Vision, drunk, tingling in face

[ljhl]

Hi,
Can anyone help? About three months ago I started to notice that I was having trouble with the focus in my right eye. Eye test showed no change in prescription. Then I started to see spots and 'stars'. Since then I have had episodes where I felt drunk and very wobbly. All these are transient and I can't link them to any trigger. Over the last few days I have been getting an aching at the back of my right eye, as if it were bruised, and also some tingling of the right side of my face, just like after the dentist. Blood tests have been normal, it turns out i have brady cardia, pulse dropping at times to low forties, but my physician does not think this is the cause.
I few days ago I was treated for benign post vertigo, and the wobbly symptoms have eased, but the facial tingling and slightly droopy eyelid, focus problem and pain in the eye seem to be increasing in both severity and frequency.
Any help or advice would be very much appreciated.
Thanks

[Numbness]

I also have blurred vision, feeling drunk, losing balance tingling in my face and ringing in my ear. When I first had went to see a doctor he diagnosed me with Meniere's disease and treated me for five years but since I wasn't losing my hearing fast enough He told me to see a neurologist as he didn't think it was Meniere's anymore.  I was already seeing a neurologist at the time because I was getting severe migraines and he could not figure out why, but once the ENT specialist advised me to go to a neurologist, the neurologist finally said I was getting Basal Migraines. Since I have been put on High Blood Pressure pills from my doctor I now longer  have migraines headaches and very few headaches if any. I am still getting tingling in the face, rooom spinning, losing my balance, ringing in the ear.  I am at my wit's end as I really would like to know what could be causing this. My new ear doctor did not think it was a migraine as my symptoms can last for months at a time and I still don't get a migraine. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanking you in advance.

[chewygirl]

I have the exact symptom with the vision you all are describing.  When trying to explain it to doctors or family they look at me like I am nuts.  Being that the symptoms seem much worse out at the food store and dept. stores and any place other than the home that is indoors it makes one appear like they have an anxiety problem (my husband swears I am like agoraphobic).  I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one (sorry did not mean I was glad you all suffer with this too).  I was diagnosed with lyme disease 4 years ago and have been treated with high doses of antibiotics for a year.  Unfortuately I found a lump in my neck so the doctor put my meds on hold and it ended up being thyroid cancer.  I always questioned whether I truly have Lyme because the blood tests were very contraversal.  I had a normal MRI, LP showed oligoclonal bands and WBC's.  Brain Spect showed hypoperfusion of crebral cortex.  All these test took place 4 years ago.  The only positive test in the blood was the lyme (which was slightly positive elisa and the western blot was showing only 3 bands, not 5) I went 8 mos with no diagnosis and no treatment.  I went back to the neuro this week after 4 years looking for some guidance.  She did an EMG the other day and she said there is a myopathy.  She gave me a script for another MRI because the one from 4 yrs ago showed a slight herniation of the cerebral tonsils (chiari).  She wants to see if that has changed at all.  Does lyme really cause all these on going problems and still cause a myopathy after extensive treatment?  Anyone with advice would be appreciated!  Thanks!

[machelle]

Hi!

I am 35 years old and diagnosed this year with a cavernous malformation. That a place in the brain that slow bleeds sometimes and gives symptoms that sort of sound like yours. I am fortunate that I only have the cavernous malformation instead of the AVM type. Mine started two weeks before I ended up in the hospital. It started with a twitch over my right eye, then light tension headaches and then a severe one on the Tuesday before I went to the hospital on Friday. By Friday my vision was bad and my head felt like someone was shaking it, so I went to the doctor who sent me for a MRI. She thought I was having a panic attack. They read my MRI and sent me straight to the hospital. It stopped bleeding on its own and now I am OK. If it happens again I will more than likely have it removed. I was sick for at least six weeks with vision problems, weakness, left leg numbness and some confusion. My brain disorder is near the vision and they said that is why I had the dizziness and vision problems. They also said that people walk around with this disorder and never know it and that we are born with it.

Hope the best for you!!!!! Ignore people such as family and friends who have no clue what you are going through who think that you are loosing it. They have no clue.

[pamela66]

I have been very worried as I have that jumping vsion when I look at supermarket shelving,had my eyes checked and saw a doctor no answer to my problem.At night the lights seem blurry yet i can see to read road signs quite clearly,also have a couple of floaters,but have had them for awhile.Any help would be really comforting.

[ljhl]

Hi all,
Since mt last post I have had a few difficult days. I started to get the feeling I was being pushed over to my right all the time, sometimes it would come on suddenly and I would stummble. Then the right side of my face became numb, causing my eye to droop, which last about six days. following this I had an MRI and saw an Opto who told me there was no evidence of tumour or demylination, he has refered me to a neurologist and asked me about Uhthoff's syndrome. I tried having a hot bath and this did make me wobbly and brought on the pain in my right eye. Not sure what all this means but I hope the neurologist will be able to make senseof it all.
Thanks all.
LJ

[beano]

please note that Lymes disease can cause adult growth hormone deficiency-- the GHD causes many of these symptoms. it is an endocrine disorder caused by the lymes.
anyone-- please research this

[Ergo]

This is quite bizarre, all these people getting an MRI that's normal. I think I will suggest a test for Lyme disease for myself as well. I do have more symptoms than just the head, but often blurred or jerky vision, pain behind the eyes - although this is the least of my symptoms. My first cranial MRI was "inconclusive" but now they want to do it with dye. Also scheduled for an MRI of cervical (neck) and spine. Bone scan negative, Cat scan negative (so no bone cancer or brain tumor which is good). 3 months of hell, only relieved by nuerontin, which might now be causing other symptoms....great! I just got back from 8 months in Africa, so Lyme disease is one I should check. Thanks.

