randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
ever since that attack in december my vision has been blurry. the last attack was march. you know the symptoms--excruciating 10 plus pain in head, blurry vision, nausea, tightness of face, neck shoulders and numbness down on right side. very very bad jaw pain and ear ringing.
i looked up the symptoms and it said "possibly" temporal arteritis. freaked me out.
made appt with tmj specialist and she said if i had those symptoms i really should have gone to er but since it has been so many days, it's probably chronic tension headaches and tmj. don't have results of sleep study back but think she'll probably make me a splint.
then i went to my gp. my mouth was so sore i could barely talk, neck and shoulders just rigid.
he also said chronic tension headaches. he pressed on my jaws, neck, and shoulders and i thought i was going to come off the table.
now this guy knows husband and he said "he's alot of this you know". meaning my husband is causing these "chronic tension headaches".
he is going to schedule therapy and massage sessions but did not give me any prescriptions. he did reduce my diuretic because my bp is now too low.
meanwhile i'm freaking out, i mean absolutely going nuts because i'm scared of going blind. i wake up at night thinking about it and start shaking i get so scared.
i try to tell myself that it's in the Lord's hands and if anything happens, well, so be it. but it's not working. i know i'm obsessing but i am so scared.
i've already paid 650 to that dentist and the doctor is another 35 and now the therapy. i can't afford to call a neurologist or opthamologist. i just can't. my master card is maxed out right now and i'm treading water to pay it. he'll absolutely kill me if he sees it so i've got to pay it down and fast.
i don't know what to do. the symptoms are so scary and they fit perfectly. i am still having very mild headaches 0-1 or so every freaking day. it never stops.
is this lyme? cause i'm not treating it at all. is there any otc treatment i can try without having a major die off attack? anything at all?
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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canefan17
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 22149
posted
I've had blurred vision for about a decade.
It's due to inflammation (and Bartonella in my case)
I'd treat Bart and see if it improves. Also avoid whites, grains, sugars for awhile and see if that decreases the inflammation.
Buhner talks in depth about inflammation and blurry vision in his book Healing Lyme
Posts: 5394 | From Houston, Tx | Registered: Aug 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- When fear about anything hits me, or kidnaps me, I have learned to take some deep breaths. Most often, I find that I'm holding my breath.
Then, I get proactive. If the worst happens, it happens. People manage.
But, if there is any way to prevent the worst, I want to know about it and do what I can.
There are so many ways we can be proactive to support our vision. So. Many. Ways.
That empowerment feels so much better than fear.
I'll be back with a few links from my sources. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Randi, If I lived where you do, I would be at their door, requesting to speak with the patient services person. They do not treat lyme but have had many lyme patients.
I have posted this many times for you because, from all your posts, I truly think this is the very best option for you to finally make some progress.
At the recent ILADS annual conference, this clinic was featured, and it's right next door to you, literally:
The Environmental Health Center - Dallas, Texas -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
what's cnl? cranial neuro lyme maybe??? back, did they treat you for ta or what??
the treatment is steroids...ugh
i do take supplements like fish oil, coq, etc.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- You need professional help from someone who is competent. Please inquire at that Dallas clinic.
ANTIOXIDANTS are vital to address the inflammation of temporal arteritis. You may need more specific ones, certain combinations, some changes in Rx, etc.
This is a fabulous eye doctor. I've been following his work for years, since getting his book "The Eye Care Revolution": ---------
. . . bridges the gap between Eastern and Western medicine to inform you how the eye is connected to the rest of the body.
=================================
Many of the CAUSES and underlying complexities (heavy metals, toxicities, etc.) can be addressed here. AND ask about eye doctors they hold in high regard:
posted
yes, took prednisone for 1 year .... HUGE mistake of my life. it didn't help anything, just allowed the lyme to go crazy.
i'm blessed that the vision loss has not progressed, though, in 5 years. each time i have field vision test, it shows practically the same vision loss.
the test is horrible, though, just to warn you, causes seizure-like activity. i now refuse it when i go for check up.
posted
ophthamologist or a neuro-ophtham. It was covered by insurance, including Medicare.
shouldn't have alarmed you about possible reactions to the test, but it is a series of rapid flashing lights, you look into a machine and press a button each time you see the light.
brain fog is bad right now, late in getting to bed, sorry if i confused you!!
posted
The last few weeks, my vision has just been going South. I have had bouts of blurry vision in the past, but now it's really bad. I also wake up with a film over my eyes; I have to wipe out yellow crud that has collected or else I'm looking through pea-soup fog.
I saw an opthamologist about 3-4 months ago (did a field vision test as well), everything was "fine." Besides the blurry vision I just have weird perception, like a vision/brain problem, hard to explain.
Besides the vision stuff, I have my general daily other neuro stuff: neck pain, internal vibrations causing tremors, numbness, twitching etc. etc.
Treated aggressively with multiple orals for 2.5 years, then 11 months on IV. I stopped IV in October, just didn't feel like I was getting anywhere....now feel like I may be slowly backsliding, but the abx never got me very far anyway....what to do?
