Just want some answers!

[AshleyStarr]

HI!

I started to have double vision once in a while back in Oct. '11. And it wasn't that bad, it was one on top of the other.  The past 5 months though it has increased to all the time, and the past 3 months I have been able to look at the "double" image without directly looking at the real image. I seen an opthamologist and he said there is nothing wrong from his perspective-see a neurologist. My eye strength is great! I forgot to mention I am a 22 yr old female. I`m now unable to drive because I see cars drive into eachother, etc. I find when it is hotter outside I get confused, I can`t tell which image is real, I bump intop things. When its a little cooler I can tell which one is real or not. So I seen a neurologist and got a mri done a month ago and just seen my neurologist again and he said my mri scan shows 2 `bright spots` but he is not too concerned about them.
I don`t want m.s but I would love some answers! My second cousin has m.s and my great grandma had it as well. I also have Hashimotos disease. I get numbness in my finger tips. Shooting pain in my arms and legs. My memory isnt a good as it was last year. I would love some help with this. Everyone keeps telling me ``i don`t know how to help you`.

[LisaJF]

No thanking me is needed.  I can see why you're concerned!  I hope they get your thyroid levels WNL soon so you can see your endocrinologist! I never heard of having to wait until your thyroid levels are normal until you can see an endocrinologist?!?  I'm glad you're going to have an ultrasound done!

I know I'd be apprehensive in using an eye patch myself and worry about blind spots too, but perhaps driving around the neighborhood first as a test to see how well you do and what you need to do to compensate?  

It seems others here have successfully done so!

Keep us in the know!

Lisa

[AshleyStarr]

I also want to add that when my twin boys were born 3 years ago. They were born super early- 24 weeks. And the doctors didn't know why- they just called my cervix incompetent. I don't know if that is a match to any symptoms. I was already half dilated at 22 weeks.

[Sailorsong]

While I don't wear an eye patch I do drive around with one eye closed when ever my double vision is bothering me. It really isn't too different than driving with both eyes open and you have probably done it yourself at times when the sun comes in at just the right angle.

All it really means is that you need to adjust your mirrors slightly and turn your head more to look around you.

The brain stem is where your brain and spinal cord meet.

Dennis

[SarahL2491]

If you drive with an eye patch and have no doctors letter to back it up and the cop stops you, then you might have a problem!

reason being, I have a letter from my doctor that I wear dark glasses because cops think if you wear them at night, you are doing drugs.....

just saying.  I hope your NO can give you some answers!

[AshleyStarr]

I am seeing a neuro opthmologist. There is only 2 in the city so approx. 6 month waiting list. :(. Which area of the brain is the brain stem?
And I was hoping to start driving with an eyepatch. But I'm so nervous because its such a huge blind spot. Have you driven with an eyepatch?

[AshleyStarr]

I am seeing a neuro opthmologist. There is only 2 in the city so approx. 6 month waiting list. :(. Which area of the brain is the brain stem?
And I was hoping to start driving with an eyepatch. But I'm so nervous because its such a huge blind spot. Have you driven with an eyepatch?

[AshleyStarr]

Thanks for the reply!
Umm I have binocular double vision. I do not drive because I will not risk myself, my children, or others. :)
No migraines, headaches once in a while, no hypertension, only on synthroid for medicine for thyroid. (Was just diagnosed with hash/hypo 3 months ago). And haven't played sports since I was 16.
Haven't seen an endocrinologist yet because he wants my thyroid levels to go to normal and have another ultrasound on thyroid then he will see me.

[HVAC]

Have you seen a Neuro Othalmologist? I have had double vision for 47 years. Mine is due to lesion on my brain stem from MS. It was the N. O. who told me it looked like MS to her. I still had to go to a MS Specialist and have a bunch of tests. I am luckier because I had double vision so early in my life my brain compensated for many years. I switch from eye to eye. They can try an eye patch or prisms.

Alex

[LisaJF]

When you are experiencing your "double vision", if you cover one eye, are you able to see normally? Or if you cover left or right, do you still see double?

I ask this because one is considered monocular diplopia and the other binocular diplopia.  Two different types of diplopia with different etiologies.

