My strange medical scare
I had a very bizarre and scary medical scare this weekend. Saturday we were at the vet with Nanny, and before we left I suddenly lost vision in my left eye. I could see a few spots of light/shape out of it, but mostly it was just dark. After 30 minutes or so of not getting better, we decided to go to the ER. They couldn't tell us too much, but that they expected my vision to return and referred us to an eye doctor for Mon morning. At the eye doctor Monday, they determined a vein had closed (occlusion) and it had caused an artery to hemmorhage. I lost my sight due to blood pooling in my eye fluid. The doctor was really sensitive when he told me... "We've got a problem!" "This just doesn't happen in young, healthy people!"  
Anyway, he referred us to a specialist for blood work. We went to the specialist today, but since they didn't warn me about fasting, they're going to take the tests Saturday morning. So far, they've found nothing else wrong. An MRI was mentioned, but not necessarily suggested at this point. The most likely cause is a blod clot, which can be a result of any number of things... my birth control, genetics, lupus, cancer.  They're going to test my blood sugar, cholesteral, genetic something-or-other, and who knows what else. And I'm supposed to take a baby aspirin everyday. And get off my birth control...  lol
This is all pretty scary, considering both doctors told me that this is not normal for a 27-year-old. I'm trying to not worry too much, especially with everything else on my plate. By the way, most of my vision is normal, but there are some fuzzy spots left. They took some photos of the inside of my eye, and there are still some blood spots in there, so I guess that's what I see. If anyone has heard of this before, I would love to hear about it. Thanks. |
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| Oh Stephanie, I am sooooo sorry! Unfortunately, I have not heard of this before so I can't tell you anything about it but I do hope everything is going to turn out just fine.
Are you in pain? Why do you need to take the baby aspirin? Did you get the picture of the inside of your eye or did you at least see it?    |
| Stephanie-- I don't have any experience with this either but I am hoping for the best. I know it must be so scary but try to keep up a positive attitude. We are all rooting for you.
Kata -- I think the baby aspirin is meant to reduce the risk of blood clots. Aspirin thins the blood. |
| Oh, yeah! That's right. Thanks Valerie for reminding me of that - my mom takes aspirin every day for that reason. |
| My sister ended up going temporarily blind in her teens.
I think it lasted about a month. I believe they found nothing medically wrong and blamed it on stress of High School. I will double check with her. I don't know if there was any blood involved, I was away at college. |
| I don't know anything regarding this. Sorry. But I wish you well and hope the vision returns.
I do agree w/ the blood thinner, and getting off the pill. I had a clot (in my thigh) in my early 20's and was told to never go on the pill again.  |
| I lose vision when I get migraines but usually not completely, I'll just see spots or my vision gets so clouded I can't see but it's not a total blackout. The pain in my head is usually much more debilitating than the loss of vision. However, a friend of mine regularly gets ocular migraines-- no head pain whatsoever but he just goes completely blind. Afterward, when his vision starts coming back, he usually still has spotty vision for a short period. Did your doctor mention anything like that to you? It sounds a lot like what he goes through. |
| Wow, that's really scary!
I'm wishing you the best for your tests. |
| That is so scary...I had an optical migraine just once thank goodness. No pain just white jazzy pattern all along the bottom of one eye it lasted 20 minutes. I went to the eye department and she said it was just one of those things. I was absolutely terrified. |
| Oh my goodness how scary! I hope you are feeling better. Make sure you let us know the results! Could it have been caused by anything at the vets?
My mum used to tell me it could cause problems if you get dog poo in your eye, which, now I own a sheepie really doesnt sound so impossible  |
| That is scary! We sometimes get head injury patients that experience similar things, but it is usually associated with a trauma. Blood thinners are usually how the docs treat them first of all. Is your blood pressure ok? Sometimes high blood pressure can play a part too.
