SPD Support Forum

So i'm a new member to the site. I was diagnosed at a young age with SPD. I can't really recall all that took place but I do know that I saw an OT when i was like 8 or so. From what my mom has told me when i was born I went without oxygen for awhile (not sure how long) and that has something to do with my issues. I got some testing done when i was 17 or so for it as well, but i was rebellious and didn't care what they were telling me. I'm 29 now, and i'm 100% sure that it has caught up with me. Currently I am having A LOT of anxiety with pretty much everything. I work in a rather large Hospital and am around people all the time and in small med rooms. The panic attacks and anxiety attacks there are starting to get crazy, as well as even going out in public. I wanted to re start my research on SPD before I completely loose it (i feel like that will be soon). Now that i have a decent paying job and insurance I think it's time i finally seek some help from an OT. If the checklist has 100 items on it, I answered yes to 80 of them. The Social and emotional part is a yes to all, sensory discrimination, over responsiveness,sensory seeking and general modulation are the tops ones. I've been curious on finding out about myself for a few years now because I feel like I don't even know who I am. I'm in a great relationship and it seems like I don't want to do anything anymore. I get off work and end up sitting on the couch watching movies and on my laptop for hours, staying up all night and waking an hour or so before I have to leave for work. I'm not coming to this site to complain about my life, but to try and find other people that may understand or help me understand.

I had an incident at my job the other day where my supervisor actually told some co workers that im incapable of doing my job because of my anxiety. That hurt my feelings, like i'm being picked on because I can't learn as fast as everyone else or the way they expect me to. I also obsess over issues and stupid things, bite my nails to the point where it's disturbing, have a hard time with team work, and have never had a lot of friends because I never feel the urge to "go out". In my early 20's I suffered from alcohol and gambling addiction but have almost 5 years clean and sober. My DR recently gave me Ativan, which helps but Its HIGHLY addictive and had to stop taking it because I became addicted just from taking it every other day for 8 days, because it WORKED. I also don't want to start taking anti depressants because I took that road 5 years ago and the side effects sucked. LOL sorry, i'm rather talkative tonight. I guess i will stop there. If there is a good thing about myself, I am very open and honest and not afraid to talk about my life. So does anyone else with SPD have a big problem with Anxiety/panic attacks?

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Oh there is one more thing i forgot, and i have only heard personally of 2 other people with this. I'm sensitive to phone radiation. To the point where I can't hold a cell phone up to my ear without getting a crazy headache. Even home phones make my head hurt. weird huh.

Hello there, I noticed your wrote this a couple of months ago hopefully your still there .

I show symptoms of SPD but haven't been officially diagnosed yet. When I asked my psychiatrist he said I'm just really sensitive to a lot of things but should work out with my Occupational Therapist what I'm really dealing with here.

These sensitivities cause me excessive amount of anxiety whenever I hear a loud noise, whenever I go out into the bright light. Or even when the sun comes down the change of lighting causes me great distress. I also cannot go out into public because that ambient chit chat coming out of everyone's mouth drives me insane.

That's now, Currently I'm on a couple of medications. But I'll get to those later.

Before I was a wreck, I couldn't leave the house no matter what. I couldn't even handle the kitchen because the fluorescent light was bugging me. My mind felt as if it was drifting away from my body and anxiety started to hit real hard so I mostly kept to myself in my room with a special light I bought in which I can change the brightness settings and colour temperature. I could barely handle a conversation with my relatives, the noise from the talking and the detail in their face drove me up the wall. That gives you a slight idea of what I'm experiencing.

You can watch my YouTube video for more information. I plan on making some more regarding SPD and about the other unrelated symptoms I've been experiencing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV3ftPkLrcU

Now as I explained before I'm taking two medications, three if you count my benzodiazepine (the addictive one).

The main one that deals with my anxiety is an anti-depressant. I take Lexapro. I take double the highest recommended dosage of 20mg which is 40mg and after 6 months of raising the dosage to that level it's finally starting to work for me. Noting it usually takes 4-6 weeks for an SSRI anti-depressant to start working.

Now I remember you are worried about side effects of this group of medication. May I ask what in particular you don't like. I know for me being the young man I am, I'm dealing with some Sexual Side effects and that can be quite annoying. But I have found I cannot function in society without this medication and now I'm on it and it helps I'm giving it my best shot. But I understand that whatever your side effects you may not want to deal with that for the rest of your life and I certainly don't want to deal with it either. So next time I visit my psychiatrist I'm going to ask what I can do to lower those side effects.

Do I supplement it with another medicine. Or...
Do I switch medicines with another Anti-Depressant that treats anxiety disorders.

I know it's hard but you have to try and work out which is best, these side effects from the Anti-Depressant or the Anxiety. If you are indeed dealing with SSRI Sexual Dysfunction. I've done some researched and have found there are some options to take. Some people add Buspirone to their medication regime and that can help. There are some other options but I won't worry about going there unless you can confirm this is a problem.

Some other side effects I'm experiencing is ringing ears (which with my SPD-like symptoms that can become quite overwhelming) and Dry Mouth. But side effects can be different for everybody. But note that there are many anti-depressants used to treat anxiety and you can always try another until you find one that doesn't have an as strong side effect profile.

Now I also take a benzodiazepine, I'm on an average strength one it's not quite as addictive. It's called Oxazepam. I take that 40-60 minutes prior to going into sensory stimulations areas and it lasts for 5 hours but you cannot take it too often. For example I limit myself to once a week so I don't get addicted or build up a tolerance. But I see you have a job and I must admit I would find that extremely difficult and I feel for you. I'd say the easiest route is the anti-depressant.

Otherwise you could book yourself in for some Psychology sessions around Anxiety and find an Occupational Therapist that deals with Sensory Modulation for adults. I've only just started seeing one now, I'm a little sceptical but all I can do is hope for the best.

I think an OT would do WAY more for you than medication and with far fewer downsides. Medication does have its use, but when you are having issues because of your sensory system not being able to function in the world around you, an antidepressant into the solution, figuring out how to function in the world is.