Worried about a new symptom...

[Rosemary349]

Hi Everyone

I decided not to post this in the stroke community because my concern is that the people there will be so used to issues involving stroke that they may immediately see my symptoms as a stroke and lead to further anxiety....so as i've posted here before and people here 'know' me, thought i'd ask the question here - hope that's ok.

I've been having on and off for months a sensation over my left eye and sometimes the cheek.  It's a dragging sensation but when i look in the mirror there appeears to be nothing wrong.  However the last two days i've felt that my smile is a little lopsided, the muscles in the left cheek working differently to the right.

I went to the doctor today and he said he is not concerned about a stroke but rather thinks it is some idiopathic type of neuralgia, maybe inflammation of one of the facial nerves, or a type of Bell's Palsy (but if so a very mild case as he doesn't think there's any unusual asymetry about my face...just usual stuff).

Anyone any thoughts about this?  he did some 'sensory' test and motor tests and said everything seemed normal.  I asked what to do then if one side of my face didn suddenly visibly droop down and he said get there immediately but that even in that case it isn't necessarily a stroke.

I have an underactive thyroid and I know that can affect the eyes sometimes....

Just not sure where to post this and really worried.  Appreciate any thoughts,  thanks  :-)

[Rosemary349]

Thanks for your replies guys.

This is what i am worried about, the scenarios you are telling me about.  Tonight i am alone at home again and it's there, that feeling.  The smile is ever so slightly lopsided again but the doctor wasn't worried about that, said it was just asymmetry.

So it's been 8 days since i had this previously.  I am so worried about this - it's impossible to ignore as it feels so strange.

It seems the doctors won't do anything anyway unless there are more severe symptoms....is there anything i can do to reassure myself on this one.  I keep telling myself i still have vision and my face isn't drooping on one side...but there's a fearful voice saying it's only a matter of time.  So scared.  I will go back to the doctor tomorrow.  :-(

[jrbon]

In case it can be of any help,

My sister suddenly lost the peripheral vision in the right eye.

After carefully review but ophthalmologist, cardiologist and neurologist the conclusion is that an small thrombus has blocked the tiny artery of the eye nerve. The interesting point is that most likely it is produced by an small hole in the heart septum that it is there since she was borne but never gave her any trouble.

At the end, the doctors decided to give her an small dose of aspirin and do nothing else. Of course the lost of vision is permanent.

Jesus

[ChatterAlly]

Sorry to hear that you are worried.  Last year and without any symptoms I lost the vision in my right eye to plaque in the artery to the retina.  It is not very common, but does happen.  At first it was just the top of the eye vision. I still had some peripheral vision and vision out of the bottom.  A few months later, I was sitting at my desk and involved in a conversation with my boss when suddenly I saw a few flashes of light and then the peripheral vision was lost.  I can still see a little out of that eye, but certainly not enough to drive.  Since all of this I began to feel like a tear was running down my cheek under that eye, but nothing is there. It is an inflamation of the nerves in that area. Possibly from the loss of  blood flow.  The doctors say this type of blockage is of great concern as it is too close to the brain.  But the weird thing is it happened without warning or symptoms. The word "Idiopathic" actually means "I don't know".  Just thought I would throw that in. Anyway, what you are experiencing could be a few things really. But if your doctor isn't too concerned I would try to relax and just pay attention to your body.  Take care, Ally