At 22 years of age, two bright spots in the brain, (depending on what areas they are in) can tell a lot. It's one thing if you're a migraine sufferer, someone who has hypertension and on vasoactive drugs, or contact sports with multiple head injuries (hmmmzz) that can leave a couple of t2 hyperintensities.  But at age 22?   I'm wondering if you had a MRI with and without contrast including your brain, cervical spine and thoracic spine?

Hoshimotos disease as well as Myasthenia Gravis can give you diplopia, as well as other diseases, such as MS called (Optic Neuritis).  An OCT would be useful (if you did not have that in your eye exam).

What does your endocrinologist think (I would assume you are followed by one since you have Hoshimotos)?

I would hope you're careful while driving since this can place your life and someone else at risk when you're seeing double!  I can't imagine how scarey that is!

I would hope that you pursue this and find the answers to your issue at hand which is not "normal".


Welcome to the forums by the way :)

Lisa

[supermum_ms]

MS is only one of the causes of diplopia, there's about 50, this is the list of but to see the full article on diplopia you'll need to start at the begining - http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1214490-differential

Cheers........JJ

[AshleyStarr]

Splitting of the words is fine, I wrote back to her when it was late and my words were all jumbled up. I agree with what you said because that is what I meant to write. =)
My main concern is the double vision. I don't have diabetes, I don't have hyperthyroid, no brain tumor, eyes aren't crossing, eyes move around fine, not cataracts, not myasthenia gravis, no anuerysm.
All I can think of last is ms. And why I'm stuck on this is because on many forums, I have heard people say it took them so long to get DX'd.
I have 2 little boys, so driving is very important.
I'm just hoping maybe someone had a similar experince.
Like I never knew double vision existed until I got it. At first I thought I was just going crazy cause it was once in a while. But 24/7 and in a total almost a year. =( I have 4 kids, instead of 2. Makes for a hard day.

[sllowe]

Hi Ashley -

Welcome to the forum. Graves or Hashimoto symptoms match up nicely with MS on the www. As do "spots" in the brain. As do many other disorders, syndromes or disease. However, there are many other causes of spots, or lesions, or brain changes as well.

It's not so much that if you have one auto-immune disorder you "probably" have the other, or more than one. This distinction is an important one to understand.

It's moreso that it's not so "uncommon" that those who have one "can" have another. Does this make sense? I'm splitting words I know, but it's important in this regard.

Your great grandmom and your 2nd cousin with MS do not increase your chances of having MS.

MS is a clinical dx, and a couple spots to not tell the tale. While so many others will not understand what you are going through - those of us with similar symptoms do :)

I recommend sticking with your thyroid doctor and make sure your disease is undercontrol. Report and make an appt. anytime you something changes. Live your young life to the fullest :)

Thanks for trusting us for thoughts, and hope this helps.
-Shell

[AshleyStarr]

Thanks for the quick response.
Actually that thyroid disease is called "graves" it's where the person is hyperthyroid-which makes everything faster hence the double vision.
Mine, hashimoto, is hypothyroid which does all the complete opposite and from what I am told has nothing to do with my eyes. :(
The only reason I mentioned hashimoto was because according to mayoclinic- your slightly more at risk is you have a thyroid disease to obtain ms.
I know hashimoto is an autoimmune disease- and I believe ms is as well. And if I'm thinking right. When you have one you probably have more than that one autoimmune disease.

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

I dont really know much about Hashimotos, i did recall reading 'something' about visual sx's, couldn't remember what though so i googled and came across 'Thyroid eye disease' which could be what your experiencing. To read the full article see... http://thyroid.about.com/cs/relatedconditions/a/eyedisease.htm

"Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Eye Disease

Signs and symptoms include:
- Pain in the eyes, pain when looking up, down or sideways
- Dryness, itching, dry eyes, difficulty wearing contact lenses
- Inflammation and swelling of the eye, and its surrounding tissues
- Swelling in the orbital tissues which causes the eye to be pushed forward -- referred to as exophthalmos -- which can make Thyroid Eye  Disease sufferers appear to have a wide-eyed or bulging stare.
- Bloodshot appearance to eyes
- Double vision (doctors call it diplopia)
- Impaired vision "

I would recommend you see your dr thats treating your Hashimotos and mention your visual issues, it could just be inter related.

Cheers........JJ