posted
My neurological symptoms (which began last spring) include ocular migraines ("auras") with mild migraine pain, strong sensitivity to light, and increased sensitivity to any kind of flicker.
Then in the past couple of months I've experienced blurry vision when looking at my computer monitors. I got a pair of prescription glasses for computer use, but the first prescription didn't work and they're trying a second one.
Last week I went back on doxycycline, and everything--not just my eyes--seems worse. No surprise. But I'm concerned about my eyes. My right eye seems okay, but during the eye exam yesterday I had double vision in my left.
Should I see an ophthalmologist (who knows nothing about Lyme)? Or is treating the cause the only treatment that will do any good?
posted
I also found this posted by "Catgirl" on another current thread:
"Parasite treatment has helped my eyes. I'm convinced they and Lyme are responsible for vision issues.
Treating parasites has also helped my heart, ears, sinuses and cognitive issues, not to mention Lyme and Babs. All improved with parasite treatment, not the usual abx.
Parasites are a big road block for Lyme patients. I think some may treat and think if they don't see anything they don't have them.
Wrong. They are not easy to get rid of and hide even from the meds.
Visit the PARASITE SUPPORT WARRIOR'S THREAD. Lots of info there."
posted
Not mine and I even went to see a retinal specialist. They said I need a neurologist, but I'm doubtful he/she will even fix my problems.
My eye issues - estimated 30% vision loss in left eye for about 3 months now. Dramatic loss of night vision. Corneal abrasion in right eye. Astigmatism dx past year in left eye. Astigmatism dx in right a couple months ago. Other random sx that come and go such as cloudy, blurry, and loss of complete vision in either eye for less than a minute at night
-------------------- Back At It Posts: 203 | From NJ | Registered: Feb 2015
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Eye issues will often get worse before better after starting treatment, partially due to toxins.
L-GLUTATHIONE (IV especially) helps clear up vision and can improve night vision like you wouldn't believe.
However, I would advise seeing the best LL ophthalmologist you can find ASAP. Ask when you call if they know anything about Lyme/Bartonella in eyes.
We don't mess with the eyes and the heart. Please find help.
posted
For me Mangosteen juice has worked well for eye related symptoms you mentioned.
I think Keebler has posted info/links about Mangosteen in other threads so you may be interested in doing a search.
Posts: 114 | From California | Registered: Jan 2016
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I experiment on myself a little bit and am now trying Astaxathin to try to improve my knees and in reading customer feedback, see that a lot of people when taking it for their joints, found that it also improved their sight.
And in the 2005 edition of "Healing Lyme," on p. 150 & 170, Stephania Tetrandra is recommended for vision problems. I couldn't find anything on migraines, but have seen it often on Lymenet so you could do a search here.
Posts: 653 | From Northern Virginia | Registered: Oct 2014
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posted
Update: I feel after taking it for a few days, that the Astaxathin is too much for me so I have switched to eating Red Salmon three or four times a week.
Posts: 653 | From Northern Virginia | Registered: Oct 2014
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posted
My Lyme eye symptoms were floaters, light sensitivity, eye muscle pain and developing blurriness.
I went to a neuro-opthalmologist who did all his testing on me. I passed every test, even though he had to anesthestize my eyes for me to be able to look at light. He wanted to give me a steroid, which I knew at that point wasn't good for Lyme.
My chiropractor suggested I try drinking mangosteen juice, an anti-inflammatory juice with 43 xanthone compounds in the ground-up rind that neutralize inflammatory free radicals.
In 24 hours of starting the juice, all eye symptoms had disappeared! And stayed away, as I drink around an ounce daily.
I recommend the Mango-Xan juice version, as it's the most tart. Found in healthfood stores and online.
Just know we are all different in how we may respond to any remedy. This one works for me.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Tincup posted:
"L-Glutamine (IV especially) helps clear up vision and can improve night vision like you wouldn't believe." (end quote)
Tincup,
I wonder if you might mean IV Glutathione?
L-Glutamine can be very stimulating, so anyone with anxiety or seizures needs to very, very careful about that. It's the thing in MSG food additive that many find hard to take. I cannot imagine how it might work in IV form - it could be disaster for the heart rate, etc. So that's why I wonder.
