Dilated Pupils

[jeqpjvq]

I have been suffering from severe anxiety for a number of months, which has caused the following symptoms:

hyperventilation
IBS
GERD
Numbness and tingling
Headaches/temple pain
Chest Pain
Chest Tightness
Insomnia
Nausea
Stomach Pain
Shortness of breath

Recently I have had dilated pupils which do not constrict unless light is shone in them. My vision is blurry in addition to this and I feel very spaced out. This initially happened after a dose of setraline, which I was taken off. I have also become aware that my breathing is manual and not automatic.

Has this happened to anyone else?

[Blinkyrocket]

You might benefit from relaxing your breathing/breathing a little less so you don't lose so much CO2. Tingling extremities makes one think hypocapnea but usually you have to open your mouth and really breathe deep to get that. You could check your temp with a thermometer, are your hands and feet cold? My feet get so cold that my big toes are getting numb sometimes but I don't think it's neuropathy because the feeling comes back if I warm my feet up. Apparently hypothyroid ppl have this problem and yet 2 years ago my TSH came back as 0.6. I found out that many, many things can lower TSH besides the actual thyroid hormone itself so the TSH test for testing thyroid function is practically useless. Doctors just use it because T4 (the inactive hormone) can lower TSH significantly without actually improving symptoms all too well in most people.

[jeqpjvq]

I have tried this, and it does help with some of the symptoms but not the pupil dilation issue which is causing me to become extremely anxious.

I was seen at accident and emergency last night and the answer I was given was 'I don't know', they only really reassured me that I present as okay neurologically.

I am unsure if I can accept this in light of the dilation.

---------- Post added at 00:38 ---------- Previous post was at 00:36 ----------

Oh and yes, I have shivers and chills and my hands and feet are cold. I have also been seen and was told my thyroid tests are normal, but that I do have many of the symptoms... I'm a bit lost with all of this.

[Fishmanpa]

Dilated pupils are a known side affect of Zoloft (Sertraline). All the other symptoms are known anxiety symptoms.

Concerning the breathing? It is automatic. You just happen to be hyper-focused on it.


You could check your temp with a thermometer, are your hands and feet cold?

Certainly some breathing exercises can help especially if you're experiencing a panic attack but why would adding a self checking behavior like taking your temperature be beneficial?

Positive thoughts

[jeqpjvq]

I've been off setraline for over a week, I only took one dose of it.

Immediately after I took it my pupils dilated for over 24 hours. I was advised to stop taking it due to a combination of that and agitation.

The drug been out of my system for over a week.

[Blinkyrocket]

Dilated pupils are a known side affect of Zoloft (Sertraline). All the other symptoms are known anxiety symptoms.

Concerning the breathing? It is automatic. You just happen to be hyper-focused on it.



Certainly some breathing exercises can help especially if you're experiencing a panic attack but why would adding a self checking behavior like taking your temperature be beneficial?

Positive thoughts
Just as diagnostic, Broda Barnes was some big endocrinologist who particularly liked the thyroid and said that a good test of its function was checking your body temp. Although, this is most useful in the morning before eating and then after eating, if your temperature lowers after eating, you were running on stress throughout the night. Not a full proof test but can be useful because it's easy to do.

[Fishmanpa]

I've been off setraline for over a week, I only took one dose of it.

Immediately after I took it my pupils dilated for over 24 hours. I was advised to stop taking it due to a combination of that and agitation.

The drug been out of my system for over a week.

I can see why you were taken off the med if one dose had that strong a reaction. That being said, it's most certainly would be out of your system as you say. In light of checking out neurologically, I would lean toward anxiety causing the symptoms. The anxious physiology can cause the body to react in raised blood pressure which can affect your eyes causing dilated pupils and blurred vision. There are several references to this and it's listed in the Symptoms (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/symptoms#Eyes_Blurred_vision_Eyes_sensitive_to_lig ht_Dry_watery_or_itchy_eyes) link here on the site. The key is to reduce the stress and anxiety thus reducing the symptoms.




Just as diagnostic, Broda Barnes was some big endocrinologist who particularly liked the thyroid and said that a good test of its function was checking your body temp. Although, this is most useful in the morning before eating and then after eating, if your temperature lowers after eating, you were running on stress throughout the night. Not a full proof test but can be useful because it's easy to do.


But Why? While thyroid conditions, specifically hypothyroidism have been known to be associated with anxiety, I didn't see anything in the OP's post that would even remotely refer to this. The agree with the OPs response to you bringing this up as being a bit confusing. Again, with respect, why offer something that may trigger additional anxiety or a self checking behavior?

Positive thoughts

[Blinkyrocket]

He mentioned that he had numbness and tingling, I figured his hands and feet were cold too. Thyroid tests are not very useful, and don't reveal whether or not your tissues are actually sufficiently using thyroid hormone etc.

To me, I just don't understand why one wouldn't want to know, I'd wanna know that it wasn't all in my head, in fact if I had chest pains I'd be more relieved if they were being caused by real angina or at least tight and sore chest muscles (which is what it is for anxious people) instead of just in my head.

[MyNameIsTerry]

He mentioned that he had numbness and tingling, I figured his hands and feet were cold too. Thyroid tests are not very useful, and don't reveal whether or not your tissues are actually sufficiently using thyroid hormone etc.

To me, I just don't understand why one wouldn't want to know, I'd wanna know that it wasn't all in my head, in fact if I had chest pains I'd be more relieved if they were being caused by real angina or at least tight and sore chest muscles (which is what it is for anxious people) instead of just in my head.

I agree. Rule things out to be sure, like any good doctor should do.

It's an assumption anyway to say that taking your temperature is creating a cycle of self testing. For many anxiety sufferers, they don't have such obsessive cycle issues. As an OCD sufferer, I don't either despite having had many subtypes because mine were not health related.

---------- Post added at 05:06 ---------- Previous post was at 05:00 ----------


I've been off setraline for over a week, I only took one dose of it.

Immediately after I took it my pupils dilated for over 24 hours. I was advised to stop taking it due to a combination of that and agitation.

The drug been out of my system for over a week.

I see a couple of possibilities worth thinking about over the Sert issue.

For a drug to completely leave your blood plasma (elimination via liver, urine, faeces, etc where appropriate) you would be talking 7 of it's half lives if you go by the standard pharmacokinetic calculation. Drugs vary so this isn't exact though.

So, Sert has a half life of 23-26 hours. So, say 26x7=182 hours / 24 = 7.58 days.

So, yes it would be out by then BUT have you considered the fact it has a less active metabolite that has a half life of 66 hours? This would give 66x7=462 hours / 24 = 19.25 days.

So, I'm wondering whether the less active metabolite could be a reason? If so, you haven't been off it long enough to ensure this is out of your body. Perhaps asking a pharmacist could be a good move as I doubt a GP is going to have such knowledge?

Another possibility is if diluted pupils themselves are a known anxiety symptom irrespective of the Sert, by pushing your anxiety levels way up could this be a new anxiety symptom? I don't know if it but it's just something to have a look into.