> While we are on the subject of MS & TM, I have to bring up something really
> weird that happened to me this weekend. On Saturday evening, while
> watching TV, I started seeing double. It was horrible, everybody, thing,
> etc was X2, side by side. I had to cover my left eye to keep myself from
> getting a headache. This went on for about 30-45 minutes and then finally
> stopped. But since then, I have been slightly dizzy (when I turn my head)
> and I've been having headaches and feeling a little nauseous. It feels as
> if my right eye is not focusing properly. Anyway, I was wondering if
> anyone has ever had this happen. I don't know if I should bother my
> neurologist or not. I was also wondering if it might be due to the heat
> because Saturday I went to an outdoor festival here in Austin, TX (it was
> about 85 degrees) and spent most of the day in the sun, and I also had
> about three beers during the eight hour event. I don't drink very often
> but occassionally and this has never happened before (so I don't think it
> is the alcohol). Just scared me a little to see two of everything.
> Needless to say the movie was not that enjoyable!! Back in October 96, my
> right eye was doing the same sort of thing (but no double vision) for
about
> 3-4 days, causing headaches and nausea. Went to see an eye doctor (I have
> bad eyes to begin with), my right eye had changed significantly but left
> eye stayed the same. Got new contacts, everything was OK until now. It
is
> hard to think that I need another eye exam and that my prescription has
> changed in only 6 months, but possible I guess. If this continues at this
> rate, I will be blind in that eye before long. Sorry to ramble, but just
a
> little nervous.
>
> Nicole
>
I have also had some odd things go on with my eyes from time to time. Last
Dec. I started having flashes of light from my left eye. A man in my church
who lost eyesight in one eye due to a detatched retina said if he was having
flashes of light, he'd call his dr. to meet him in the emergency room. I
called my dr., he referred me to an opthamalogist, I called his office, no
one acted like it was a emergency, but they scheduled me for an appt. He said
my retina was fine and that as we get older sometimes the substance inside
the eye thickens and pulls at the retina. He told me to call if it happened
again. I told him about my TM, but he didn't think it was related. It did
happen again 20 days later; I called Sun. night and got his associate. Again,
it seemed like "no big deal" -just told me to come in the next day. I did; he
said my retina was fine. I asked if anything else could cause this. He said
some viruses, and there was nothing you could do for those besides let them
run their course. So I left somewhat frustrated. Since then, from time to
time I do experience odd things with my eyes. Sometimes there are patches of
slight blurriness or gray spots. Sometimes it seems I'm not seeing completely
clearly, but if I cover one eye and then the other, I see fine with them
individually. Or if I put my hands above my eyes like a visor, then I see
fine. I don't know if that has to do with focus or the way the light is
coming in or what. I still do see flashes of light, sometimes white,
sometimes blue, occasionally, but not as much as I was in Dec. I have since
read on this list about others with eye problems and about optic neuritis.
I told my neurologist about this and other problems. He said we could
check again for MS -- MRI and spinal fluid did not indicate it at the
beginning, but he told me this could "turn into" MS. But, he said, we'd have
to consider whether that would change how we're treating this -- he said
there is really not much that can be done for MS other than experimental
drugs, some of which have to be administered by injection every other day and
are very expensive. Those of you who have been diagnosed with MS, is this
what you've been told? He also said we'd have to consider insurance.
Sometimes a diagnosis of MS can cause rates to go higher and prevent you from
getting insurance if you have to change companies. But he basically left it
in my lap -- said he'd schedule another MRI if I wanted. I'd like to do one
just to see if anything is different -- but, as he said, if there isn't
anything else that can be done anyway, I don't know if there's any reason.
They never did do an MRI of the spine, only of the brain, because they had
done a myelogram of the spine. I don't know which shows more.
Anyway, yes, if I were you, I'd ask the neurologist about it. He may say
something different. I'd go ahead for a second opinion, too. I think most
insurance companies cover that, and it can't hurt.
Wishing you encouragement......
Barbara
not proofread...sorry...it's late...