[badcaseof]

ljhl:
Your symptoms sound somewhat similar to my husband's. I have been reading every forum concerning neurologic symptoms I can, since he began having these symptoms 2 months ago.  He had an episode of double vision, then, ever since, his right eye's vision has been acutely blurred.  He also feels pain in his eyes and pressure behind them, especially the right one. The same day, his head started hurting and has not stopped since.  His head feels tingly and numb and a throbbing pain continues.  If he bends over at all, he feels nauseous and as if "something is going to happen inside (his) head." He's had an MRI and an MRA, but both are supposed to be normal, and we have no answer for his problems yet.  He's been put on neurontin, but it isn't helping much.  His mom has MS.  
Since reading this forum, my eyes have been opened as to the number of people suffering from these types of problems. I hope you and he find answers and relief soon.

[beano]

i dont know if this might relate to you or not-- but i had bradycardia appear last year and i had affected vision.
it was all due to a condition called "dysautonomia" which is an imbalance of the nervous system.
i had bradycardia and blurred vision and i felt woozy and uneasy.i also was very stressed- the "stress" on my nervous system helped to "compound" the problem.
my dysautonomia was due to a growth hormone deficiency, which caused my nervous system breakdown, then subsequent dysautonomia.
this doesnt mean this could be your possible cause-- but many things may cause dysautonomia-- you might research on this to see if it rings any bells with you.

for the person on this post that mentioned that they had Lymes disease-- ***PLEASE NOTE-- lymes disease causes a growth hormone deficiency. One doctor tested all of his patients that had lymes, and 100% of them had GHD. GH injection treatment helps these Lymes patients greatly. i hope that person reads this information. it is important to find a "lyme literate" doctor however-- or you could get caught in a web of misdiagnosis, and not get help for the GHD.

[jamilee]

Though I'm sorry you're having this problem, it helps me, too, to know I'm not the only one with this. Actually, I've found several people on this site with the same visual complaint. One, in particular, turned out to have Lyme, so you may want to get a blood test for that. Like I said, I have had this constantly for almost a year, (I'm 43) and it's particularly difficult in the grocery store when looking down an aisle at a row of canned good labels or when there's a lot of information to focus on. Do you have that problem? Also, I have a very hard time looking at a computer screen. Check out another person who wrote in on this site about four months ago. Do a search for the question "Disconnected-as if looking at the world from inside a swimming pool." I thought she (21 years old) had summed up what my vision seems like, too. See if you can relate. I have no idea what this is-and it seems, doctors don't either, but I can tell you though it hasn't gotten better, it hasn't gotten worse, and I'm still alive and kickin'. Still, it's frustrating to not be able to see effortlessly as I used to. Write back and let me know if you can relate. Also, I'd like to hear back when you see what the doctor has to say. Jami

[ljhl]

Thanks everyone, it is certainly encouraging to have folks listen and not just put everything instantly down to stress, which is what happened to me initially. Jamilee, I'm 44 and yes those vision problems do sound familliar. When I have a problem it is as if the right eye is focusing at a different point than the left, and yes, patterns do vibrate, I know it sounds wierd but things in my vision have even jumped sideways. I must admit, I just thought I was going nuts, especially when stress seemed to be the diagnosis. This web page and your comments have have really helped and I feel I can push things harder now to get a proper diagnosis and then treatment.
Thanks LJ

[jamilee]

Sorry to hear about your problem. How old are you? It does sound a little like MS, but I have the vision symptoms you describe (constant) and the drunk feeling sometimes. Mine started in Nov. and the MRI showed nothing. Have had almost every other test you can mention and they STILL can't figure out what's wrong. Mine started with the right eye, too. Seemed to not focus as well as it used to. Or that my eyes aren't in sync or something. Seems like the vision vibrates. I have difficulty looking at patterns as they seem to flicker or vibrate. Sound familiar? Just wondering. Have had a Lumbar Puncture, too. Tested me for MS, but said I don't have it. I never had numbness or tingling, though. They have also talked about some migraine variant, but I don't buy it. Anyway, start with the MRI. Good luck.

[nosol]

P.S.   Also, in light of these symptoms and also with your bradycardia, I'd ask your doctor to perform a carotid doppler study to rule out carotid artery dissection which can sometimes present with pain in the face/head and might give you bradycardia since you have a nerve regulating your heart rate running right by the carotid artery.   A carotid doppler (ultrasound) and MRI would be a good start if your symptoms continue.

[nosol]

Hello,

Your symptoms sound worrisome.   My suggestion would be to go to a neurologist ASAP or, if appointment is not available, go to the nearest ER and get things checked out.   Hopefully not, but these symptoms are suspicious for the first presentation of multiple sclerosis (MS) which needs to be evaluated and treated immediately.  

Good luck.

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

The mojority of symptoms you arwe describing could be consistent with brain stem dysfunction. If you have not been seen by a neurologist you should. By examining you then can localize where the problem is. You may also need an MRI with a MR angiogram to evaluate for abnormalities within your blood vessels, structural lesions, or masses. The possible diagnoses include migraine, stroke or vascular disorder, mass, or inflammation within the brain stem. I would rule out the more serious problems first with a MRI and then treat as a headache if everything is negative. Good Luck