Freezing when walking on patterned carpet

Odd as this may sound, patterned colored carpet, or grout lines in tiled floors or going from one room to the next causes an uncontrollabe freeze. Almost like walking on thin ice and you must test every inch.

My neuro says that is a frontal lobe issue, and parkinsons related. My MRI showed cerebellum only.. Perhaps this is rocket science. But I subscribe to the smoke and mirrors theory.

He said dont drink. Didnt even ask why I have achieved my lifetime exposure limit for Mercury. As a fuel chemist we are always looking for a way to get rid of bad stuff. PCB, MTBE, Tetra etthyl lead, carbon tet, toluene: you name it. Mix it with gasoline and its gone.

2 Questions: Anyone else have this freezing problem; and; can anyone point a finger at chemical exposure as a cause.?

I trip over the flowers on a carpet.

Hi!

I'm troubled occasionally with situations like this. Years ago I was told I had

temporal lobe epilepsy, I have only had one seizure, in my sleep (1990).

As far as I know I've not been subjected to any chemical exposure, or drank

to excess. The most recent MRI showed cerebellar atrophy, no mention

of temporal lobe.

The most severe reaction I have is in winter when I'm uncertain if what I'm

about to walk on is slippery or not. I always assume it is and my legs

immediately stiffen and I'm almost frozen to the spot.

Do you have these issues with patterned carpets that do not contain floral designs? Many people with Ataxia suffer from imbalance issues when confronted with what seems (to most people) an insecure or or unpredictable walking surface. This may be caused by Nystagmus, which can be quite common amongst Ataxians.

John Edward Tarsey said:

I trip over the flowers on a carpet.

My husband freezes quite often and finds going from one room to another causes problems especially at the threshold. I just assumed it was all part of the ataxia or dementia which also apparently causes similar problems. He did work in the rubber industry for several years making tyres and using all sorts of chemicals. Does it really matter anyway?

I have trouble with patterned floors, dancing waves on the water etc and get dizzy and nauseous, loose my balance and tend to freeze up. I get a similar result with some over head differneces... severely slanted ceilings, overhead twinkiling lights, and I hate the cars sunroof and insist it must be closed.

I have brain injury as a result of a stroke like incident (lack of blood and oxygen). My brain does not read the balance information from my left inner ear or left eye normally or even at the same speed so that sets my vestibular system up for disasters. Basically it is a "sensory meets cerebellar" issue.

Heavy patterns result in kind of an optical illusion and when I walk over them of course the pattern seems to move with my eyes but my brain can not read the information properly. My brain goes woah!! stop until we can figure out what spots of this swirling mess are safe to step on!!

I find closing just my left eye helps me to get stable again when it does happens or else using a cane or hiking poles (nordic walking sticks) so that I get balance information from my hands to prove it is indeed a firm surface under me. Looking at some fixed item in the distance that is straight ahead and eye level can be helpful too.

Linda in Winnipeg

Hi Linda!

I have Nystagmus and spend a lot of my time with one eye shut too. The lighting in shops sometimes

plays havoc with me, there's glinting on glass, chrome, spotlights etc. Not only that but if there's any

loud music playing I don't go in. Or if the lighting is subdued, it's a waste of time because I just can't

focus to see anything, particularly when I'm walking around. Going outside in the dark makes me

freeze altogether, I lose sense of everything!



Linda Cooper said:

I have trouble with patterned floors, dancing waves on the water etc and get dizzy and nauseous, loose my balance and tend to freeze up. I get a similar result with some over head differneces... severely slanted ceilings, overhead twinkiling lights, and I hate the cars sunroof and insist it must be closed.

I have brain injury as a result of a stroke like incident (lack of blood and oxygen). My brain does not read the balance information from my left inner ear or left eye normally or even at the same speed so that sets my vestibular system up for disasters. Basically it is a "sensory meets cerebellar" issue.

Heavy patterns result in kind of an optical illusion and when I walk over them of course the pattern seems to move with my eyes but my brain can not read the information properly. My brain goes woah!! stop until we can figure out what spots of this swirling mess are safe to step on!!

I find closing just my left eye helps me to get stable again when it does happens or else using a cane or hiking poles (nordic walking sticks) so that I get balance information from my hands to prove it is indeed a firm surface under me. Looking at some fixed item in the distance that is straight ahead and eye level can be helpful too.

Linda in Winnipeg

With regards to your mercury exposure, do you have the old silver fillings?

A friend of mine had her mercury fillings removed after she was diagnosed with toxic poisoning. After their removal she had some concoction of high dose Vitamin C to help purge her system and she's now a new woman.

Perhaps worth a thought?

Poppy

Thanks for the re: My problem is not so commercial. With my employer i HAD TO DO A 24 HR pee test regularily. I was fine when hired. But levels went up. and was canned. What does mercury do? Ive heard about the mad hatter? but wtf.

I made mercury vapor lamps for a living. All were custom. exposure was probably high, but never trust an employer!



Poppy said:

With regards to your mercury exposure, do you have the old silver fillings?

A friend of mine had her mercury fillings removed after she was diagnosed with toxic poisoning. After their removal she had some concoction of high dose Vitamin C to help purge her system and she's now a new woman.

Perhaps worth a thought?

Poppy

you should try IV chelation.. that will strip any heavy metals from your body

Hi,
I have a peculiar problem. Due to my foot drop more in my left I am unable to use foot wear for my toes drag, making me trip and fall. Shoes are uncomfortable too!!! I do get confused when I walk on a designed carpet or steps which have funny shapes or designs at their edge. I do freeze and fear takes over making things worse. I will have to prompt to move. My husband is affected with Parkinson’s and faces a similar problem. My MRI taken in 2010 is normal and I am yet to have another done recently. I am unable to listen to any loud music which irritates and I love to sit calm and enjoy silence which soothes my emotions.

Hi All!

I was born in 1950, not really a time when peoples' priority was looking after

their teeth. Consequently by 1960 I had accumulated quite a collection of

mercury fillings, and most are still in place, so this is a concern for me.

The book - It's All in your Head by Dr Hal A. Huggins deals with illness

associated with mercury amalgams.

After reading this I wanted to get to a dentist fast! But not any old dentist

will do, you need someone who specializes in this particular removal,

and certain protective measures have to be in place.

Something else has occured to me, not to do with mercury but re patterns, lights etc.

Re the up-coming Las Vegas Convention, due to the nature of the place, will it present

problems to those of us particularly afflicted with these weird vestibular disturbances?

FYI-I've read that exposure to certain chemicals can cause ataxia. I specifically remember toluene being listed.
Anyway, I tend to freeze on certain services, must be the nature of ataxia! ;o)


My neuro states freezing is parkinsons and related to frontal lobes, not the cerebelum.
rose said:

FYI-I've read that exposure to certain chemicals can cause ataxia. I specifically remember toluene being listed.
Anyway, I tend to freeze on certain services, must be the nature of ataxia! ;o)

yes, distorted is a good word for it. maybe dynamically distorted.

I have problems with patterns on the flours. What I was told was to not look at my feet on a regular when I walk and focus further and higher. I also worked with Dr. Tom Clouse and his website talks about it a little bit also. check it out! http://walkingwithataxia.com/STARTING%20TIPS%201.htm