Headache, inability to foucs, sensitivity to light

[davidlisaalyssa]

For the last week I have been experiencing some strange symptoms, first a constant headache that is not relieved with Motrin, pressure in my forehead and above my nose, sensitivity to bright light, and inability to focus when in bright light.  For example I had an interview, and felt like I kept getting cross eyed and couldn't focus on the interviewer.I also am extemly tired all the time, and feel sick to muy stomach at times.  I have migraines, but I don't think that is what this is as it doesn't really go away, I have no visual disturbance, and it is not relieved by pain medication.  I went to a Dr. about the headache, and he told me that my nasal passages were very red and swollen, he gave me entex and a nasal spray.  That was 4 days ago, and the headache and inability to focus are still present.  I also have neck pain, but my neck is not stiff. What could this be, possible viral menengitis? How long should I let it go before I see the Dr. again.  The first Dr. just gave me meds to treat me nasal symptoms and sent me on my way.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS]

This type of headache could be a transformed migraine (migraine like headache that becomes persistent). An aseptic or viral meningitis is a thought, especially if you have neck stiffness. A more severe cause of a headache would be bleeding around the brain, however this typically presents with a severe (worst in your life) headache. Another possibility would be increased pressure in the brain, which can occur for various reasons. The last two possibilities are unlikely, since you would typically have other symptoms as well. If the headache has continued, I would see your doctor again and request an urgent visit with a neurologist. The urgent visit is so that you can be treated sooner, and not have to suffer in pain. If you develop any new symptoms, such as difficulty talking, weakness, or loss of sensation, you should immediately go to the ER. Good luck.

[SherryDenice]

I am not a dr. of course... but, it sounds like it could be sinus related.  If it were meningitis..... I think you would be having more problems.  

I am sorry to not be of assistance to you but, what I'd realllllllly like to know is how to get a post on this board.  I have tried for the past year and it always tells me that it is over the quota for the day.

Can anyone give me an idea of how to get a question posted?

Thanks so much!
Sherry

[lil sunshine]

Sherry Just try at different times of the day. I have posted only once,  and that was in Dec or so. I was dumbfounded that I got thru.
Bonnie

[Wesley's Mom]

I just want to add that if your symptoms get any worse or any new ones come up I would definately go back to the Dr. & Get a checked again. Our son had Viral Encephalitis and had an on going headache for days that was so bad he cried constant.His symptoms did not stay the same though for that long, He progressivly got worse. He was even in an altered state and was screaming , and having seizures & vomitting.He went through spells of waxing and waning. If you had something like meningitis, or encephalitis It would get worse. If your Dr. says your sinuses were inflamed then you may have a sinus infection & actually need antibiotics for the pressure and swelling to go away also.Just thought I would add to ... Mandy

[yeyekari]

I am not a doctor but, I would like to know have been dx. with high blood pressure, or had a cat scan of your head, there could be pressure on a nerve. I know it cost if you don't have insurance but there are ways of getting it done. Even check on the types of medication you might be taking, you might be allergic to it.

[mandifour]

I have to agree on the symptoms of viral menigitis (meningitis). My step mom was a healthy mother, with what was thought to be a sinus infection and migraine to an angel taken with menigitis (meningitis) the next. It is scary and can kill fast. If you think it is something you have symptoms for see a Dr asap.

[drode0]

Similar to you...I thought I'd share.

Approximately two years ago, I was at work leaning over a table rendering some drawings.  Suddenly, out of nowhere I was hit with a strange dizzy feeling and it has not left me until this day.  
I went through hell the first few months feeling this way.  I made myself sick many times thinking that there were so many things wrong with me.  I even ended up in the emergency once because I couldn’t breathe and had chest pains.  Turns out I was having anxiety attacks over the whole thing.  Can you imagine feeling stoned, buzzed, hungover all the time?  It’s like feeling drunk except I’m perfectly coherent.  Feels like my eyes are crossing all the time.  This was affecting my everyday life in a bad way.
Needless to say I had every test done.  I started out by going to the optometrist to have my eyes checked out but everything was fine.  So at this point I began to thing it might be something worse so I went to my primary physician.  She started to check everything that might be wrong.  I had blood drawn and the only thing she could find was a high triglyceride count.  I was describing what I was feeling at that point as dizziness which is not entirely correct because nothing is really spinning.  My doctor gave me Antivert at that time which made me feel worse sometimes so I quickly got off of that drug.  She then sent me to an ENT doctor who went through and checked my ears and throat and found absolutely nothing wrong with me there.  I was also complaining at the time that my eyes felt very tired and slow and there was pain right above my eyes.  He prescribed an x-ray of my sinuses which came back fine.  
I also went to see a cardiologist who basically told me that there was nothing wrong with me except maybe anxiety and stress.  He nevertheless sent me to get a sonogram of my heart which also came back fine.  So, at that point, I had ruled out my heart, my ears, nose, throat, sinuses, vertigo, even had a lung scan at the hospital which also came back 100% fine.  
At this point, months had passed and I still felt the same exact way.  My quality of life was awful and my doctor suggested that sometimes when there is no explanation for a physical ailment that the patient is probably depressed.  At that point I was very depressed and I wasn’t sure if that was the cause of my ailment or if I was depressed because I had been feeling this way for so long.  I had suggested to my doctor that maybe I should go see a neurologist and get an MRI to rule out any neurological problems.  But she said that I was too young and that she didn’t think I had any problems in that department.  
So her diagnosis in the end was depression and put me on Lexapro and told me that exercising would make me feel better.  I started to exercise and take the Lexapro and eventually I did start to feel a bit better and I thought she was right.  But the truth is that it has been two years and while there are times when I feel better, it has never really gone away.  During this whole time with the ‘depression’, I ended up getting a divorce, selling my house, and starting a new life, with a new job, and new home.  I stopped taking the anti-depressants around November 2003 when I thought that I was not depressed and didn’t need it anymore.  I have not felt depressed since then and I think it was a good thing that I stopped taking those pills.  
However, recently my symptoms have gotten stronger and the ‘dizzy, disoriented, slow, tired’ feeling has gotten worse.  And now, I feel depressed on occasion because I feel awful all the time and it feels hopeless like this is never going to go away and I’m going to live this way for the rest of my life…it is so frustrating.  I can’t help to think it has something to do with my eyes because of the feeling I get in my eyes and the slow way my eyes move.  There also headaches involved on occasion which I failed to mention.  I can’t help think that it has to do with my brain either.  I read a lot on the internet about these symptoms, and while most of the disorders I read about have been ruled out, I still haven’t ruled out Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, AVM, meningitis, something with my  brain, etc…I don’t know, I’ve read about so many things.  
One more thing I forgot to mention…three times in the past six months I have experienced a strange occurrence in my eyes while I was at work on the computer.  All of the sudden I can’t see well.  It’s almost like there is this cloud of light on one side of my eye that makes it hard for me to focus on anything correctly.  It really scares me when it happens and I start to feel really faint.  The last time this happened it left me with a headache on the left side of my head and above my eyes.  I get headaches frequently especially what feel like tension headaches always on the left side and towards the back of my neck.
The ‘dizzy’ feeling like my eyes moving slowly or crossed trying to focus comes and goes throughout the day but it’s mostly present all day.