Medical/Trauma shows

[iamfaithful]

I have always liked medical shows but of course I know I shouldn't be watching them, especially now since I know I have anxiety issues.   Well last night like an idiot I watched "Medical Mysteries" and "Dr. G"....WHAT did I do that for, can someone please tell me??   I swear, I must like torturing myself.  Dr. G. actually mentioned arrythmias regarding one of her cases and I totally flipped out.  Even though that wasn't the cause, I am still so freaked out by it I am now trying to convince myself to go to yet ANOTHER cardio for monitoring.  
So now today, I am having more PVC's then I have had in a while.  Dumb question to anyone willing to answer me in my moment of stupidity-do you think my increase in skipped beats has anything to do w/what I watched last night?  Does that really effect you?  Now I am scared worse then I was before about having surgery in a month.  
Momto3: I saw you told someone not to watch that stuff before a procedure.  Smart advice.

[Artaud]

Hi,

There is a book by Doctor Oliver Sacks entitled "Migraine" that does an excellent job of explaining the variants of Migraine that occur. Scintillating Scotomas, Lilliputian and Mosaic Migraines to name a few. He has a web based on his name (without the Doctor part, of course).

I found it a reassuring read years ago. Hopefully many of you may also find it so. I believe that it is written for the lay person to understand (or else I could never have read it when I was 25 years old).

Best to everyone.

[dolfnlvr]

You are amazing.  Thanks so much for the information.  I just think it's awfully coincidental that several people describe having the same arhythmias and the same visual disturbance.  I understand that it can be just that, a coincidence, but really....wow.

By the way...I had the carotid artery doppler too.  I was scared whitless.  Here I was 31 years old and being tested for stroke symptoms just weeks after having a stress test for my heart.  Let me tell you, if that doesn't stress you out...nothing will :-)

[Artaud]

I don't know if it was mentioned in this thread, or is common knowledge otherwise, but concerning visual migraines, here is an interesting aspect of our eyes may shed some light (pardon the pun) on how migraines effect our vision.

Many people realize that the left side of our bodies is controlled by the right side of our brain, and the right side of the body is controlled by the left side of the brain. Many people may also have seen the representation of the eyes relating to the brain, the Optic Chiasm. Look up that term on Wikipedia. This representation tends to show a similar relationship, where the right eye goes to the left brain half and vice versa.

But this is not true, one half of "each" eye goes to one side of the brain,  the other half goes to the other side. The reason this is significant is in understanding optical migraine. If the migraine occurs in the brain and effects the occipital lobe, the migraine likely will be in both eyes. Problem is that the visual effects are commonly towards one side and may give the illusion that it is in either the right eye or the left eye.

If visual effects are restricted to one eye only, it may be that the vascular supply to that eye is the cause of the symptoms and not a common migraine that many people experience. I had my last good heated argument a few years ago. In the midst of the argument I lost the vision in my left eye completely. I believed I was having a stroke. We phoned for an ambulance, but before it arrived, my vision was restored. I phoned my Neurologist and he said to start taking an aspirin every day and make an appointment to see him. Ok I thought, this man is nuts. So I phoned my Family Doctor, she said to take an aspirin every day and make an appointment to see her. Wow. Two Doctors agreeing on a treatment, who would have thought it was possible.

I had Carotid Artery Ultrasound Tests, which were negative, as small clots could be present there and dislodge, causing the temporary vision loss. So it was determined that the cause was likely a vascular spasm. I followed up with a thorough examination by an Ophthalmologist.  Still everything was fine.

Recently, I noticed seemingly dark fields towards my peripheral visual fields. I saw an Ophthalmologist, but he wasn’t Mister personality. He did visual field testing and all was ok. I went to another Retinal Specialist, all he could tell me was that my retina was healthy, but could not offer an explanation for my symptoms. I then went to a Neuro Ophthalmologist who did another visual field test, said that there was no change, and said that I have Persistent Visual Migraine, a symptom of the times he said in stressed out people.

Best of health to all.

[Momto3]

OMG!  What a small world!  I've got to tell you, those sparkly, jagged lines are weird!!  The first time it happened, I kept trying to regain focus.  I was very happy to find out it was not a detatched retina, but a benign (albeir WEIRD) condition.

Thanks for the clarification!!