Good luck, I hope they figure this all out for you and your vision returns to normal! |
| What a frightening experience, Stephanie. I'm hopeful that the doctors can find the cause and fix the problem quickly and with minimal stress and tests for you. |
| Yes, I have heard of it and suspected such when I started reading your post. Husband has it. One day driving down the road he realized half the site is one eye was missing. Called our eye doc who searched and searched and finally, "There it is!" He could see the bleed. Treatment is the same as your's; baby aspirin. It's been 10 years or so, he initially went to the opthamologist every 3 months for check up, then 6 months, now it is just once a year. The area cleared mostly but he does have a bit of macular degeneration in that eye.......a dead spot that he doesn't notice. However, since then he won't night drive saying it bothers him too much.
So hopefully yours was stress enduced and will clear totally or as much as possible. Now you know what's going on and can adjust your life. Seriously consider getting off the birth control, it can really mess up your body after years of use. |
SheepieBoss wrote: Yes, I have heard of it and suspected such when I started reading your post. Husband has it.
Wow! Once again, OES.org members are an incredible resource on all manner of topics! |
Thanks for the concern you guys! 
The ER, the fist doctor we saw, did mention a migraine as a possible cause. However, I did not have a headache, or any pain for that matter, and have never had a migraine. The eye doctor and the internal medicine doctor said that migraines can cause vision loss due to a lack of oxygen to the eye. In my case, it was a vein had closed off. They said this was a structural problem... something physically closed off the vein. At this point, they're just trying to find out why I would have a blood clot. (They think it was a clot, but not certain yet) Apparently, the birth control pills are a very likely cause. That is the first side effect listed. Hopefully it's that! I'll keep everyone posted. |
| Oh my gosh, I will be praying for you. I hope everything is okay! That is so scary.
Just so you know... my friend was on the patch (not sure what you're on) and had the SAME symptoms including loss of eye sight and really bad blood clots. |
| holy cow stephanie!! I am so sorry..how freaky and scary! the best advice i can give you is to just keep a healthy mental attitude...
lean on us, your husband and your friends...the people that you surround yourself with turn out to be better than any medicine...im here for you if you need me!! xo and deep breathes! |
Hope all clears up! Seriously, my mother had leg blood clots from birthcontrol pills. Receiving call from hospital middle of the night as she had just be rushed to emergency from her job in the neonatal really scared me as my father had just died. (she was using the pills to help with hot flashes, not that she was out searching for a new husband  ) As a result, I would never take birth control pills! That was my decision. You can decide what's best for you. |
SheepieBoss wrote: Hope all clears up! Seriously, my mother had leg blood clots from birthcontrol pills. Receiving call from hospital middle of the night as she had just be rushed to emergency from her job in the neonatal really scared me as my father had just died. (she was using the pills to help with hot flashes, not that she was out searching for a new husband
) As a result, I would never take birth control pills! That was my decision. You can decide what's best for you.I asked the doctor if I could just finish out the month 1/2 of pills I have left that I've already bought, and he said "No!"  I don't think I have much of a choice about it. Hopefully that is the reason though. I am hoping he doesn't tell me I have to give up french fries or ice cream. |
| Okay I thought my sister went blind in both eyes and it was only one eye and for about 4 days. She said it was optic neuritis (sp?) |
Quote: I am hoping he doesn't tell me I have to give up french fries or ice cream.
Oh the horrors!!! |
| Oh, wow, how scary. You sound so calm about it!
I hope it turns out to be nothing serious. And now maybe you'll be joining Storkwatch 2008... |
| Oh Stephanie, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I hope you get all your vision back quickly. big hugs! |
That sounded terrifying, Stephanie!  Hopefully it will turn out to be something easily treated. Keep us posted! |
SheepieBoss wrote: Quote: I am hoping he doesn't tell me I have to give up french fries or ice cream. Oh the horrors!!! lol I know... where are my priorities??  barney1 wrote: Oh, wow, how scary. You sound so calm about it!
I hope it turns out to be nothing serious. And now maybe you'll be joining Storkwatch 2008... Oh I plan on joining you guys in 08 regardless! (Hopefully, June or July).
