Ok so what is wrong with me? (full story)

[Vigilante]

Ok 10 years ago I started to notice I had ghosting and doubling vision especially on things that were light against dark like the moon on a dark night, this was with each eye seperately but I still had 20/20 vision. I had numerous checks from eye doctors but was told it was glare and anxiety, I learned to live with this....

5 months ago I started to notice my vision in my left eye was becoming progessively worst but somehow I was ignoring it even though I went to one of my GPs and requested a refereal to the eye docs which was granted, I have been pretty fatigued too since me and my partner had twin girls in march and they were sleeping in our room since we live in a one bedroom flat...anyway the eye doc said nothing was wrong and could not find a reason. The Vision carried on progressing or so I think...the multiple ghosting got worst and worst until I could see a circle of moons with my left eye and could not make out a car number plate from a few feet away.

I have also suffered really bad with allergies all this year, my eyes itched like hell, my nose would leave puddles on my desk and I was sneezing about 600 times per day and like 5-6 times in a row loudly, as well as my mouth itching and whatever else.

Then around 8 weeks ago I got a very bad cold virus on top of this allergy stuff, the result was not smart....I literally went through kitchen rolls/towels of paper not tissues, one of my daughters then caught this and ended up with bronchitis, this lasted around 2 weeks for me before fading off but about 3 days after this I started to get headaches around my forehead, and also in my left cheek region and around my jaw/teeth. I had also started to worry about what was causing my eye problems at this same time, thinking brain problems including tumours anyway I thought hmm could be sinus? seemed to make sense coming straight after this virus, GP gave me two lots of antibiotics - amoxcicillin and doxy, they didnt work..I tried sudafed, sinutab, steaming and whatever else...didnt work. I started to worry more as the weeks progressed, the headache also seemed to change and I started getting a sore scalp, sore neck and a vice like pressure as well as a spaced out feeling.

I already have HA and OCD for around 12 years so I start thinking brain tumour.....again

Finally I got a diagnosis on my left eye after a cornea scan showed I have Keratoconus with abnormal cornea thinning, awaiting a specialised lens fitting for this....yeah nothing wrong said the eye doc...

Now im stuck with these headaches, spaced out/dizzy feel, concentration problems, im even messing my speech (I think, others dont think), making typos everywhere when typing like this and hitting keys next to where I want or at the same time...

Docs think anxiety/stress and me being my own worst enemy yet again, I have Diazepam and Amitriptyline here...

and I just got yet another virus which has gone straight to my sinus/throat and ears it seems since one started popping then I cant even make it pop, doc looked and said it was clear...Im caughing up green shiz after waking up in the morning and if I pinch my nose and blow whatever that is called I get liquid/water squirt from my eye and still my ear will not pop.

uff...what the hell is up with me? brain tumour? or anxiety+sinus+keratoconus? or what...

[PinkIcePrincess]

Hi Vigilante,
   So very sorry you have been through so much and going through all this with the eye now and sick with colds and viruses.
 I am glad to read that you do see the Docs you need to see but I wanted to ask have they ever done an Mri with dye on the head or at least a Ct Scan with Dye on the head just to look at everything in there and the sinus cavities??

 I do know that Anxiety,panic,depression and all the others that go along with this lovely group can sure cause us to get so worn down and out we then start a cycle of symptoms and yes cause ourselves to become ill and it gets Chronic.. Allergies are another issue that can be so bad on us too so making sure you get the right testing is the key..not just labs or a Doc saying don't worry. but if you have had testing done then yes you have to accept it is anxiety ,allergies etc..

  Sometimes we do need to see several types of Doctors to rule out things and get ourselves better!
  Take care and I do hope you feel better soon!!
  PinkIcePrincess

[Vigilante]

Not had any testing like that, My ear has become very blocked over the past few days and doc said he can see it now since the drum is pulled in and whatever. I can get an ENT Referal If I want. I think I have Eustachian tube dysfunction.

My speech has kinda got worst in tune with that becoming blocked as well...hmm maybe its confidence and not hearing myself clear?

but what is the likely hood that I have: Keratoconus, sinus/eustachian tube dysfunction and a brain tumour all at the same time or within weeks of each other....

I probably should look back and realise I was worrying about tumours and other brain problems for causing my vision problem way before I got any headaches.

[sixpack]

I probably should look back and realise I was worrying about tumours and other brain problems for causing my vision problem way before I got any headaches

 

not every pain, headache, stuffy ear etc means something horrendous.  What is the horrendous thing we anxious people engage in is the faulty over thinking.  All it does is send us to Catastrophicville and then we start listening to the loons that run the place.  I've become rather surprised that people put the word just or hopefullyin front of anxiety.... It, to me, highlights that peeps fundamentally don't understand that ANXIETY is a bugger of a disorder that is causing all the junk.   Truthfully I believe anxiety disorder is harder to treat than many of the diseases we are afraid of.... IN part because we are often seem resistant to 1. accept or acknowledge that anxiety is an insidious bugger  2. face the issues that we are, ultimately, covering up with our "disease of the week".  Which is understandable who wants to change or look at uncomfy truths in our lives--financial issues, relationship issues, parenting issues, etc etc?  Yikes that is scary.   

good luck and be well.

