High Optic Pressure NOT Glaucoma!

[tonyad]

    Hello Friends :)

      Oh my Gosh! Today was "One of those days!"  Went to the Opthamologist today as I was feeling that my "Eye Pressures" were high for the last week or so........Of Course they were Very High!

     So here is the Low Down on this craziness!  He explained to me that because of my Low B/P (Hypotension), AND having Low Pulse Pressure, that what is happening is that there is not enough blood flow / oxygenated blood going to the brain (which in turn, not going to the eyes).  Ok, this makes sense to me so far....Are yall w/ me?  :)

      Alright...Now he says that this (of course) is a Central Nervous thing and related also (of course) to the AD as well as the MS!  Now when I see black spots in my Peripheral vision and black spots in eyes....he explained that was because of the "Short Circuits" going through the optic nerves and / or ....(something else, sorry, can't remember) and it is kinda like a short circuit in the wiring of a house that would cause the likes to electric to go on and off.....Still make sense to me!!!!!

      I am very happy how he explained the AD and it's role of my High Pressure in my eyes!  It makes so much sense to me now....I have been having this problem for a couple years now (even before official dx) we just could not figure out why as I show no other medical interanal optical signs of Glaucoma. He did say however that if we can not keep these pressures under control that eventually I COULD loose partial or most of eyesight.

    Ok, there is the Skinny of it! Some of you may have already known this, don't have high optic pressures, or just don't really give a crap...Lol just kidding :0      Anyhow, I thought I would share this w/ you guys.

    He said that as an average in his office the average pressures for his patients (sp) as a whole usually run between 11 - 16......Mine runs between 23 - 29. Today left eye was 25, right eye was 26..Yikes!

     Anyhow, I have been a bit down today since appt because it seems like everytime I turn around this Darn AD is affecting my health / life in some way!   I have to admit, sometimes it scares me!

    Ok, sorry to Ramble On...(Hey isn't that a song by Led Zepplin?)...lol    I do try and keep my spirits up ;)   Glad that I have you guys to come to who truly understands how I feel and some that actually have the same thing as I do.

    Take Care, and Thanks for listening,
~Tonya

    

[tonyad]

   Thank you very much for taking the time to share this Article :)

i am going to be reading it for certain in just a few.....

~Tonya

[DysautonomiaPrison]

Here is an article about this subject - Effect of Posture on Blood and Intraocular Pressures in Multiple System Atrophy, Pure Autonomic Failure, and Baroreflex Failure - http://www.dysautonomiaprison.com/articles/2010/08/effect-of-posture/

I often find symptoms of different dysautonomias overlap.

Jane

[vbc2000]

Ok, you're officially the Queen of Cognitive Glitches!  And I'll be the Queen of Stumbling Words, LOL!
Stephanie

[tonyad]

   Hi Ladies :)

Stephanie:
   You Never have to apologize for mental glitches as ....Umm,Hmmm
"I am QUEEN of cognitive glitches!"  Do I hold this Title with Honor??  Well, let's just say......I don't remember...;)    Lol     On a more serious note...Yes, I am truly Blessed lately to have the several docs that I do, to be in my corner and to know at least a little bit...Let me tell you though, I have certainly had my share of Goof Balls of the Unknown!

Beema:
    Yes, Yes, gotta be the very best advocate for yourself!!!!
I think that you should move your appt up or get on a cancellation list!

Hugs,
~Tonya

[beema36]

The retina specialist felt the pressures should be treated but this glaucoma Dr says some.people run what's called high normal and he tends to watch it ???? He says the drops can have bad side effects and that they  r overused.  When I was in my late 20s I has bad reaction to dilating drops and almost killed.me so if.course when he mentioned side.effects my antennas went up. Now with your information I feel I.need a better explanation of.the ys and wherefores and where he's coming from.

[vbc2000]

Hi Tonya,
My Ol' Cog is gonna get a workout today...having lunch with my sisters...who still don't really fully comprehend how much this affects me.  They seem to be trying so I'm gonna just keep trying to make them understand.  I'll just tell them I don't have much going up there anymore, lol!

I made a mistake last night saying my husband's blow to the head cause glaucoma...it caused his cataracts.  I get them mixed up all the time!  I'm glad your doc told you about the retina stuff.  It sounds like you really do have another competent doc in your corner :)
Stephanie

[tonyad]

Stephanie:   Girl my cognition and brain have been on strike for quite some time!
I keep trying to bargain with the Ol' Cog......But she is just not giving in and has decided to be a "Rebel Without a Cause"......Lol

      Yes, we did mention the Retina danger stuff and Yep...just more stuff that we have to try and wrap our already warped minds around...Lol     Like we have enough to try and learn and to digest.  So lets just keep throwing a few more things in to the mix right?   Oh Well, Like you said, at least we are able to joke about it.


Beema:  Good for you being your Own Best Advocate for You and questioning his thought process on this!  AND, the answer to your thought or question or comment....is that YES!  After having pressures Elevated for a long period of time it CAN lead to Glaucoma!!!!!!  This is what Optho told me.

             Yes! You have got to Educate this Rascal!  He is mesing with YOUR Health! I still can not believe you have NOT been treated for this elevated Optic Pressure!  He is weird because even if he thinks you have Glaucoma...He is supposed to be treating you for this w/ drops to try and get that pressure down........Oh My!

