Eye twitch, you twitch, do we all twitch?

August 1, 2020 11:46 AM

The fiancée recently revealed to me that, whenever she eats whipped cream and only when eating whipped cream, she experiences the feeling of “her eyes rolling to the back of her head” and has asked people if her eyes are twitching. It’s not pleasurable; rather, it’s akin to a muscle spasm, but there’s no visible muscle action, only the sensation of one. Have you experienced this? Do you know anyone who has experienced this? Are we on the cutting edge of the next ASMR-style fad?

The type doesn't matter - reddi-whip, homemade, it's the same outcome.

posted by iNeas to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

I get a left eye twitch from fatigue, but not from food.

It could be a psychological reaction to the texture (since real vs fake doesn't matter).
posted by emjaybee at 12:38 PM on August 1, 2020

Best answer: Yes: Reflex Seizures and Reflex Epilepsies (NCBI)

An epilepsy characterized by specific modes of seizure precipitation, however, is one in which a consistent relationship can be recognized between the occurrence of one or more definable nonictal events and subsequent occurrence of a specific stereotyped seizure. Some epilepsies have seizures precipitated by specific sensation or perception (the reflex epilepsies) in which seizures occur in response to discrete or specific stimuli. These stimuli are usually limited in individual patients to a single specific stimulus or a limited number of closely related stimuli. [...] The stimulus evoking an epileptic seizure is specific for a given patient and may be extrinsic, intrinsic or both. [...] Extrinsic stimuli are:

* simple, such as flashes of light, elimination of visual fixation and tactile stimuli
* complex, such as reading or eating.

[...] Myoclonic jerks are by far the most common, and manifest in the limbs and trunk or regionally, such as in the jaw muscles (reading epilepsy) or the eyelids (eyelid myoclonia with absences).

A consultation with a neurologist, if possible, may be helpful to determine whether there is anything to be concerned about.
posted by katra at 2:18 PM on August 1, 2020 [4 favorites]

This sounds similar to a reaction mrs qurlyjoe had to a prescription drug she was given some 40 years ago. It's been so long that I cant remember the name of the drug except that it was related to thorazine. It was given to her as an emetic to counter feelings of nausea she was having from another prescription for narcotic pain meds after a breast biopsy.

Her reaction was that her eyes rolled up and back to the point that her whole head was tilting back. This came on within an hour of taking the drug. She couldn't control it. She was prescribed another drug to combat the thorazine's effects.

I'm wondering if fiancée is reacting to one of the preservatives in the whipped cream.

(IANAD, IANYD)
posted by qurlyjoe at 2:34 PM on August 1, 2020

Nitrous oxide is the propellant used in whipped cream from a can- perhaps there is enough residual to affect her?
posted by coberh at 3:44 PM on August 1, 2020 [1 favorite]

There is not enough residual N2O to do anything. I'm any case they say it's the same with homemade.
posted by turkeyphant at 5:41 PM on August 1, 2020 [1 favorite]

Bodies are weird. My younger sister and I have a thing where we sneeze if we eat dark chocolate or strong mint flavours, apparently it's a genetic condition.

That said, if it's strong and unpleasant enough to be bothering her, I would seek out a doctor's advice. See if you can get a referral to a specialist as advised above, in case it's got neurological roots.
posted by fight or flight at 3:10 AM on August 2, 2020

The reaction qurlyjoe is talking about is a precursor to anaphylactic shock, and it sounds like mrs. qurlyjoe had taken Compazine. I had the exact same reaction to Compazine (a widely prescribed anti-emetic prior to being taken off the market years and years ago) in the 90s.
posted by cooker girl at 7:32 AM on August 2, 2020