[PVC man]

Well, I guess we DO all belong together...LOL...I don't get ocular migraines but I have DIAGNOSED plenty of them....I'm an optometrist...LOL...

Just to clarify a little...classic migraine is the "sick" type of headache that is very powerful and makes people debilitated enough to just lie down in a dark room.  Many people with classic migraine also get a vsual "aura" which usually comes PRIOR to the headache.  Generally, the aura lasts abput 20 minutes and can consist of jagged lines in vision...having your field of vision cut in "half" or "tunnel vision."  In many cases of classic migraine, the sufferer knows the headache is coming when he/she "sees" the aura.  

Now in OCULAR migraine, the patient DOES get a visual aura, but WITHOUT any headache...

Of course, if you are seeing strange things in your vision, don't assume it is ocular migraine as there are some other, more serious conditions, like a retuinal detachment, that can also cause flashes of light.  

It is best to see an optometrist or ophthalmologist for a complete eye exam if you have any change in your vision, and try to have it done quickly.

If the diagnosis of classic OR ocular migraine is made, then what helps some patients is to keep a diary because...just like PVCs... migraines do have some well known triggers...foods (choclate, caffeine) stress...women's cycle all can trigger migraines.

In classic migraine where the headaches can be debilitating, there are some excellent medications to help patients with controlling the pain.

Good luck all and feel better!!!

[dolfnlvr]

Momto3:
To Weird.  I can't believe you have had the migraines too. I have had both the aura and the headache, but the headache is not one of the ones that causes nausea and light sensitivity.  It's more like a really bad tension headache that lasts about 20 minutes or so.  I've always thought I was a medical reject. So many weird things that were "benign."  It seemed like a cruel joke, yet I was glad nothing was really "wrong."  It's such a strange feeling, but I worry that the Dr.'s think I'm the boy who cried wolf, AND I'm super sensitive to my body because I'm afraid I will take for granted that I am "fine" as usual, but really I'm not. It's a strange rock and hard place to be in.

iamfaithful:
I would check with a doctor on the migraines.  Don't go to your eye doctor for this, as it really isn't an "eye" issue. It's a neurological issue.  I would start with my PCP and go from there.  If you are like me, you'll find that your heart is benign, and your brain is benign, and you'll just hope and pray that there are no other life giving organs that want to play "benign" tricks on you.

Good luck to all of us......

[iamfaithful]

Unbelievable.  Actually, I can't remember who told me that's what they were called. So they are called OCULAR not OPTICAL?  OOPS.   I actually never went to the Doctor for it.  I was describing my symptoms to someone or either looked it up on the internet....gosh, it's been too many years I can't remember.  That is why I want to make an appointment.  I started having migranes when I was a teenager, but they would be sporadic.  I mean REAL sporadic, maybe one every few years.  Then while I was preganant with my second child I got them steady when I was really tired and they made me nauseated, etc, but my entire head ached, not just my right side.    After my third child it came back, but mainly on my right side DIRECTLY behind my eye.  All I get is the pain and nausea, nothing else yet.  Oh my, I pray I don't get the blinding thing....I am too anxious for all of that :-)  I was freaking out a bit this a.m.  I seem to get them when I wake up which scared me because of morning hypertension but I've never had high blood pressure and I'm on a beta blocker now so.......

Who should I make an appointment with first?  My GP, eye doctor-I don't have one, or should I contact a neuroligist first thing?

I don't know of anyone in my family who has migranes but me.  But everyone wears glasses but me.  I have noticed lately that while reading I have to hold the book a little further away....need reading glasses-I'm almost positive.  Now that is one time that I do get blurry vision.  Hmmmm, I wonder if I need real glasses.  CALGON........ :-)

Oh, one last thing.  I have a very weird/bad habit.  I chew on things (nothing gross) and sometimes I put wads of stuff in my mouth and I can tell how bad it is affecting my jaws and I think that could be contributing to it-I dunno, just grasping!

[Momto3]

OK...What's going on here?  I also have had ocular migraines!!  The first time it happened, I thought for sure it was a stroke or TIA....scared the **** outta me!!  Called the doctor's office, described the symptons and they basically said to come in immediately!  OK, now I'm REALLY scared!  I went first thing in the morning, and of course, it was gone long ago....Tests revealed ocular migraines. Guess what the doc said?  BENIGN...How can all this weird stuff be benign?  I've had a few spells with oc. migraines, the first being an isolated incident.  The second oc. migraines occurred with frequency, right after the first ablation.  The doctor thought perhaps going off the BB contributed.  No one (except me) was concerned.  The third round was after I took about 2 rounds of BC pills....This time, they were a little more concerned.  I stopped the pills and I think I've only had 1-2 since then (2 years ago).

