View Full Version : Difficulty focusing
Hi there.
I've had many symptoms over the last two months, starting just after I had surgery for testicular cancer. Apparently I caught it very early, and all tests (CT scan, X-Rays, blood tests, biopsy details) have been negative, indicating no spread.
About 6 weeks ago I went to my GP because I'd had a week long headache (temples, base of skull), and one pupil looked larger than the other. He shone a light in my eyes and said he couldn't see anything wrong, and told me it was tension.
I've since had a huge amount of symptoms, including pretty much a headache every day in some form or another. Other symptoms include a percived weakness to the left side of my body, walking like one leg is longer than the other, dizzyness, blurred vision, a blue tint to everything after rubbing an eye, and derealisation (it fits better than depersonalisation for me).
Anyhow, I've seen two of my oncologists, who have both given me an extensive neurological exam (light in eyes, touch nose touch finger, perferal vision test, reflex test, weakness test etc) but they say that they can't find anything wrong with me. Its quite a concern of mine really that even with all these symptoms, they don't even consider a scan or something. Obviously my biggest concern is a brain tumor, and although the symptoms of anxiety and a brain tumor look very similar on paper, they have assured me that *they* can tell the difference.
And now we get to the point of this thread...When I focus on objects, it hurts my eyes slightly. If I actually defocus my eyes, giving myself double vision, it feels fine. I'm wondering if this is normal for anxiety sufferers? One pupil is still noticably larger than the other in low light conditions, which of course concerns me as its the other side of my body that feels weaker...But after two GP visits and two oncologist appointments, its increasingly harder to ask for yet another test! I'm really starting to feel like more and more of a hypochondriac with each visit, but these symptoms scare the hell out of me! :(
Any help would be great,
SFAOK
P.S The next test will be at specsavers...I'm due for an eye test anyway, not that it has anything to do with the real reason I'm going....[:P]
Hi there,
You have been through quite a lot recently eh? So happy that the cancer has not spread, i'm not at all medically trained, but would assume after all the tests you have ben given, they would definately know if there was a problem. the symptoms you describe do relate to anxiety, and to be quite honest, please don't underestimate what you have been through, others will be along soon to give better advice, but just wanted to welcome you and say hello xxxxx
My fear is that the brain tumor symptoms are being lost in the middle of all he anxiety symptoms, but I guess (or hope) that its just he health anxiety talking...
I've often found myself saying that I've always been an anxious person, but I've never had a single persistant symptom to go with it, even when I'm so anxious I'm shaking or even vomiting. But then my logical side jumps in and reminds me that I never had a panic attack before all this either, yet I suffered my first just prior to being diagnosed (worrying about the strange lump I'd found).
Hi, Gosh you have been through the mill.
My son has a brain condition, he has had previous brain surgery and recently had a brain scan because he went to see his GP with some symptoms and said would he not feel happy until he had had a scan to clear him of his worries.it was about 10years since his previous scan.
He offered to go private but was then immediately referred. I know this is completely different to your problem but perhaps if you did have a scan you would feel better.Or if you saw a neurologist.i know other people will think this is perhaps a waste of health peoples time and money but if you really do feel that convinced then I think you should ask.
Hope you get lots of good advice, Love Alexis,x
Hi SFAOK, I also occassionaly have one pupil larger than the other. I spoke to my GP because I was sure it was caused by pressure on my brain (lol). He gave it an amazing name and said it was absolutely nothing to worry about, just that my reflexes were reacting a little slower in that eye. I too get headaches, especially on one side of my head, base of my skull and in my temples. My mum died from a brain tumor so this is always on my mind. Her symptoms were so different to mine. I have also felt like i was walking with a limp, just thought it was my shoes!! I get a floaty floor feeling too and really bad motion sickness even if i sit on a swing for a while i get off and still feel like i'm moving. Try and feel reassured by what the profs have told you, they are the experts afterall. Take care of yourself, KT x
Be gentle and you will need no strength, be patient and you will achieve all things.
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">Hi SFAOK, I also occassionaly have one pupil larger than the other. I spoke to my GP because I was sure it was caused by pressure on my brain (lol). He gave it an amazing name and said it was absolutely nothing to worry about, just that my reflexes were reacting a little slower in that eye.</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
My GP said that it was 'completely normal' too, about 6 to 8 weeks ago. I figure if there really was pressure behind that eye, and I saw symptoms that far back, then it almost certainly would have been detected by my oncologist a few days ago if it was anything sinister. How reliable is that shining a light in your eye thing they do? In my experience, GP's love doing it! Are they just looking at the way the pupil reacts or is it more complicated than that? I'd love to research this stuff, but like all anxiety sufferers even a single sentence when 'symptom hunting' can turn you into a nervous wreck for weeks!
Do other people notice or can spot this pupil difference too ? Often when you stand in front of a mirror one does look larger than the other.
I think an optician is a good idea as they are the specialists in this field and can fully reassure you.
walking funny, head rushes and dizziness (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3610)
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">Do other people notice or can spot this pupil difference too ? Often when you stand in front of a mirror one does look larger than the other.
<div align="right">Originally posted by Meg - 26 June 2005 : 21:35:21</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
I've asked my girlfriend many a time and 90% of the time she says they are the same size, even though I looked in the mirror all but 10 seconds before and saw atleast a 3mm difference!
On the other 10% though, she has indeed said that they are noticably different. Doesn't matter which direction I stand in. I've told my GP/oncologist but they don't seem to be concerned.
It's because its actually impossible to focus on both closely at once. So when you minorly move your vision to focus on the other, both eyes react to the light again (accomodation) and thus the one you focus on dilates a bit more.
The optometrist is the best person to discuss these sorts of worries with.. they spent years just studying eyes.
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
Well I went to my optometrist this morning. Apparently I passed all tests with flying colours (eye chart, pressure, field of vision etc). She said that she must agree with the doctors - everything looks perfectly normal.
I asked her on the way out about my different pupil size, and she said that she wasn't going to mention it because it might alarm me/raise my anxiety levels, but that she did infact notice that one pupil was slightly larger than the other. She went on to say that its probably due to the fact that my face is slightly asymetrical, especially around the eyes - and that many people don't notice it until they get contact lenses. She said that her eyes were the same, and I did notice that one of her pupils was slightly larger than the other too.
She went on to say that I should contact my GP imedietly if I notice it getting worse. Perfect, just what my health anxiety needs! [:P]
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