Hey guys I will try and keep this as short as possible.

Well, for the past 8 months I have had anxious like symptoms and then began to experience visual disturbances accomponied with chronic head aches. I then went to hospital after a Optomologist found that I had swollen optic nerves in both eyes and then was diagnosed with Benign Intractracnial Hypertension which is when pressure in the head builds up giving chronic head aches and visual discturbances but doctors still do not know what cause it although 90% of all woman who get it are over weight to obese and I weigh 100 Kilos when I should be 54 for my height so what I am wanting to know if any of you know something about this or have gone through or are going through this is,

- If I am to lose weight, will the pressure then become normal again and go away,
- Could my anxiety (which I seemed to have developed before the BIH symptoms began) be related or be connected to Bening Intracranial Hypertension,
- If medications, random Lumbar Punctures and weight loss do not take this away, then what other avenues do I have besides surgery as I do not like the chances of the surgary coming out successful

Thanks for the help guys and just for reading this I am actually thankful that I have gotten this as this is my body letting me know that I am not healthy and there is no doubt that I need to get healthy again and lose weight. I have put my body through so much and I myself deserve better so I totally accept what is happening to me and now I am ready to go through the healing process and would like to know how I could thanks!

have they considered Arnold Chiari malformation?

Hi there!

OMG I have been diagnosed with exactly the same thing! Benign Intracranial Hypertension.

I haven't really noticed many symptoms yet - I just noticed a few blotchy spots in my right eye mainly but I put that down to being tired. I get headaches and stuff which pain killers don't really do anything for, but I thought what they hey - it's been 5 years, why not get my eye checked out!

I went to my optom - there was some concern there he says. So he refers me to the Eye specialist who finds that my optic nerves are definitely swollen. He gives me some reasoning for this but the only one I heard was TUMOR! And I'm only 25!!!

From here he refers me to get a MRI scan, then it turns into a CT scan first then maybe MRI. Then it's changed again - a CT scan, then a LUMBER PUNCTURE! Holy crap!

I'm pleased to say I had an MRI done about a month ago and it's not a tumor! So I have been diagnosed with Benign Intracranial Hypertension.

They have to take a Lumbar punture to measure the pressure to see if that's definitely the cause. My first 5 lumbar punctures failed I had a horrible headache for days but I put that down to incompetence of the New Zealand Health System. I go back for hopefully a successful one on Tuesday....

IF this is the case, I've been told weight loss healps (i'm 90kgs and should be about 65 for my height) which makes me the perfect specimen for benign intracranial hypertension! go figure. My doc is going to put me on weight loss, and then to reduce the CSF (cerebrial spinal fluid) accumulating around my brain to relieve the optic nerve swelling that could eventually lead to blindness, there is the option of drugs or a shunt being surgically installed in my neck to ask as a pump to push excess fluid out of the brain!

God that was a marathon writing that - but I hope that helps you and any one that could help me out as well with any information they have that would be so appreciated! As to be honest - I'm not keen about lumbar punture number 6 on Tuesday

Hey thanks for the reply. I was just wondering would you or anyone else know if any one has fully recovered from this or if you or any one else is recovering and getting better. I have only had this for 8 months and already since my first follow up LP I have noticed that my eye sight has improved very much, I no longer have ringing in my ear and I no longer have pulsating pressure in my head when I stand up or basically do anything. Although I am still having tiny migraines now and then with this weird feeling of blood pumping hard through out my body especially my head and still have pins and needles in my arms now and then and hands. Do you ever get the feeling of blood pumping hard through out your body or head? or do you ever get pins and needles now and then OR are you having what I have been having where the head aches are ALWAYS on one side of the head and the ringing is always just on ONE side of the head and the pressure feels worse on one side of the head?

oh and i have heard many successful surgeries as well! so no need to worry about that as I think I would rather have the surgery than go blind! I haven't heard a bad story yet - but i'm gonna keep delving into the internet

and sorry i meant my doc was going to put me on weight loss PILLS and that i would eventually go blind IF if pressure on my optic nerves isn't corrected

The most common cause is the tetracycline family.
Minocycline used long term for acne may cause this, and is the most common, I think.

Also excess intake of Vit A, the retinol form. (often a treatment by dermatologists for acne--but not as common now compared to a few years ago).

Here is an article about it:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/000351.htm

I have seen people use the Diamox (acetazolamide) or Lasix
(furosemide) for mild to moderate cases.

Yes there are many causes of it and that apparently is one, that my neurologist pointed out but I have never been treated in this way for acne so that's definitely not why I have BIH.

I have searched and put it down to the weight, being a female in the correct age group, I guess being a rare disease some people are susceptible to it and when the weight is put on, then it just affects or shows BIH a hell of a lot more. We all know weight gain causes all kinds of problems in different people.

Kinda makes me wish I was still going to the gym instead of giving it up only 3 years ago...

But then hindsight is beautiful isn't it? lol.

I'm just glad I got the lesser of two evils - tumor or BIH.

I see these posts are pretty old, but if anyone is still watching this thread, I can't help but wonder how many Dxed w/ Intercranial Hypertension have been on, or been treated with corticosteroids? Other medications?

Looking at what you are taking, or have been given, may just help you avoid a shunt.

BTW, Glycerol taken orally can reduce intracranial pressure. I have to wonder why the jump to such a radical, invasive treatment w/out trying something far less radical 1st? It IS syrupy & not exactly pleasant, but you can get used to it rather quickly, take it in your drinks (vitamin Water & Propel don't taste too horribly bad with it.)

I have to wonder about everything from OTC cortisone creme to Medrol, Kenalog & other corticosteroids as being a possible cause???

VERY curious!