Optic Neuritis and migraines

[mergirl82]

Hi again

First off, wanted to say thanks to you all foe replying to my previous post with a hard push ;) to go to a specialist to see what's what. I feel like at least I am taking a step. I am nervous, I guess wondering if this Dr will also just shrug his shoulders and say maybe you are depressed ( which I am not, except for about my continuing health problems). Any way about my topic

I have been thinking a lot about my migraines, and what causes them, after reading some discussion on here about optic neuritis. So basically, my migraines started out a little funky...Sharp eye pain, right eye, for a few minutes, and that is it. Later on that eye pain would stick around, and I had blurry or fuzzy vision, and then as a result would get a whopping headache.

Now years later, my eye pain is almost all the time, with a lot of photosensitivity and eyes hurt especially when I look at thinks sideways, it's like the back and top of my eyeballs hurt, and sometimes I have a sort of imprint of the light from whatever I looked at, like white or bluer sheet. I also have problems seeing for days at a time from blurryness and my left eye is affected sometimes too, not at the same time as right. And my hubby comments on one of pupils being larger than other.

So I guess I m wondering if my migraines are the cause, or the effect. Maybe my eye issues are telling reason I have migraine so much? And does this sound like ON or no, bc on is episodic right? So I wouldn't have aching eyes all the time?

I have had eyes examined a couple years ago and just a mild astigmatism right eye, the on recheck (bc prescription made eyes hurt worse) said oops no astigmatism JK.

Any thoughts welcome. Thanks.

Mer

[Kwazii]

Have you heard of Trochleitis?  Your symptoms fit Trochleitis.  It is something to ask your opthomologist about.

[HVAC]

They can do some of the same thing. A neuro othalmalogist is also a neurologits and knows about neurological eye problems. Mine told me I had MS when the neurologist who sent me just said I had migraines. I was not going back to the neurologist until the NO said I could not ignore it. If you do not have a specialist you will have to make do.

Alex

[mergirl82]

Hi again
I looked online, and it does not seem that there are Neuro ophthalmologists in Maine or NH? Would a regular ophthalmologist be able to do the same things? I have an hmo, so will need a referral, maybe from the Neuro I see in February.

[HVAC]

I would go to a neuro ophtalmologist for your eyes.

Alex

[mergirl82]

Hi, Alex
Your comment about the depression was perfect...made me laugh, which I needed.

I have never been diagnosed with optic neuritis, nor has anyone looked for it that I'm aware. I have had very cursory Neuro exam by my headache doc, about five minutes, maybe less. He noted that I had a somewhat abnormal gait, but that went nowhere.

As far as my migraines and eye pain and abnormal vision. The eye pain is not helped by the meds I take...it seems that nothing has helped that as far as abortive or preventative meds. I do have a lessening of ha from my med. Which is toradol, I self inject at home. Can't take triptans allergic. But even still, my eyes still are bothered. I where sunglasses constantly now, whether ha or not bc so light sensitive. I own like three pairs, all in my various bags lol.

Oh, but the blurred vision comes and goes. Just the pain stays. And blurred vision is not always with migraine.

I do think I have migraine, as I have the head pain, nausea, vomiting (not too much now, good antinausea meds) difficulty concentrating, slurred speech, etc. I just wonder if the weird vision is the cause, rather than an effect of the migraine.

[HVAC]

Hey there. Forgive me if I don't recall but have you been diagnosed with optic neuritis? I have never had optic neuritis.

I have migraines it effects my vision they are called atypical migraines. I often go blind in my left eye when I have a headache. I also go numb on the whole side of my body. Sometimes I have atypical migraines with all these symptoms but no pain.

How I know they are migraines and not MS is when I take migraine medicine with in 24 hours 0f the headaches stopping the symptoms go away.  Sometimes I have headaches that last a week. But the migraine drugs help. I used to get dizzy and throw up all over the place. My head would feel better after I threw up.

If the optometrist takes a picture of your eye he can tell if you have ever had optic neuritis. I had it at some time probably as a chil but did not know it. I have had MS for almost 50 years.

Neurologist specialize. There are ones that only do headaches. There are ones that only do MS. I was sent to one who specialized in headaches so she missed my MS even though ever test she did said probably have MS.

Have you had a Neurological exam reflexes, balancing, eye tracking with the light or finger. That is the first step to a neurological diagnosis. A doctor can find where you have neurological deficits. My GP sent me to a neurologist after I had a severely abnormal neurological exam.

When I was child before MRIs many doctors aid I had damage to my brain stem. I have had double vision for 49 years. When they take picture of your eye or do a MRI they can tell if you have ever had optic neuritis. I went to a neuro opthamologist the do neurological eye problems. She said I would be diagnose with MS before I was diagnosed.

When they say it is depression ask if that is true how can I have depression in one place in my body?

Alex