I don't get it - even though I'm frequently on my feet for as much time in the course of regular living as I am when I'm in a store, I can't last more than 10-15 minutes in a store without an episode of symptoms coming on.

WHAT IS IT about stores?!

Wow! I never heard anyone say that before, but it is so true! I know that overstimulation brings on symptoms and light and noise really bother me. Fluourescent llighting seems especially irritating. I have the same problem with many restaurants and other gathering places where noise and light are issues.

Yeah, even normal people can get a bit overwhelmed by those bigger or more busy stores. Often there's all that beeping and people being paged and then there's scents that we may be allergic to, probably dust, cleaning chemicals, on and on. A lot of different simulataneous motions (in my peripheral or direct view) bothers me. Also I get stressed trying to do the math and compare things, and from interacting with people even if just to avoid bumping into them.

All my pots symptoms seem to be the worst in stores. therefore i don't go to the mall very often anymore so at least the pots saves me money

i buy a lot of stuff online for this reason. alot of times you can find sales and get good bargains, that is if it's not something you need immediately.

I have to be having a REALLY good day to attempt to go shopping anymore. Walmart is the worst for me (although they do have the best prices - smile). My hubby thinks it has something to do with the really high ceilings or something (don't know about that!). Most of my major "hit the floor" episodes have been in large stores like Staples or Walmart. I think it may be all the walking that aggravates my POTS because they're so big and the crowds. Last night I went swim suit shopping at Sears and did okay for a bit but then the tell-tale needle sensations hit my face and the chills in my arms (that's a weird one) and the rush hit my face and I knew it was time to find a chair. My daughter looked at me and said I was getting pale and immediately put her hand on my back (I've trained her well). I was okay but we had to get my husband and leave. Anyway, I don't always do so great in stores. I'm big on QVC!

i havent been shopping at a big store in about a year. it does save money, but its the not being able to that makes it so difficult. i have managed to shop at smaller stores like dollar general or freds. try to shop at non peak hrs, less people and shorter lines. driving causes the same effect for me, its all too overstimulating, i did notice that when i was taking klonopin that it helped with these situations, but i am no longer taking it.

Me too. Along with big stores and malls, the produce section of my local big grocery makes me nuts. High ceilings with a bunch of whirring ceiling fans, tons of bright colors and smells, muzak, PA system announcements, crazy shoppers with carts. If the automatic produce sprinklers happen to come on, I’m done. Have to keep my head down, eyes focused on the floor and get the heck outta there quick. My friends/family find this hysterical – attack of the killer tomatoes they say. Sometimes you just gotta laugh!

Me too! I can not stand in line any longer than about 10 minutes. I do my grocery shopping early in the morning or late at night and they are very short trips.

I never realized how seemingly universal this is among those of us with this illness.
Trebeleclef: You are the first one I have read that mentions the chills. I have been getting them in my legs a great deal lately and that has been a new symptom.
Any of you guys have similar intolerance issues in restaurants?

I think there is just too much stimui for the brain - lights, noise, items, people. Also walking around and then standing in line brings on tachy. Some days I can go and it isn't too bad other days it is horrible, some days so, so. Not sure why that is.

Someone mentionned something similiar while driving. I stopped highway driving altogether - city driving is okay but I know when I can't also. I find a good pair of sunglasses help even if it is cloudy - b/c the light seems to make it worse.

As for restaurants same thing as stores - sometimes it is okay, sometimes it isn't so great and probably for the same reason even though we are sitting. Plus we are carrying on a conversation with whomever we are with on top of everything else going on.

I wish I could remember if there was a term for this, but it is sensory overload. Many with Lyme complain in particular about Walmart.
I have a problem with just slight dizziness there, but if the groc. store is busy I get so stressed from all the noise.

I get chills in my left leg often. And it's not unusual for me to get it in other parts of my body, but just a part (not all over).

Lately, I have been getting terrible chills, but that is all over.

hugs

Yep. I have the store problems too.

Target used to be so fun to go to. Now, I prepare for being overly dehydrated and too hot. I start to feel like there's no ventilation. I can't stand on my feet for the amount of time one gal would normally stay in target. The lights I'm sure bother me somehow. Flourescent light is never a good thing. And of course I need to eat a meal right after going to Target to make up for the energy lost. lol

So glad somebody brought this up, I now feel like much less of a freak, lol. I've had some of my worst episodes in the mall or in stores, and it is rough, for all of the reasons mantioned above including lighting and over-stimulation. Movies are tough now too, probably due to the crowds, lines, feeling too packed-in, etc, but malls are the definite worst.

Gillian

As Jan said, I put it down to 'sensory overload.' Plus my inability to walk very far and to stand still in one place for long. At home or other places, like the park, or my local shops (not a 'mall' in site there) I do much better. I think mostly, it's my need to sit down regularly that makes it hard.

When at home, although I can get quite a bit done and move around a lot, I do find myself taking rest breaks at very regular intervals when I lie on the couch and put my feet up and watch a bit of a DVD or a read a little.

Only Monday I was in a mall and I knew I'd pushed myself far enough but I pushed myself even further because I wanted to buy a little push bike for my grandson. Standing in line to buy it I knew i had to sit down. I looked around, no chair, so I told the cashier I was just going to go and sit on the floor and would she let me know when it was my turn.

I got one weird irritated look from one fellow shopper (what was up with her?) but the other people minded their own business and one lady talked to me to make sure I was okay --which was nice of her. I just told her I had a 'blood pressure problem' on standing and I'd be fine. I was glad to get home though. But pleased with myself that I'd got what I wanted. So was grandson, he loved his lovely new tricycle.

Having this disorder has taught me we don't need all the things we think we do. The 'cult of consumerism' has been well inculcated in us since we were born and it's great to feel that I don't have to go shopping to get a 'feel good buzz.' We lost our local shops and also public meeting places where we'd see our neighbours and it would be easier to meet up with friends. This has been replaced with enormous 'barn like structures' full of things that much of which we don't really need. If the whole of the western world went back to shopping locally we'd be a lot less stressed and the prices in the little shops would come down as they'd be able to form co-ops with other little shops and beat the 'giants' at their own game.

The promise, when supermarkets arrived on the scene, was that we'd be able to have access to such a wide variety of things and at a low cost. Well it isn't cheap anymore, and do we need the 'wide variety of things really.' Studies now show we've probably passed 'saturation point' and people are having trouble choosing things -- that there is so much to choose from they are becomming overwhelmed and often leaving the big stores without buying anything.

No need to mention, I hate shopping malls, LOL.