franstranges
07-18-2004, 02:18 AM
Hi
I am looking for some answers here, seems like no doctors can help me. Three weeks ago i passed out at work and within three days of that my vision totally deteriorated in my right eye. My ekg came back irregular and they tell my I have developed optical neuritis. This was three weeks ago. My vision still has not come back yet, is this normal? I was told initially one week but its getting frustrating. I am told i have to be tested for ms now and I also have to go through some cardiac tests as my heart is acting as if it had a heart attack. I mean I am a 21 year old female I dont understand these problems. Are theses common symptoms of ms? How long does optical neuritis usually last? No one is giving me any answers, and am a little scared. Any information would help.
Thanks
francesca
I am looking for some answers here, seems like no doctors can help me. Three weeks ago i passed out at work and within three days of that my vision totally deteriorated in my right eye. My ekg came back irregular and they tell my I have developed optical neuritis. This was three weeks ago. My vision still has not come back yet, is this normal? I was told initially one week but its getting frustrating. I am told i have to be tested for ms now and I also have to go through some cardiac tests as my heart is acting as if it had a heart attack. I mean I am a 21 year old female I dont understand these problems. Are theses common symptoms of ms? How long does optical neuritis usually last? No one is giving me any answers, and am a little scared. Any information would help.
Thanks
francesca
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funkyshaker
07-20-2004, 12:56 PM
Hi there,
I don't have MS but my wife was dianosed last year after a bout of optic neuritis. In my wife's case she suffered vision loss for a very long time. I would say that it took between 2-3 months until everything was back to normal. Hang on in there - you should see an improvement soon.
Hope I have helped but let me know if you need any more info.
Dan
I don't have MS but my wife was dianosed last year after a bout of optic neuritis. In my wife's case she suffered vision loss for a very long time. I would say that it took between 2-3 months until everything was back to normal. Hang on in there - you should see an improvement soon.
Hope I have helped but let me know if you need any more info.
Dan
franstranges
07-20-2004, 03:19 PM
thanks dan i didnt know what to expect with this
Jewel2
07-20-2004, 03:30 PM
Hi Fran,
Welcome! Has your doctor suggested steroid treatments to promote a faster return of your vision? I have read that when treated early with steroids there is less chance of ON going on to become full-blown MS.
Left on its own, ON can last for 2-3 months (or longer). The steroids really reduce that time.
Will you be getting an MRI to further explore MS?
Take care,
Julie
Welcome! Has your doctor suggested steroid treatments to promote a faster return of your vision? I have read that when treated early with steroids there is less chance of ON going on to become full-blown MS.
Left on its own, ON can last for 2-3 months (or longer). The steroids really reduce that time.
Will you be getting an MRI to further explore MS?
Take care,
Julie
franstranges
07-21-2004, 01:55 AM
hi julie :wave:
yes they had me first on iv steriods for a week and then on the pills. the prescription for the prednosone is for a month but i stopped taking them yesterday (with permission) as they were too heavy on my stomach. They told me i need to have a mri done, but have not gotten back to me on a time yet. how long should one expect to wait for an appointment like that? from the post i have read diagnosis is a long wait. I have so many questions and doctors are so reluctant to say anything. It was actually a nurse who told me about the optical neuritis being linked to ms not the doctors. Is there a link to heart problems and ms? my ekg is irregular now, and i have to go for cardiac testing, is this common?
thanks
francesca :bouncing:
yes they had me first on iv steriods for a week and then on the pills. the prescription for the prednosone is for a month but i stopped taking them yesterday (with permission) as they were too heavy on my stomach. They told me i need to have a mri done, but have not gotten back to me on a time yet. how long should one expect to wait for an appointment like that? from the post i have read diagnosis is a long wait. I have so many questions and doctors are so reluctant to say anything. It was actually a nurse who told me about the optical neuritis being linked to ms not the doctors. Is there a link to heart problems and ms? my ekg is irregular now, and i have to go for cardiac testing, is this common?