Do you guys get the headaches too?  I just get the visual aura.  My mom used to have terrible migraines.  They've finally stopped after many years.  My daughter had awful migraines in college, but knock wood, seems to be much better.  I asked my daughter's doctor about trying her on a daily BB -- She agreed since the new migraine meds didn't do much. The BB worked!!  She took it for about a year.  

This forum is such a great place to find comfort in numbers : )

[dolfnlvr]

Whoa!!!  Optical migraine?  Really?  You too?  Okay, we need to talk.  I started these past 7 years with the PVC's.  As if that wasn't bad enough, I finally decided they wouldn't kill me, and one day I was walking through the grocery store and went "blind."  Couldn't see ANYTHING right in front of me but could see things in periphery.  Well, needless to say I thought I was having a stroke!!!!  I've had two of these, and it turns out that my brain is "fine"  (if possible :-)  I know this because of a CAT scan and MRI.  But I have optical migraines.  

I NEVER had ANY of this stuff before I had children, and have spent much of the last 7 years wondering what in the WORLD I did to bring all this on.  

[iamfaithful]

Hello-
LOL-drama, that's what I am.  I was just so mad at myself.  I almost did it again last night but watched Jon and Kate + 8 instead :-)
Well, the PVC's lasted all day yesterday but I made it thru.  Today has been a good day but now I am suffering from headaches-ugh.  I noticed that is one of the many symptoms of anxiety but I used to get headaches all the time; however, they went away....now they are back.  I get them on the right side behind my right eye-they can be called optical migranes.  Where does it end???
I am thinking about going to see a neuroligist....just to be sure.

dolfnlvr-I can't believe you can ride roller coasters!!!  We were at Busch Gardens two years ago and I rode everything out there-SO MUCH FUN!  Of course this was before all of the anxiety and PVC's.  There is no way in the world I could do that now...guess my days of riding roller coasters is gone.

[dolfnlvr]

Aren't we just so predictably human :-) ?  We know what's not good for us, so we march right out of our common sense and do it anyway :-).  

I think that watching the show had nothing to do with your increased PVC's.  I think your anxiety over the content of the show did.  All of us find ourselves in this situation.  I was watching House or Grey's Anatomy a couple of weeks ago and a patient went into SVT....the Dr's called a code and rushed around like the patient was about to die, and I thought, "Man....if this stuff is so "benign" how come they make it look so deadly?"  Then I remembered....Hollywood has to overdo everything to make it interesting for a 60 minute show to remain interesting.  

We've been to our cardiologists, and we've spoken to one another 100 times about this stuff.  We are NOT, I repeat, we are NOT going to die from PVC's (as long as our doctors have completely checked us out and have pronounced us "fine.").  I absolutely encourage those of us with arhythmias to visit our cardiologists at least once per year to report any changes or concerns we have, but if they are not changing dramatically or causing dizziness, faintness or other new symptoms, there is probably no reason to schedule a visit.  Now, if your concern continues, and you can't shake it, there is no harm in going either.  But I would bet large quantities of money that your main problem here was anxiety brought on by watching a show.  

Me, mine are worse today because I went off to Busch Gardens last night (at a conference) and rode a roller coaster in the pitch black night.  It was damned fun, but I'm paying for it today.  Gotta love, and hate that adrenaline rush :-)

Have a good day guys.

[Momto3]

Not to make light of your situation, but you are so funny.  I told y'all not to watch those shows!!  I tell others not to watch those shows,but guess what? I love them too!  We must be nuts!!  If I am have a particularly stressful day, I have learned (it took a long time) NOT to tune it, especially late at night.

I don't think you need to see the cardio.  I know that anxiety can bring on, or accentuate, pvcs.  So.....it would not surprise me to hear that once you're not focusing (consciously, or otherwise) on the show, you'll feel better.  

Here's what I was just thinking.....Since we like THOSE shows, maybe it would be good to record them and watch them during the day or early evening.  I tend to get most "spooked" (anxious) if I'm tired (when I'm usually tuned in).