Take Care..
From:  The one who does not have much going on up top!...Lol
~Tonya

[beema36]

Tonya-my 6 month check is soon and.I.am taking this info to my Dr. He's a glaucoma specialist and apparently he needs educated so I will do it.
His big concern now is cataracts that I got from steroids for ms and if.course along with that severe osteoporosis. I think he just wants to.do.surgery and make some bucks. Ok now I am being mean its just one.of those days. I am very concerned though and a.little freaked.out ti think how many yrs my pressures been high and not treated.

[vbc2000]

Hi Tonya :)
You cracked me up in the way you said that those of us with low b/p don't have "alot going up top", LOL!  I have to find humor in this where I can and that just struck me as funny.  I knew I was a little loopy lately and now I have a diagnosis to back up why!  Seriously though, I have been stumbling over words much too much for my taste lately.  I've been having to explain it to alot of people...today my therapist, and I'm sure it's because not alot of blood is getting up to my brain at times.

I'm sorry you have yet another thing to deal with and it got you down today.  I am glad however that your doc is so good.  My husband has had alot of eye trouble.  Since I've known him he had one lens replaced and had a torn retina...he also had the other lens replaced before I knew him.  He had a blow to the head in college (his excuse for being loopy...hee, hee) and it caused glaucoma...so his docs have said.  He had the torn retina a few years back and they caught it in time before he permanently lost sight and corrected it with surgery...while he was awake!!!  I could NEVER have done that!  I've had two eye surgeries for strabismus and am very squeemish about my eyes.  If they're gonna do anything to 'em, they better knock me out.  Actually that's my medical motto...do whatever you want to me but knock me out first, lol!  Anyway, he has to have his pressure watched very carefully because of the retina stuff...they are watching his other eye to make sure that doesn't tear.  I guess if one tears, you're at risk for the other one tearing too.  So I'm glad you are having it watched...high pressure could cause a torn retina...maybe he told you that?  Just wanted to give you that head's up.  

And thank you for your head's up...just another think to watch out for.  I've been feeling like my eyes are kinda "bugging out" a little but I thought it might be from the midodrine.  Seems to be a side effect...a feeling of "fullness" in the head.  I'm going to give my eye doc a call and see if she can take my pressure.  I see the one who did my surgery but did see another one before that...I might have to go back to her.  Thanks again...have a good rest of the weekend :)
Stephanie

[tonyad]

Beema:   Yes!  We are so similiar in many, many ways!   AND YES!!!!  Your Opthamologist certainly needs to be treating this Occular pressure!  When I just read what you had replied I was / am quite concerned about you and getting No treatment. Your pressures are SOOO high!!!

Marie:   I too agree that this IS a very important topic for those of us who suffer from AD as this could be yet another serious blow to us. And Thanks for sharing the Link  :)
Make sure and get an eye Appt soon :0


    So, if you have Low B/P it is not uncommon to have High Occular Pressure because not enough blood going up top.  He even told me that having High B/P is better (using this ONLY as an example of course) because at least there is a lot of blood running around up stairs.

      When the pressure is high...the fluid is actually running over because there is no where for the fluid that has build up to go anywhere but to flow over.....Again, he helped for me to understand this better the way he explains it.

Hugs,
~Tonya

[mtgardner]

We all have had to 2nd guess our treatments at one time or another.  I am interested in current concepts in treatment of this as well. I looked on line and so far the only journal article I could find pertaining to this was in 2003 by the American Heart Association.  It addresses ocular pressures in AD.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/108/19/2349

I hope as others see your posts we get more feedback.  It seems a very important subject and not one I hear  about.  Marie

[beema36]

Although now that I reread your post I am concerned my Dr isn't treating this more aggressively. I am so confused but what is new about that?lol

[mtgardner]

Tonyad, I can understand your feelings of "what next?" and I also hear that old adage "When it rains it pours"!  I hope things settle down for you and soon!    Having this information you gleaned from your eye doctor is golden.  This forum truly helps us all as by your sharing this and beema 36 too (thanks to you both)  reminds me  I need to make an eye appt. and need to make sure I keep up on such.  I appreciate your explanation of pressures.  I don't have any real guidance with my AD only what I read here.

Also wanted to respond to your "four more drops to take".  Sometimes the actual taking of medications can loom large.  Just fitting one more thing into the regimen at the right time to minimize interactions is a big deal.  There is a certain pressure to getting this taken by a certain time so you can take the next round of medicine on time and also fit in food.  I imagine when you take your eye drops is very specific but it is one more thing to work into your schedule and remember.  I knew one person who got a watch with several alarms on it to remind her and another who used a newer electronic device to remind her of times. Sometimes I think doctors forget taking multiple medications can be a challenge in itself.  I dread any new med I have to figure out when to take and how many hours it has to be taken away from another med so they don't interact.

Thanks for bringing up this subject and sharing your experiences. It alerted me to something I had not thought about.  Marie

[beema36]

Tonya- I have the same.problem and.have for.yrs. My.pressures run between 25to35. I am not on any drops and.have ran these pressures for over 10 yrs and so far no glaucoma type damage. My optamologist says he sees this often in ms pts and doesn't feel treatment is warranted at this time. He sees me.every 6 months and when it went up to 35 monthly until it went back down.
Glaucoma find in my family so at first his laid back attitude scared me but seems so far he's right on. That aside I do have retina damage from optic neuritis:(
Sometimes our symptoms except for our bps r so.similar its scary.lol
I am not downplaying this at all but thought u might like to.hear my drs version.
Take care of u.
Beema

[tonyad]

Forgot to add:    
     Of course they have added to my array of meds, more eye drops....I have 4 different drops I am supposed to be using now!

      When does it end?  Geesh!
Be Well,
~Tonya