lupus??? collagen vascular disease??

2 months ago I started feeling numbness and pain in my left arm and chest. This had been happening for a few days in a row. I noticed it came on shortley after drinking coffee so I stopped. A day later at work Was sitting down and all of a sudden my vision started to dissapear from the outsides inward like tuinnel vision in both eyes. At the same time my head felt like it was on fire like a hot flash. When my vision came back it was blurry and hazy and I now have several floaters in each eye. My coworker took me to the ER. On the way my left hand turned a dark red/blue color and my fingers started to cramp. When I got to the ER I could barely talk I was so scared. For a few weeks I have these symptoms. Bad pain for two weeks in the back of my head torward the base of my scull. My left side of face goes numb everyday, pain in the top of left hand, muscle cramps in bicepts. Tingling/numbness in nose, hands feel week, my heart races from normal 75 bpm to 115 bpm just by doing simple tasks like walking five feet to the bathroom, hip pain, eyes feel dry and stiff and hurt just by trying to open them in the morning, headaches everyday the list goes on and on. I had a brain mri, echocardiogram, corotid duplex, stress w/cardiolites, thyroid bloodwork, comprehensive metabolic panel, nerve conduction test, lyme test, event monitor that I am currently wearing. All test have com back normal except the event monitor where the cardio doc sees the spikes in hb. My primary doc has no idea whats wrong and the nuero on can say complicated migraine. I have been on amitryptiline for over a month with no help. Optho says he cant find any damage to eyes but states he sees all the floaters. Two ER docs stated possible ms, the cardio doc said maybe lupus or collagen vascular disease. This is ruining my life. Please help!!!!

[thjs2]

I have been told that optho can't see floaters, only you see them so was surprised to read your Optho says he can see yours.  I too had a brain mri and carotid duplex. I have experienced the tunnel vission; woke up without vision then went to tunnel vision and then full vision. Very scary. Every day I have what I call jittery vision. It is like looking at a flourescent bulb that is shorting out and overnight I had so many floaters I could hardly find a clear area to look through. At first they thought I had psuedo tumor but all tests came back normal. Haven't ruled out MS but am going to an Eye Institute to see an Optho/Nuerologist. I was going to an Optho and a Nuerologist and a friend who is a critical care nurse suggested I go to a Optho/Nuero. Perhaps you could see one as well?? Good luck.

[rowjer]

The optho can see your floaters when they dialate your eyes and use that bright light magnifying lens thing. There is a few rare optho surgeons that have started using a modified yag laser to destroy the floaters. If you look in the eye forum I asked an optho about this. You should check it out although he stated at this time it is not in the optho books or being taught or really being practiced. I feel your pain on the floaters. I have so many in my central vision that i feel like I am looking throught cobwebs and cotton balls. It is hard to deal  with emotionally since I have been lucky with perfect vision all my life. It stinks, one day I had perfect vision at 12:00 and at 12:01 my whole life changed. Funny how things can chande in one second.

[confusd790]

Can not understand it but told this yesterday at the MS Clinic at Vanderbuilt Hosp. I had been thinking it was MS from neuro and from reg. Physicain so now Iam really confused and can not understand this diagnosis. Cant find any info on line about this and my symptoms still sound like MS. Can anyone help me have you been through this?

[vader922]

It has been awhile since your post, but I did want to respond. Yes the optha can not only see floaters, but can map them on a machine. I have huge ones that are mapped. Also it struck me that you were describing pain in the back of your head and visual shorting..I wonder does it seem like a camera shutter going off and on? I have had the pain and the vision symtpms when my optic nerves are flaring. My neuro said it is an unnamed autoimmune disease, tho some biopsies look like lupus I remain ana negative. He said it attacks the nerves, muscles and blood vessels. I have many other eye issues and symptoms as well. But, I did want to respond on the back of head pain which my opthamologist did not associate with the optic nerve, but it is frequently there when my optic nerves appear swollen.


Also want to say that I had severe damage of the optic nerve in the left eye that went totally unnoticed by my retina specialist despite frequent visits related to another eye condition I have so don't let them tell you it is simply ocular migraines as mine did for years.