thanks
francesca :bouncing:
mycasper
07-21-2004, 01:44 PM
Hello,
I have had several bouts of optic neuritis in the past three years. THe length varies from a few weeks to months. Have you been told about steriod treatments? The help take the pain away from behind your eyes. Hope this helps
Nicole
I have had several bouts of optic neuritis in the past three years. THe length varies from a few weeks to months. Have you been told about steriod treatments? The help take the pain away from behind your eyes. Hope this helps
Nicole
franstranges
07-21-2004, 01:59 PM
hi nichole
i only experienced pain for the first 48 hours of total blindness. and it took three days for my vision to totally deteriorate in my right eye. I was on the steriods both iv and pill, but have since discontinued. I was begining to get discouraged on how long it has taken to get my vision back since i was told that with the steriods it would only be a week. that was june 24. you say your vision came back less and less after each bout, is that typical?
i am so thankful i found this forum, having people who can answer my questions and relate to my experience has been a god send. its keeping me sane.
i only experienced pain for the first 48 hours of total blindness. and it took three days for my vision to totally deteriorate in my right eye. I was on the steriods both iv and pill, but have since discontinued. I was begining to get discouraged on how long it has taken to get my vision back since i was told that with the steriods it would only be a week. that was june 24. you say your vision came back less and less after each bout, is that typical?
i am so thankful i found this forum, having people who can answer my questions and relate to my experience has been a god send. its keeping me sane.
sunshine149
07-21-2004, 03:20 PM
Franchesca,
You must be very anxious for answers. If it is MS, one can get ON without having MS, but a definitive diagnosis may be a long time in coming. However, you need to become your own advocate. Learn as much as you can about ON and MS and ask your doctor questions. If you are in pain, ask for medical relief. If the ON has been going on for while, any doctor worth their salt, would be giving you steroids to try to restore your sight. This is a common treatment, even for ON that isn't MS-related.
Hope this helps!
You must be very anxious for answers. If it is MS, one can get ON without having MS, but a definitive diagnosis may be a long time in coming. However, you need to become your own advocate. Learn as much as you can about ON and MS and ask your doctor questions. If you are in pain, ask for medical relief. If the ON has been going on for while, any doctor worth their salt, would be giving you steroids to try to restore your sight. This is a common treatment, even for ON that isn't MS-related.
Hope this helps!
franstranges
07-22-2004, 11:17 AM
Thanks sunshine
Jewel2
07-22-2004, 11:44 AM
Hi Fran,
In what way was your EKG irregular? What follow-up is planned for that? I really don't know of a correlation between MS and heart problems, but I certainly am no expert on the subject!
As far as recovering vision after a bout of ON - my daughter has lost a little vision overall, but it's still pretty good considering how severe her attacks were. She has had 2 episodes of total blindness for a couple of days (steriods snapped her out of it), and another couple episodes of very diminished vision. She always gets it in both eyes. Her worst problem now is being able to quickly focus on something. It can take a moment to get both eyes focused on what she is looking at.
Hope you're doing better!
Julie
In what way was your EKG irregular? What follow-up is planned for that? I really don't know of a correlation between MS and heart problems, but I certainly am no expert on the subject!
As far as recovering vision after a bout of ON - my daughter has lost a little vision overall, but it's still pretty good considering how severe her attacks were. She has had 2 episodes of total blindness for a couple of days (steriods snapped her out of it), and another couple episodes of very diminished vision. She always gets it in both eyes. Her worst problem now is being able to quickly focus on something. It can take a moment to get both eyes focused on what she is looking at.
Hope you're doing better!
Julie
franstranges
07-22-2004, 01:22 PM
hi julie
well this all started when i passed out at work june 24. within three dasy of that my vision in my right deteriorated totaly. the following day i went to the doctors and they ordered blood work and an ekg. My blood work turned up fine but my ekg was reading the same as someone who has had a heart attack. I know i didnt have a heart attack, i mean i am a 21 year old female who up until now rarely ever had any health issues. i now have to go for more cardiac testing. then because they were considered about my vision they did a cat scan, and then diagnossed me with optical neuritis and put me on iv steriods for a week and prescribed oral steriods for a month, which i didnt finish. they were so hard on my stomach that the doctor ok'd it for me to stop them.
it is now july 22 now almost a month and my vision is not back, it has improved, i can sense light and bold shapes close up. but i was told that with steriod treatment it would heal quickly (within a week). i was getting very discouraged until i found this site and someone else told me that their wife experienced it for 2-3 months.