I see another LLMD next week in New Mexico, sigh....I hope things improve randibear. I'm sorry and I understand completely. TS
Posts: 566 | From West Coast | Registered: May 2008
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posted
The two supplements I would recommend as probably the most beneficial for vision -- pycnogenol (pine bark extract). Not all that expensive -- hubby uses the generic VitaCost brand and takes 300 or 400 mg daily. His eyeglasses prescription actually improved for 2 years in a row and he needed new glasses that were not as strong.
Hubby is 55 so that was very encouraging. He does have mild cataracts so I kept him on the pycnogenol which is a very strong antioxidant.
The 2nd supplement I would suggest is stephania tincture from Woodland Essence. Buhner discusses this in his book.
I first tried hubby on the powder made into a tea but it was so bitter he would vomit it up each time. He definitely said this tincture crossed into the brain. I think I had him work up to 3 droppers 3 times a day but can't remember if he went higher than that.
He only took the stephania tincture for a couple of months as his vision is not one of his most bothersome symptoms.
This is not medical advice, just my opinion based on hubby's experiences.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Randi.. Don't you have health insurance?? So you'd only have a copay for the opthamologist??
My husband uses Eyes Alive from Swanson's. Don't know if it would help you though with your problem. If it's truly tension headaches, they won't affect your vision in a permanent way.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
I don't accept that tension or stress can cause blurry vision. Well it cant can it?
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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linky123
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19974
posted
Randi,
My uncle had temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rhuematica, a disease that often accompanies it.
He had horrific headaches and body aches. His SED rate was over 100 - I think that is part of the dx.
They also took the biopsy from his temple area and it was negative, but the md said they can get a false negative because you can miss the diseased part of the artery.
He had no ill effects from the procedure.
He saw a rheumatologist who dx him. Maybe your insurance would cover a network provider?
So, they put him on high doses of steroids and tapered him off slowly. The headaches eventually got better, so I think he really did have it.
It's a catch-22 for us because of the steroids. Maybe there are other ways of tx it; I don't know. It's caused by inflammation, so maybe another type of anti-inflammatory would help?
Hope you find the answers you are looking for.
Take care and God bless.
-------------------- 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11:28 Posts: 2607 | From Hooterville | Registered: Apr 2009
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
did he loose his sIght?? I understand alot of peoplemwho vet this do may be not
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Randi,
You asked if stress and tension can cause blurry vision.
Absolutely.
Elevated stress elevates cortisol, a primary stress hormone. Excess cortisol is literally caustic to the lining of blood vessels - just caustic.
ADRENAL SUPPORT is vital to help manage stress hormones. So are anti-oxidants, along with whatever measures can be done to manage stress as much as possible.
Most Powerful Nutrient Ever Discovered for Eye Health
- by Joseph Mercola, D.C. - | November 23 2010
Excerpt:
. . . This carotenoid is called astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin is produced by the microalgae Haematoccous pluvialis when its water supply dries up, forcing it to protect itself from ultraviolet radiation.
Astaxanthin is leaps and bounds more powerful than beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, lycopene and lutein; other members of its chemical family.
Astaxanthin exhibits VERY STRONG free radical scavenging activity, and protects your cells, organs and body tissues from oxidative damage. . . .
Prednisone ? -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Myelin sheath damage (in lyme) can also cause problems for the eyes, as can mitochondria damage that is frequent with chronic infection / inflammation.
Good detail below about HOW TO HELP that.
Thanks to HALEY for bringing this to our attention.
MYELIN SHEATH & MITOCHONDRIA SUPPORT discussed here:
Macular degeneration is a deterioration or breakdown of the macula. The macula is a small area in the retina at the back of the eye that allows you to see fine details clearly and perform activities such as reading and driving. When the macula does not function correctly, your central vision can be affected by blurriness, dark areas or distortion. Macular degeneration affects your ability to see near and far, and can make some activities - like threading a needle or reading - difficult or impossible.
Although macular degeneration reduces vision in the central part of the retina, it does not affect the eye's side, or peripheral, vision. For example, you could see the outline of a clock but not be able to tell what time it is. Macular degeneration alone does not result in total blindness. Even in more advanced cases, people continue to have some useful vision and are often able to take care of themselves. In many cases, macular degeneration's impact on your vision can be minimal.
What causes macular degeneration?
Many older people develop macular degeneration as part of the body's natural aging process. There are different kinds of macular problems, but the most common is age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Exactly why it develops is not known, and no treatment has been uniformly effective. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe vision loss in caucasians over 65.
The two most common types of AMD are "dry" (atrophic) and "wet" (exudative):
"Dry" macular degeneration (atrophic)
Most people have the "dry" form of AMD. It is caused by aging and thinning of the tissues of the macula. Vision loss is usually gradual.
