HELP severe eye pressure and headache

[pillowjax]

Hello All,
For two weeks now I have been having severe pain/pressure behind my left that also includes a headache.  It woke me up in the middle of the night and sent me to the ER the next day and they did a CT scan but it came back negative.  It just hurts so bad and still does its constant pressure behind my left eye and it feels like my eye is severly strained.  The pain is intense and I went to see my opthamologist and he suggest just a migraine headache but is still referring me to see an neuro-opthamologist.  I dont notice to much in visual changes like blurry vision or color blindness.  Has any body experienced this type of pain or headache before?  My intuition is telling me that it is Optic Neuritis but that is scaring the hell out of me.  Its just killing me that I have to wait two weeks to see the specialist everyday its just haunting me not knowing what it is!  Any inputs appreciated....

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

-

[yarrow]

As Dr. Hagen says, you can certainly call and ask for an earlier appointment because of your severe pain.

Just to add to your information bank, though (since your opthalmologist did suggest migraine), you might want to use google or wikipedia to look up an extremely painful, behind-the-eye kind of headache called 'cluster headache' and see if it describes what you're experiencing.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

-

[Worriedyaya]

I have had pain and pressure behind my left eye as well as Optic Neuritis. I have found that my sinuses have lead to increased exacerbations of my MS. I use a NettyPot, now. It has helped a ton! I used to have to be on very strong antibiotics,(Levaquin) every other month for years and now I am proud to say that I have been antibiotic free for about 2 years..and I'm feeling great! The Netty Pot takes some time getting use to...but it is well worth it. Keeping my sinus cavities clear has made a remarkable difference in the number of MS exacerbations I experience. I have been diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS since 1985 and was told I have secondary-progressive MS in 1998, but those are just labels! We are not  labels and I refuse to give up! Yoga helps a ton, too!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No one can tell you what it is over the internet. It could be optic neuritis. You can call the neuroophthalmologist ask for an appointment sooner  and/or ask to be called if someone cancels an appointment before yours is scheduled.  It could be other problems like orbital inflammatory disease.

JCH MD