[Vigilante]

Another thing Im getting is if I press on my cheek bones then the pain/pressure if felt for ages after or does not fade away....and when I bend over and get that rush of blood to head the area that I usually feel most is around my cheek bones and eyes.

[oak]

maybe you have a sinus infection. your symptoms sound like exactly what I used to get when I got sinus infections.

[Vigilante]

Well funny enough, as I said the pains started straight after a bad virus which lasted 2 weeks, my nose dried up - 2 or 3 days went by and boom pain in face starting around eyes and forehead then onto my left cheek area. also around that time I had my left ear pop/click for around 1 day and also when I had a shower I got water in that left ear and immediately had pain radiate around the left side of my face until the water was back out.

Initially as well the pain used to come on as the day progressed more often then not, maybe 1-2 hours after being awake. I also seemed to get pain that moved about like starting in my cheek as a pressure with slight ache in my upper teeth before that faded off and then I would get lower lip/jaw pain.

I did try two courses of antibiotics, amox and doxy each of these were for 1 week only, I was of the opinion that I should have been on something stronger for a longer period like co-amox for at least 2 weeks? since sinus can be hard to treat?

Two years ago I had issues with my left ear and cheek area as well which was coming and going for around 1 month and then again for a 2 weeks after a little break from it for a few weeks, I had two courses then of co-amox which im sure were longer courses back then.

I have been trying to treat myself with steam and vapours and it does seem to clear my headaches and make my head much lighter for a few mins before it fades back on.

These headaches have been going on for like 7 weeks solid now but im pretty sure it changed pattern in between those 7 weeks starting out like I said above then I had a 2 week period of sore scalp/sore neck and shoulders before that faded somewhat and back to this original pain.

I also caught the latest virus again last week, my fiancee had this and also my twin girls but all of them just had this bad cough as soon as I got it I wake up in the mornings having to clear green mucus out of my throat and both my ears/eustachian tubes seem to block straight up.

Only thing is I dont get any green mucus from nose or any real bad stuffiness, just usually clear mucus.

additional : when I got the first lot of cheek/forehead/jaw pain I tried a sinus rinse one day and it actually seemed to make my pain feel worst.

[sixpack]

Oh gawwwd how i just love that cheek/face/ear pressure/ jaw pressure headache things.    UGH.  Yeah I've been prone to those buggers too.

Somehow or another that topic came up with my bro in law.... he is a psychologist who specializes in helping peeps with chronic pain issues, ie migraines.    He said,  "oh you are having trigeminal migraines.  Yep those are quite common."

Actually haven't had one since I've gotten my anxiety issues under control.  So I am SURE much of it was driven by stress and anxious over thinking.

[Vigilante]

Ok things are moving abit, I just got an appointment for 2moro for a specialist contact lens fitting for the keratoconus, and I just left a message with my doc to carry on and refer me to ENT. I also have an appointment on Friday for the top opthamologist at the local hospital.

Still worried like hell today though that my symptoms = brain tumour, and I still have this pressure kinda pain but it seems like its on the bone that goes from my cheek area to the top of my ear on both sides, feels like im being squeezed.

[marieS1107]

Hey I had this sane thing I went to 2 different eye doctors it turns out that I have dry spots on my eyes. I have learn to ignore it and not get scared by it anymore but it was really scary in the beginning it might be worse depending on season (winter dry heat, summer humidity) diet allergies medications pregnancy etc.

[Vigilante]

So I still have constant pain/pressure in both my cheeks under my eyes, as I said if I hold them and pressure myself and release the pain stays there, if I bend over I get it come on but if I hold them while bending there is no pain or pressure. sound like sinus problems?

The sore neck/scalp thing I had previously is intermittant now and havent really had a sore neck for over 1 week.

[Vigilante]

Bad to worst!

My eye condition is more complexe than just keratoconus - seeing top specialist 2moro but the amount of thinning on my cornea could well suggest it is PMD - Pellucid Marginal Degenration  (Keratotorus) and basically unfixable without a transplant of my cornea....


headaches remain and had this one the entire day starting with nothing this morning while laying in bed to a dull pressure in my left cheek area a few mins after getting out of bed then leading to both my cheeks feeling pain/pressure within an hour or so and iv had that plus temple/forhead ache all day long.

The blocked ear also remains but intermittant at the moment.

All I do is worry worry worry it is actually on my mind every single second of the day, nothing distracts my mind from the thought of having a brain tumour. I could be talking to you and still be thinking it.

Also my speach is sloppy, im not slurring but its like its not me talking, I dont say the words I really want to say or I pause in between talking or make slight errors and correct myself very quickly.

We had my fiancees bro round last night with his fiancee and the whole time I was full of adrenaline like feeling completely on edge incase I messed up....

other symptoms I have right now:

fatigue
dizzyness
spaced out
loss of interest

[Vigilante]

specialist opinion on eye = probably only correctable now with a cornea transplant.....

headache all day again

Pressure behind eyes was normal as well and no signs to suggest a brain tumor.

anyone?