Migraine

quote:

Shortone,

I'll see if I can come up with published research on the intraocular pressure issue.

In the meantime, I'm glad to share some other information with you that's not been published yet. Researchers at the Ohio State University do quite a bit of research on glaucoma. They have a top opthalmic surgery department too, so I was sent there, both for diagnosis and when I started losing a significant amount of vision despite oral meds and eye drops. I have an uncommon form of glaucoma called low-tension glaucoma. Although my pressure has never been above "normal," pressures within that normal range were too high for my optic nerve and caused glaucoma. Luckily, my optometrist spotted a tiny blind spot in the visual fields test. He sent me to an ophthalmologist, who sent me to OSU to confirm the diagnosis. Both my local ophthalmologist and the specialists at OSU told me that intraocular pressure is increased during a Migraine attack. They confirmed it for me by testing when I had a Migraine. It makes sense when you think about the vasodilation and resultant inflammation of surrounding nerves and tissue.

What's more, the docs at OSU think that the years of severe Migraines I had before triptans and when my Migraines were out of control may have CAUSED my glaucoma. The prevalence of Migraine in the general population in around 12%. Among the patients they're studying with low-tension glaucoma, the prevalence of Migraine is 40%. Pretty hard NOT to see a correlation.

Add to all of this that my Migraine specialist diagnosed me with Pseudotumor Cerebri, and there's yet another possible contributor to my vision loss.

Having lost 50% of my vision and the ability to drive at night, I'm super cautious about anything that could impact my vision.

I'd encourage you to make sure that you not only have regular pressure checks, but thorough visual fields tests on a regular basis too. That's the only way they can find low-tension glaucoma before significant loss of vision occurs.

Hope this helps!

quote:

Originally posted by Shortonedreams:
Thank you Teri for your quick response to my question. I moved my new question to a new thread so I wouldn't totally hijack the other thread.

Your explanation made a lot of sense. But it created more uncertainty than answers. I guess now I’m wondering if an increased intraocular pressure could be a symptom of or somehow indicative of pseudotumor cerebri. You said in your reply that your doctors think your migraines may have actually caused your glaucoma. Do they think there is any correlation to the pseudotumor cerebri other than it can also affect your vision? Am I making too big of jump?

After eight years of chronic daily headaches with no explanation as to why they can’t control them, I’m still looking for any rock or stone that has been left unturned. I have done some research on it after seeing it mentioned by you and Nancy on the forum. I do have a few of the symptoms, the main one being hearing the heartbeat in my head, but I don’t know if it is enough really check it out. I am currently under the care of an ophthalmologist due to a severe cornea abrasion. In all of the times she has examined my eye she hasn’t mentioned anything with my optic nerve, just the pressure that runs on the high side of normal. I think it is a long shot and I may be grasping at straws, but maybe that would explain why nothing has been found that can control my migraines. There is a part of me that is hesitant to bring it up to my doctor. I have had such a hard time being taken seriously by some doctors that I don’t want to be looked upon as a hypochondriac. Doctors really don’t know what to do with me anymore.

I am just trying find anything that hasn’t already been addressed explain my current situation. I don’t know what else to do.

Shortone

Teri Robert
Lead Expert, MyMigraineConnection
terimmc@helpforheadaches.com

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The generally long periods of time between my Migraines are the result of working with a Migraine specialist to refine my preventive regimen. You can see my current regimen HERE.

quote:

Originally posted by Shortonedreams:
Thank you so much Teri! You really did help. I will speak with my doctor about the possibility of PTC at my next appointment.

Thank you again,
Shortone

Teri Robert
Lead Expert, MyMigraineConnection
terimmc@helpforheadaches.com

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The generally long periods of time between my Migraines are the result of working with a Migraine specialist to refine my preventive regimen. You can see my current regimen HERE.

quote:

Originally posted by Shortonedreams:
Thank you so much Teri! You really did help. I will speak with my doctor about the possibility of PTC at my next appointment.

Thank you again,
Shortone

quote:

Originally posted by shrinkgirl:
Thanks from me, too, Teri. I'm also addressing this possibility with my neuro. I have only a few of the PTC symptoms, but my headaches remain so atypical and unpredictable, and the pulse in my head and feeling of pressure is pretty frequent, so I'm definitely checking it out, and your info was very helpful.

Robin

Teri Robert
Lead Expert, MyMigraineConnection
terimmc@helpforheadaches.com

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The generally long periods of time between my Migraines are the result of working with a Migraine specialist to refine my preventive regimen. You can see my current regimen HERE.