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Spontaneous brain stem damage
by Jill481, Feb 06, 2008 09:09PM
After an uneventful New Years Eve, my healthy, smoke, drink and disease-free 31 year old husband goes to bed and wakes up with blurred vision in his right eye. Two days later, the eye goes to the side causing dizziness and double vision. Doctors visits as follows:
GP: Says it is 3rd nerve palsy, possibly caused by a virus attacking the nerve, or an aneurysm or tumors. Prescribes anti-virals used to treat herpes (made him violently ill for two weeks but told he must stay on) and refers to an opthalmologist.
Opthalmologist: Says most assuredly a 3rd nerve palsy, unsure what caused it given his good health and no trauma. Sends him for an MRI, which rules out aneurysm or tumor. Tells him to take it easy. Refers him to neuro-opthmologist but tells him no need to go, as NO will say the same thing.
Three weeks later...
NO: Says most assuredly not a 3rd nerve palsy, but looks like it could be brain stem damage or stroke. Sending him for another MRI. Says his pupil is slightly enlarged...but nothing to worry about.
So...has anyone heard of anything like this before? All three doctors keep saying how rare this is, and no one even knows for sure what is going on! He is functioning okay (now that he is off that nasty medication) as long as he wears a patch, otherwise he sees double. Drives, light duty as work, etc. He is not on any medication at the moment, and his next appointment with the NO is in two months. Any ideas? Everyone says not to worry, but in the same breath they mention stroke, brain stem damage, no clue, this is one for the books. Please help! No one can figure out why a perfectly healthy 31 year old went to bed one night and woke up with a (pardon the expression) wonky eye. We are just worried that it may get worse. The NO said that it may just be spontaneous brain stem damage. Does this heal? Can something worse happen? That's our main fear, that if no one knows what it is, how can we be assured that something else even worse won't happen?!
Help! Any advice or opinions are welcome, as no one is really giving us anything!
GP: Says it is 3rd nerve palsy, possibly caused by a virus attacking the nerve, or an aneurysm or tumors. Prescribes anti-virals used to treat herpes (made him violently ill for two weeks but told he must stay on) and refers to an opthalmologist.
Opthalmologist: Says most assuredly a 3rd nerve palsy, unsure what caused it given his good health and no trauma. Sends him for an MRI, which rules out aneurysm or tumor. Tells him to take it easy. Refers him to neuro-opthmologist but tells him no need to go, as NO will say the same thing.
Three weeks later...
NO: Says most assuredly not a 3rd nerve palsy, but looks like it could be brain stem damage or stroke. Sending him for another MRI. Says his pupil is slightly enlarged...but nothing to worry about.
So...has anyone heard of anything like this before? All three doctors keep saying how rare this is, and no one even knows for sure what is going on! He is functioning okay (now that he is off that nasty medication) as long as he wears a patch, otherwise he sees double. Drives, light duty as work, etc. He is not on any medication at the moment, and his next appointment with the NO is in two months. Any ideas? Everyone says not to worry, but in the same breath they mention stroke, brain stem damage, no clue, this is one for the books. Please help! No one can figure out why a perfectly healthy 31 year old went to bed one night and woke up with a (pardon the expression) wonky eye. We are just worried that it may get worse. The NO said that it may just be spontaneous brain stem damage. Does this heal? Can something worse happen? That's our main fear, that if no one knows what it is, how can we be assured that something else even worse won't happen?!
Help! Any advice or opinions are welcome, as no one is really giving us anything!
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