They are scheduling me for an mri, they suspect ms. i hope not.
Since this all started i was an accounting student, trying to graduate early so i had summer classes but since i missed so much with docotrs appointments and was back and forth to the hospitall every 6 hours for the iv i missed so much class i had to drop out.
Currently i am on no medication (and i would like to keep it that way) i have been slathering up in sunscreen and trying to stay outside. as much as the humidity seems to make what little vision i have in my right eye deteriorate instantly i heard that vitimin d will help this heal quickly and so i am trying to stay outside.
from everything i have read i dont see a connections with ms and heart problems either. the doctors are telling me its just a coincidence this all has happened at the same time.
I mean i am not in any kind of pain or discomfort so i really have no right to complain, i am just a little frustrated.
thank you everyone for your anwsers, it makes it less frustrating when you know hwat to expect and can read other accounts so you know what your feeling is not abnormal and you know your not alone ya know...
thanks
francesca
well this all started when i passed out at work june 24. within three dasy of that my vision in my right deteriorated totaly. the following day i went to the doctors and they ordered blood work and an ekg. My blood work turned up fine but my ekg was reading the same as someone who has had a heart attack. I know i didnt have a heart attack, i mean i am a 21 year old female who up until now rarely ever had any health issues. i now have to go for more cardiac testing. then because they were considered about my vision they did a cat scan, and then diagnossed me with optical neuritis and put me on iv steriods for a week and prescribed oral steriods for a month, which i didnt finish. they were so hard on my stomach that the doctor ok'd it for me to stop them.
it is now july 22 now almost a month and my vision is not back, it has improved, i can sense light and bold shapes close up. but i was told that with steriod treatment it would heal quickly (within a week). i was getting very discouraged until i found this site and someone else told me that their wife experienced it for 2-3 months.
They are scheduling me for an mri, they suspect ms. i hope not.
Since this all started i was an accounting student, trying to graduate early so i had summer classes but since i missed so much with docotrs appointments and was back and forth to the hospitall every 6 hours for the iv i missed so much class i had to drop out.
Currently i am on no medication (and i would like to keep it that way) i have been slathering up in sunscreen and trying to stay outside. as much as the humidity seems to make what little vision i have in my right eye deteriorate instantly i heard that vitimin d will help this heal quickly and so i am trying to stay outside.
from everything i have read i dont see a connections with ms and heart problems either. the doctors are telling me its just a coincidence this all has happened at the same time.
I mean i am not in any kind of pain or discomfort so i really have no right to complain, i am just a little frustrated.
thank you everyone for your anwsers, it makes it less frustrating when you know hwat to expect and can read other accounts so you know what your feeling is not abnormal and you know your not alone ya know...
thanks
francesca
Jewel2
07-22-2004, 02:31 PM
Hi Francesca,
A quick word about vitamin D. To my understanding, there have been studies that have shown that increased vitamin D intake before developing MS decreases the risk of developing it, but I haven't heard anything about it helping after the fact. I think more important to consider is tha heat (along with stress) is a big trigger for MS flares. You should be doing everything you can to keep cool. If you are getting hot everyday, that might be why your vision isn't returning more quickly. In fact, my daughter's vision is one of the first things she has problems with when she overheats.
I agree with your docs that it sounds like a coincidence. Something just occured to me - stressful situations (like passing out/heart problem??) can trigger the onset of MS, so it may not be totally a coincidence that both hit close together. My daughter's onset began after she was in a car accident.
Please let us know about the MRI's.
Take care,
Julie
A quick word about vitamin D. To my understanding, there have been studies that have shown that increased vitamin D intake before developing MS decreases the risk of developing it, but I haven't heard anything about it helping after the fact. I think more important to consider is tha heat (along with stress) is a big trigger for MS flares. You should be doing everything you can to keep cool. If you are getting hot everyday, that might be why your vision isn't returning more quickly. In fact, my daughter's vision is one of the first things she has problems with when she overheats.
I agree with your docs that it sounds like a coincidence. Something just occured to me - stressful situations (like passing out/heart problem??) can trigger the onset of MS, so it may not be totally a coincidence that both hit close together. My daughter's onset began after she was in a car accident.
Please let us know about the MRI's.
Take care,
Julie