"Wet" macular degeneration (exudative)
The "wet" form of macular degeneration accounts for about 10% of all AMD cases. It results when abnormal blood vessels form underneath the retina at the back of the eye. These new blood vessels leak fluid or blood and blur central vision. Vision loss may be rapid and severe.
Macular degeneration can cause different symptoms in different people. The condition may be hardly noticeable in its early stages. Sometimes only one eye loses vision while the other eye continues to see well for many years. But when both eyes are affected, the loss of central vision may be noticed more quickly. Following are some common ways vision loss is detected:
Words on a page look blurred A dark or empty area appears in the center of vision Straight lines look distorted Fluorescein and Indocyanine Green Angiography, as well as Optical Coherence Tomography(OCT) are performed in the office to diagnose bleeding blood vessels under the retina. Intravitreal Lucentis, Macugen, Avastin and steroid injections as well as photodynamic therapy can be used for treatment.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
But a tension headache does not damage the eyes, right, Keeb??
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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linky123
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19974
posted
Randi,
No, he did not lose his sight. He came out of it ok. Maybe just getting your SED rate checked could give a clue whether or not you have some major inflammation going on.
That does not necessarily mean temporal arteritis though. It could mean a lot of things.
The doctor also said that both TA and PR are almost always found in elderly people and is rare in younger people. My uncle was probably 76 when they found it.
-------------------- 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11:28 Posts: 2607 | From Hooterville | Registered: Apr 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- TuTu,
the question Randi asked was "if tension or stress can cause blurry vision?"
that's not exactly the same thing as "tension headache" as
a "tension headache" sounds more like the term doctors give when they don't know what the cause is and they are putting down someone's ability to manage emotional stress, not physiological stressors.
So many things can cause a "tension headache" but stress is certainly one of those things whether physiological (infections, heavy metals, myelin sheath damage, mitochondria dysfunction, damaged adrenals, etc.) or emotional & mental stress.
Even a broken heart is very tender business inside our body.
Bottom line: stress can be very dangerous inside the body. By supporting our adrenals, and doing whatever else we can to lessen the toxic effects of excess cortisol, the better.
Inflammation can be just annoying or become dangerous, and that can cause various kinds of headaches.
Inflammation can be for various reasons so we have to manage it on all fronts. We have to face it head on with various techniques.
And sometimes, we just have to know when to let go and relax. It's not easy to do but that can also be life-saving, indeed. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Did you ever try drinking mangosteen juice? That's what stops all my Lyme eye symptoms.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
yes i've got some. how much should i take? bottle says 1 ounze once a day.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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MichaelTampa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 24868
posted
Another thing you might consider is being evaluated for CCSVI, as this causes low-oxygen blood in the brain/head area, and that can result in headaches and eyes not functioning well (and of course other possible problems as well).
This can be caused by biofilm causing blockages in the neck veins, and more likely to happen and cause problems for those with structural issues such as those who have TMJ. Have you treated biofilm?
Posts: 1927 | From se usa | Registered: Mar 2010
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
what's biofilm? guess that answers your questions huh???
no i'm not treating for anything right now. even stopped my vitamins to see what is aggravating this.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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MichaelTampa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 24868
posted
Might be good if you read the long interview posted by lymetwister titled something like, "Interview by Dr. at Fry Labs, Interesting Info, No Magnesium". It is on the first page right now.
But, basically, biofilm is a community of bugs and magnesium and heavy metals covered in slime that lives in your veins and impacts circulation and protects the bugs from antibiotics and your immune system. There are enzymes and heavy metal chelators and herbal teas (cistus incanus) that can help treat this, and surgery to treat the CCSVI.
Posts: 1927 | From se usa | Registered: Mar 2010
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I seem to remember that your doctor changed (or increased the dosage of) your blood pressure medicine a few months back.
When I was taking a beta blocker (lopressor, and then toprol), my vision got very blurry. My vision isn't great anyway (very nearsighted with bad astigmatism), but it got so bad that I had to wear reading glasses (in addition to my contact lenses) to be able read anything.
About a week or two after I stopped taking the beta blocker, my vision returned to the way it was before I started taking it.
I found out later that blurry vision can be a side effect of some blood pressure medications.
Posts: 227 | From Northeast | Registered: Mar 2010
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
he put me on a dieuretic cause my blood pressure was so high. Then it got too low and he reduced the diuretic but kept the divan at 180. It was 360. Can't seem to get it stabilized.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
quote:Originally posted by randibear: he put me on a dieuretic cause my blood pressure was so high. Then it got too low and he reduced the diuretic but kept the divan at 180. It was 360. Can't seem to get it stabilized.
. He did check the Chesterol and it's 250
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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quote:Originally posted by randibear: yes i've got some. how much should i take? bottle says 1 ounze once a day.
Re mangosteen juice, I think I just started drinking it, slowly, when I first started it, along with water.
I noticed changes in my eyes within the first hour, then in 24 hours most eye symptoms were gone!
My body also responded for the next couple days as well, so just be watching for reactions and take it easy.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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