I guess I sound calm because I decided the birth control probably gave me the blood clots. At least I hope so. I don't have much of a medical history (I've never even had stitches!), so I'm not sure how to react yet. I am really nervous about Sat morning though, when they do the blood work. I get very squimish about blood and basically pass out every time I've had blood drawn. Silly, I know, but I can't help it. |
| #1, tell the blood drawer, so they put you in a safe place or position.
#2, don't look! Look away! Don't even look before! #3, it really doesn't hurt much at all, 90% of the time. Even when it is bothersome, it's not like a kick in the teeth, it just pinches hard for a little bit. #4, don't even THINK about passing out! It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy! Really! It's just a couple of teaspoons worth; a person who donates blood gives more than a pint! So don't worry. Once I gave up 22 tubes over a couple of weeks. |
| I was going to say the same thing as barney. Maybe it's a sign to just start trying now. |
| Yikes, that's scary stuff! I can barely see out of my right eye but it's always been like that and I'm used to it, but to happen so suddenly is truly frightening. |
| Well, I am a little more worried now. I did some online research on "Retinal Vein Occlusion" to find out some possible causes. Other than the birth control pills, the options don't sound good.
"...Some common risk factors for this form of retinal vessel occlusion include high blood pressure, diabetes, open-angle glaucoma, lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, syphilis and use of oral contraceptives."
My grandpa had leukemia (he died from it), but I read that it's more common in men and not necessarily hereditary. I probably shouldn't even be researching this until after my blood test results. I know my mom and grandma had vericose veins, and it mentioned that somewhere too. Basically at this point the concern is not the vision, but why do I have vein problems or blood clots.
As for the needles and blood... I never EVER look (ew!). It's just something weird about blood. Even talking/thinking about it for too long makes me light-headed. I'll try and not let it get to me. |
| Stephanie ,
Like you said you have not had much of a medical history in the past so I would not just think of the worst. Keep positive . Sheepie hugs and prays coming your way ...........
Antoinette |
| Okay, STOP reading the internet. It's one of the worst inventions of all times when it comes to medicine! For all the useful, helpful information on it, there's a 100 pieces of bad info or info that you don't know how to interpret correctly.
My husband, who's a doctor, thinks the internet is annoying because people will come to him thinking they know what's wrong with them because they googled it. And when it's not what they are thinking, they second guess him... Okay, rant over, from the pregnant girl who spent the first few weeks reading EVERYTHING on the internet, and convinced herself that every little thing was a sign something bad was happening, or when something wasn't happening, that was bad too. My OB banned me from the internet.  |
| Stay positive!!! We'll keep our fingers crossed and prayers that God takes care of you. I know I'd be doing the same thing as you even though my mil will preach what Barney did above. I agree w/everything she said, but I think it's naive not to do it! |
| so did my general surgeon, plastic surgeon and oncologist(his ban was just yesterday when i called with a gazillion questions regarding one of the drugs.....and used the phrase..."i read on the internet...." |
barney1 wrote: Okay, STOP reading the internet. It's one of the worst inventions of all times when it comes to medicine! For all the useful, helpful information on it, there's a 100 pieces of bad info or info that you don't know how to interpret correctly.
My husband, who's a doctor, thinks the internet is annoying because people will come to him thinking they know what's wrong with them because they googled it. And when it's not what they are thinking, they second guess him... Okay, rant over, from the pregnant girl who spent the first few weeks reading EVERYTHING on the internet, and convinced herself that every little thing was a sign something bad was happening, or when something wasn't happening, that was bad too. My OB banned me from the internet. I'm so guilty of that too! When Tony rushed me to the hospital because I KNEW I had an apendisits (from the internet) and it turned out to be a kidney stone!!!!!! We have to stop diagonosing ourselves. |
| I know! I know! But it's too hard not too.
I diagnosed myself with bronchitis last year when my cough wouldn't go away, and when I went to the Dr. and she told me that's what I had, I felt SO smart!
I'm not thinking the worst right now. And it sounds like it is fairly common for birth control to cause blood clots. 
