looking up????

[bcbsdenise]

I have had occasions when I am driving my eyes tend to wander off to the left side in which I look at tree tops and cannot focus on the road.  I have had to pull over because of them.  I have been on many medications, and am a breast cancer patient.  they have ruled out brain metastasis.  My doctor said I was having occipital migranes (no pain).  They only last about 20 mintues, but I want to return to work, but am afraid this will happen as I have to travel on an open highway most of my 45 mintue trip, and congested traffic the rest of the way.  I am afraid to drive.  I have had so much limited in my life, that this is just another added problem.  It happens about twice a month.

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

This doesn't sound like an occipital migraine if your eyes are actually being pulled or drift to the left. Stroke, seizures, or brain mass can drive your eyes to one side involuntarily. Neuromuscular diseases such as myasthenia gravis or thyroid disease can cause eye movement problems resulting in double vision. There are other possiblities especially given your history of breast cancer, but a formal neurological exam would be very important in your case to help diagnose the problem. I understand your concern as it can be dangerous if the eye problem occurrs while driving on the highway. Tell your doctor that it's affecting your driving and could potentially harm you and others. I'm sure that as a cancer survivor, you're ready to get back to a normal life-and you deserve it.  But this is important, and I'd recommend getting a neurology consult sooner rather than later. Good luck.

[ALaurie]

You mentioned you take several medications.  I had a similar vision experience while driving and taking a blood pressure medication called capazide or capoten. It was very disconcerting to not be able to focus straight ahead. My father reported a similar vision disturbance from the same medication.  We both switched to other blood pressure medicines.  You might want to check the websites of the makers of your medications to see if others have reported vision problems.
ALaurie

[bcbsdenise]

Thanks for your input.  My oncologist ordered an MRI of my brain and referred me to a neurologist as well.  He mentioned possible seizures, but did not seem too concerned about it being a mass in the brain. God, I hope not.  One of my depression meds (wellbutrin), my psychologist said I was on the highest dose recommended or it could lead to seizures.  Maybe it is already to high for me and that I am having small seizures.  It doesn't happen that often, but when it does, it is scary.  So I am headed in the right direction as far as seeing a neurologist.  The brain scan is being done Dec 20th and the office visit is Jan 6th.  A little longer than I wanted because I wanted to go back to work on the 2nd, but another week or so shouldn't matter.  I hope it is just a reaction to my medication.  thanks again for your input.
Denise

[ALaurie]

Denise,
ALaurie here again.  I have also taken Wellbutrin and had to stop as it made it very hard for me to focus on anything - not just vision while driving. So much so that I could not do my work and was extremely forgetful - left my briefcase on the shuttle bus at the airport.  Forgot to take prescription medications on the trip - it was one disaster after another.  I also felt like Wellbutrin made me a much more agressive driver. (I bet I'd only used my car horn twice in 30 years of driving, and after a few weeks on Wellbutrin I was honking five or six times a day and running yellow lights.)  I have been taking Celexa and now the newer form, Lexapro for depression and like them much better.
Good luck with the tests and hope you get some answers.
ALaurie