Alisandne,
As you say you are sensitive to light flicker, L-Glutamine could be very bad for you. Magnesium may be of good help against that - in addition to lyme / TBD treatment, though. Look up "nystagmus" and magnesium helps that.
back to thought at start of this post:
I can also see that IV Glutathione would be VERY helpful as that is a key substance to the liver being able to metabolize toxins and move them out of the body. Milk Thistle is just one herb of many to help in this regard. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Anytime Glutamine, L-Glutamine / Glutamic Acid beyond normal dietary level is considered, keep the points here in mind:
See post: Caution: Aspartate; Glutamine; and Phenylalanine (3 excitatory amino acids that can be wrong for us when added as supplements, beyond a normal dietary level)
Seaweed has its own natural MSG (monosodium glutamate) and can be very excitatory -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Blymey919,
Good that you mention mangosteen. You thought that maybe I posted about it in the past. Actually, I post a lot about liver support - and also a separate eye thread that features various antioxidants - but I think the two who post more detail about mangosteen are Robin and LymeToo.
Alisandne,
For the main symptom of double vision, I would certainly see a LL neuro-opthamologist. The links others posted to find one should help -- and also call all the LLMDs offices in your region and see who their office managers might suggest in this regard.
YOUR LLMD really needs to know all that is going on here, though. Some Rx can cause double vision so be sure to consider that, too.
But, backing up, you ask if treating the cause (lyme) is most important. Yes. Yet, there can be other factors so a good assessment by a LL neuro eye specialist might be in order if your LLMD thinks so.
But a specialist will not treat lyme, only help assess "mechanisms" so to speak.
Liver support also essential. Magnesium for the migraine, too.
While they are not likely to cause double vision, fluorescents lights can cause migraines, flickering. Be sure to avoid them. LED work okay for me. Be sure light bulbs are ALWAYS covered with a shade. No naked bulbs for us!
You might consider a lamp in your kitchen if that's what's needed.
Hope things get better for your eyes soon. -
[ 02-24-2016, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Thank you, everyone, for your input and suggestions. I was taking mangosteen juice and astaxanthin last year, and there's no good reason why I stopped. I probably just ran out of them and forgot. Imagine that...forgetting. I think I scared my son last night when I couldn't remember the name of one of my cameras.
I don't live in an affluent area, and the medical community isn't the most sophisticated. I have to drive a bit of a distance to get to a LLMD, a GP who became LL after being infected by a tick himself.
I can't bring myself to see a neurologist because I'm certain he would do nothing more than order a CT scan I would refuse (I've been over-x-rayed beginning at age 6) and possibly prescribe a dangerous migraine med I would also refuse. I could be wrong, of course, but as for now, that's my thinking.
I stay far away from fluorescent lights, and don't have any in the house. The only Rx I'm taking is the doxy. I have to start remembering to take magnesium during the day. I tend to forget until evening, but that isn't working these days because it shouldn't be taken close to the doxy.
Liver support is a concern. A cousin close to my age died of unexplained liver failure, and genetic testing showed my liver is vulnerable to damage. Milk Thistle caused abnormal bleeding with me, so I stopped it. That is, I had the bleeding and read that Milk Thistle could do that, so I assumed a connection.
Glutathione is an ingredient in the Chem-Defense I take occasionally, but I've read conflicting statements about our ability to process glutathione taken as a supplement. Perhaps it works better than I thought?
Anyway, I'm going to order the mangosteen juice and astaxanthin tonight. Thanks again, everyone.
Posts: 117 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Jul 2010
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posted
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) is supposed to raise Glutathione levels which causes the body to produce additional B12. I was taking NAC for another reason and was surprised to find that I had become unaccountably relaxed and downright mellow.
Then I went back to Amazon Customer Feedback and read through some of the testimonials and saw that a lot of people take it for anxiety. It also works at ridding the body of biofilm and loosens mucous in the lungs and protects the synovial fluid. One man said take it for 4 days and stay off for two.
Posts: 653 | From Northern Virginia | Registered: Oct 2014
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Thanks Keebler! That's what I meant. Don't know if it is the stupid spell checker or just me. MOST of the time it is the spell checker bouncing things around. VERY annoying! I have to edit more with it than without it.
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