Eye Mutiny

[Jenfa]

Ok so last week, I had an awful nightmare. Since starting Prazosin, the nightmares really went down to zero but now that I've been at the same dose for a while a few dreams creep in here and there. Well, this one was a doozy. I woke up from it feeling awful, but more noticeable than that was that my eyelid is twitching out of control. It's making me smoosh my face up to try to calm it but that doesn't help. Besides looking like a permanently disbelieving Yoda, I can't get to sleep because my eyelid is doing cartwheels.

I know the trigger was the nightmare, and I'm still trying to figure out how to calm my system down from that one event. I compare this experience to having hiccups for a week straight. It's not much on the surface, but after a while it's maddening. I've had 2 really long sleep sessions, both in which I thought would rest the wacky nerve but it ain't done with it's mission apparently. I took a benzo, nada. I steamed my entire head in a huge saucepan with a towel over it, nuthin. I stood on my head so that the blood would rush up there and smack that nerve right in it's face.. nothing. Any suggestions?

 

[Springer80]

Dear disbeliebing yoda, do these meds mention anything blood pressure related in their side effects? Id check with your doc.

 

[franciemarnie]

I used to get that in my 20's with extreme stress. It would go away on its own, or I assume when the stress was somewhat alleviated. It is an annoyance!

Maybe check with a doctor though if it is non-stop. Mine would come and go and wouldn't last as long as yours.

 

[gone]

Prazosin is a med for lowering blood pressure, later used to relieve prostate enlargement, now most commonly used off-label for PTSD nightmares. Is that likely that this med causes twitchy eyes @Springer80? Can't locate any mention in online side effects, but you know...

I've been using Prazosin too @Jenfa and have had bouts of twitchy eyes, though not so bad as yours. Sorry to hear about yours and it definitely sounds worth a check with your doc, specially if you can't sleep.

 

[arfie]

I love the hiccup analogy! Works beautifully for me. The twitch is far from life threatening, but it annoys beyond words. I do not believe many people even notice my twitch but it hits my senses like an earthquake. My twitch moves around allot but my right eye is the most common spot.

I treat it like stress. When I can balance my stress levels, the twitch goes away.

Hope you find what it is for you, Jenfa. Those annoyances are best addressed while they are merely annoying.

 

[gone]

Yeah, and btw, my twitchy eyes get worse when I'm underslept. Double whammy. Can you switch up your meds to get better sleep for a while?

 

[Abstract]

Hate those delinquent eyeball muscles when they get out of control...

If you get desperate you can have botox for it!

 

[Springer80]

If your blood pressure is already naturally low then your given meds that alter it, it may be giving you issues, increased exhaustion that over time can affect other things, like vitamin d levels. Id def check with your doc.

 

[Springer80]

disbeliebing yoda.

Tee hee, didnt mean to insinuate that your a non justin supporting jedi! :)

 

[digger]

Not only mutinous but bloody sneaky about it too, mine will be twitching away furiously and I'll look in the mirror and NOTHING! How can something so obviously annoying not be visible!! How? Howhowhow!!! Everyone should be able to see it and say 'Look how your eye is twitching that must be soooooo annoying for you.' But no, not a flicker on the outside...

It bugs me a bit can you tell? ;) For me it is lack of sleep and stress that sets it off. I'm afraid I don't have any solutions though. It goes on it's own as quick as it comes.

 

[macca]

Same here - twitching eye, always the left one (that one must be more rebellious)! Sleep deprivation or high stress levels start it off. It's not near as noticeable as it feels though, like Digger1 said!

 

[Jenfa]

lol. I tried putting a heating pad on it but then I warmed my eyeball instead and everything was blurry for 2 hours. I know. Brilliant! I'm gonna ask my pcp what he thinks.

Eye, you and me have a date with destiny...