Even though I shouldn't have , I read some of the other symptoms of those scary diseases... and I don't have any of them!  And now I'm going to have to research alternative birth control methods... either that or have 100 children. |
| I vote for the 100 children! |
barney1 wrote: My husband, who's a doctor, thinks the internet is annoying because people will come to him thinking they know what's wrong with them because they googled it. And when it's not what they are thinking, they second guess him... What's wrong with that? I think he should take the time and explain his differential diagnosis to them if they are that involved in their own health.
People are annoying in hundreds of ways, it goes with the territory. Me, I can't get the doctors to figure out what was wrong. I'm positive I have this particular disease, since I read on the internet the symptoms are exactly like mine... how could they have missed it? |
| I can totally see how hearing theories of what they have all the time can be irritating. .......esp when they're "so far out there."
My doctors usually like when people search the net because they say it helps them with things they didn't think of (maybe b/c i left out one of my symptoms, etc). |
| I have definitely done at least 2 times as much research on Fibromyalgia than my Dr. He encourages it and asks if I find anything of real interest to please bring it in for him to read and I do. He doesn't have the time.
Sometimes I feel like his teacher.  |
| Oh, I think researching things about your health on the internet in general is fine. But what bothers my husband and his doctor friends is that people are SO certain that they have X disease because they have elbow pain and elbow pain is a sure sign of cardiac arrest and then won't listen to anything else.
He's all for supplemental research and he also knows they don't know everything and he doesn't just dismiss people, it's just when people completely diagnose themselves and are wrong but don't believe it, that's what he has a problem with. And an example of internet medicine--I am taking a pretty strong medicine and one of the side effects could be a thing called lactic acidosis. VERY rare that it happens and I think they're even going to take it off the label as a warning, but leg pain is a symptom. so I had leg pain and was CERTAIN I was going to die from this...until my husband calmed me down. Oh yeah, I didn't die |
| I wish I had a nickle for every patient I have had to tell to stay off the internet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
barney1 wrote: I am taking a pretty strong medicine and one of the side effects could be a thing called lactic acidosis. VERY rare that it happens and I think they're even going to take it off the label as a warning, but leg pain is a symptom. so I had leg pain and was CERTAIN I was going to die from this...until my husband calmed me down. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAD! And my ears were burning and my heart was pounding and, and... well your husband was just wrong, you probably did die -- he just missed that symptom, too.
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| A good friend of mine had a clot that effected her vision. She didn't lose her vision completely but she had an annoying blob in her peripheral vision. She checked it out and the Doc said that it was a clot that had broken up. My friend is the epitome of good health, so it came as a complete shock as well. She went through all of the tests and they just said it was a fluke thing. They also put her on the aspirin a day treatment and I'm afraid to mention that the aspirin did a number on her esophagus and upper GI and made her a bit sick. So please be careful about the aspirin, you might want to get a second opinion about that. There are herbal blood thinners like Horse Chestnut that you might want to look into.
Definitely stay off of the pill now that you have had a clot. They just had a story on the National news that they are finding that extremely healthy women that are on the pill, are having unexplained amounts of plaque build up in their arteries. They say that for every 10 years on the pill, you will have 20-30% plaque build-up. They say that women on the pill regularly should see a cardiologist at age 50 to evaluate their artery health. I know a clot is concerning, I had an unexplained deep vein thrombosis myself, a couple of years ago behind my left knee and I wasn't on the pill or a smoker. I received clot buster drugs & blood thinner treatment and it went away quickly. It is always in the back of my mind though that it will happen again. There is a blood test to see if you have weird clotting factors in your blood. You might want to look into that. Also vitamin K helps your blood clot so that is always a consideration as well. |
| I'm so sorry you are experiencing this! This happened to my friend and she was extremely scared and freaked out. Heck, I got an eye allergy and was completely freaked out so I completely feel for you!
I have a very close friend that completely lost the vision in one of her eyes unexpectedly. She was seen by medical specialists and was given a very dismall no hope type of prognosis. Here's the good news: she utilized non traditional sources of healing and her vision came back. 100% I'm pretty sure. So there is always hope!!!!! |
1st Time OES Mommy wrote: .....As for the needles and blood... I never EVER look (ew!)...
