean off the ativan naturally since i manage to get off it early last year without anti depressants. but this time round, i don't know how it'll go and just take it a day at a time..

the gastric/tummy issues could also be due to my gallbladder issues, had a small growth there which wasn't giving much problems, except occasional pain if i took too much spicy food, and thus the doc didn't insist for a surgery the last time i had it checked. except to monitor if it if the pain got frequent or other unusal bowel symptoms and also i was suppose to go for a follow-up ultrasound scan to monitor the growth, the next scan is due in slightly more than a weeks time. hope all goes well..better still if the growth has shrunk or disappear :)) haha. coz having a/p made me kinda fearful of hospital stays/surgeries. meanwhile the doc had given some meds/antibiotics to take for the tummy acidity..

S.C. yeap i have had migraine before, i hv always thought of it as a one sided pain, so when u mentioned abt aura, i decided to do a google search on it to understand better what it is. and i guess you could be right. i wasn't having that much pain, except occasional mild headaches but i do still have light sensitivity. also when i'm about to fall asleep, i had this strange feeling like my head is gonna spin kind of feeling so i'd sit upright and the feeling subsides and i'll lay down again, but there is no pain though. usually this happens if i'm not feeling that relaxed  or having some racing thoughts earlier before bedtime.

any natural remedy to overcome this?

Post Edited (smilingrose) : 5/5/2011 3:24:21 AM (GMT-6)

I was doing a search on google for 'light sensitivity and nausea' and stumbled upon this message board.

First, let me say that I'm not on meds for panic or anxiety yet I do experience severe nausea due to lighting conditions, especially overcast skies, computer screens and fluorescent lights. I do have a history of migraine headaches, and while the nausea seems to occur through a similar pathway, it rarely escalates into the piercing, crippling pain of a true migraine. Additionally the Imitrex I've taken over the years to treat my migraines appears to have stopped working. My only escape has been wearing sunglasses while working on my computer. It's embarrassing though, and I've had coworkers make jokes about it... Although I'm usually a pretty lighthearted, fun person, I don't appreciate their commentary. It sucks.

So, I also googled today 'migraine sunglasses' and found a company called axonoptical that specializes in eyewear that blocks out what is believed to be the light rays that trigger migraines. I have no idea if their glasses will work, but the science does make sense to me... And anything is worth it to not feel like I'm going to throw up every day... In any case, the user above asked about natural remedies and this is the closest I've seen. I'll give it a try and let you know how it goes.