Tell the nurse when she comes to get you that you have a problem with needles, and blood tests. TAKE pictures of your sheepie baby with you, and lay them out on the opposite side they're working on. Keep your mind focused on something you LOVE, instead of something you fear/dread. It'll be over before you know it. Good luck, and God bless. Mouthypf (Pam) |
| Hi,
I haven't been able to keep up with post as often as I had in the past, but wanted you to know you're in my thoughts. Marianne |
| Husband had none of the "causes", it just happened.
Trust me, he was not on oral contraceptives |
| My first migraine headache came without pain. I lost my peripheral vision in my right eye. I was in my twenties and at work and it scared the bageebees out of me. Left work, went to dr, diagnosis: Migraine. I never had any pain with that one and have had many migraines since and have never had that symptom. The migraine was the first "headache" I had ever had in my life...up until then, I had never experienced a headache.
Good luck with your diagnosis....I hope everything clears up soon. |
Okay, I had my lab work done yesterday morning. They made me fast for 12 hours beforehand, and then they took TWELVE vials of blood!! Yes, TWELVE!! 
It was awful and I couldn't hold my head up straight. At least I got to stay in the chair for a while before we left. I was supposed to eat afterwards, but I just wanted to sleep (which I did, for about 3 hours). I guess they're doing about a million (or 12, lol) tests from my blood, so I should hear from them by the end of the week. Oh, and the scary thing was that I lost vision off and on again all day yesterday. I had no vision in my left eye while she was taking my blood. Can a clot do that? Is it staying in the same spot?
Anyway, it was pretty rough but now we just have to wait. I'll let you guys know what they tell us! Thanks for all of your thoughts and concern! It is very touching. |
| Stephanie!! 12 vials..............you poor thing......We will be ALL keeping our fingers, toes and paws crossed until we hear from you again.... |
| No I have never heard of that. Sorry to hear this has happened. Hope all goes ok. |
| Well, if you're in the process of fainting it all goes black... |
| I hope you get some answers real soon! My brother in law and his mother in law came for a visit a few days ago, and she mentioned that she had been to the eye dr. because of blood in one of her eyes. She is 71 years old. I didn't get many details, but she had to have the blood removed somehow. I'd never heard of this before. I have also had the strange migraines that involve weird patterns in the peripheral vision, then they go away in about 15 minutes, it doesn't hurt. Hoping everything goes well for you
sharon and max |
Ron wrote: Well, if you're in the process of fainting it all goes black...
In only one eye?? Plus, it did it before and after the blood work. It's scary because every time that happens it can cause permanent damage. We'll see. (Or hopefully, I'll see. Ha ha.) |
| I'm sorry you are going through this and hope that they discover the cause.
12 vials looks like a lot but it really isn't that much blood. Each vial contains only a few cc's, so it looks much worse than it is. It is much less blood than you would give if you were donating blood. Next time just don't watch!! Good Luck! |
| WOW.... I hope you find out FAST what the issue is and just maybe it will be something simple enough to take care of.
Hang in there.... |
| Stephanie, I'm so sorry you are going through all of this. But you are facing it head on, which is a good thing. Soon, you'll have an answer. I'll be praying for you. |
| I'm glad you survived the blood letting! Wow, that's a lot of vials. I thought that the 6 they took from me for my first OB appt was a lot!
I hope they find the cause and that it turns out to be something easily fixed. |
Tasker's Mom wrote: It is much less blood than you would give if you were donating blood. Next time just don't watch!! Good Luck!
Oh trust me, I NEVER watch! Too scary!! And I would never let them take blood voluntarily!! That's wonderful that so many people can donate blood, but unfortunately I'm not one of them. I would need a transfusion by the time they were done. And isn't there a weight restriction on donating? Maybe I can hide behind that! |
| I think the weight restriction is 110--I've found it's a great excuse to stay in shape! (I know giving blood is a good thing...) |
| I don't know..... no one ever asked ME if I met the weight restriction when I give blood |
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