I had a bout with very bad blurry vision after taking Exedrin the other day. It lasted for 1.5 days.

By coincidence, I had an appointment with the neuro the second day. He treats me for headaches/ migraines.

Tylenol and such never works for me. Imitrex sometimes makes me tired and I had much to get done. Instead, I took two Exedrin. Shortly afterward, I had a lot of blurry vision. The next morning, it was better...but still blurry. By afternoon (the next day) it was gone.

Blurry vision really bothered the neuro. He did a visual field/color brightness test using a little organge ball and said things were a little "off."

He concluded a few things...I might be at big time risk for stroke and my tiny pituitary tumor could have grown. So, he ordered an MRI with and w/o contrast to be done within a week. He also gave me baby aspirin which I'm to take daily for at least one month. (I have a medical condition that prevents me from taking baby aspirin all the time...daily/regularly).

Has anyone heard of Exedrin causing blurry vision? Stroke? I'm thinking it has something to do with the pituitary tumor or it is some unsual reaction to the caffeine and headache. Thoughts? Thank you.

VL, I have had migraine without aura since childhood. About a year and a half ago, I started having episodes during which I can't talk. My doc was also thinking stroke and I had several imaging studies and an eeg. Everything was normal. My dx was complicated migraine.

Then several months ago I had 2 episodes about 6 weeks apart that included extreme confusion, visual disturbance including double vision, and I lost control of my legs for 2 day. A week after the second event, I had an episode where I couldn't talk for several hours and my legs also gave out.

Again I had an eeg and several imaging studies and everything was normal. Eventually my dx was basilar migraine but it was puzzling because it is unusual to have onset at my age (56). It turns out that oral contraceptives can trigger basilar migraine. I never took oral contraceptives but I had been taking Tamoxifen for 3 years. Both oral contraceptives and Tamoxifen contain estrogen so my neuro figured that the Tamoxifen was triggering the symptoms. I cut out the tamoxifen and except for the speech problem, the episodes have stopped. My severe depression also lifted when I stopped tamoxifen.

Now back to your problem. First, it would be a good idea to have imaging studies: mri and mra of head and neck, Carotid doppler, and eeg. If you have had a stroke or TIA it will show up. If not, the visual disturbance might be migraine aura. One of my doctors noted that it is good if the imaging studies are normal. It doesn't mean everything is all right but it does rule out the most serious stuff.

But blurry vision may also be from foods. I get very blurred from MSG which is often hidden in restaurant foods. (esp far vision--it doesn't affect my close work).

The cornea can swell up up from too much salt as well.
Did you have it equally in BOTH eyes, or only one?

I had a stroke in my left eye's retina years ago. There was no blurry vision, but I did have a ache in that eye and a vague headache on the left for at least a week. I didn't even know it...until I tried to walk to the bathroom in the night, and then I had a huge hole in my left central vision.

I have had two angiograms of that same eye over the years. The first one showed an ocular migraine, the second showed a hemorrage into the retina, and the doctor could see the culprit...right branch vein.
I have had no other issues with that eye. And I now watch my blood pressure more closely. (the stroke followed a very upsetting day, a major thing which the doctor said could have elevated my pressure high, and it remained that way for hours...not good for the eyes!). But given that I am old, I show no significant ischemic damage over the long run...which surprised me and the doc too.

Hello Vowel Lady!

Like Mrs D, I had severe eye pain (one) and developed 'diplopia'. I went to every eye doctor imaginable trying to figure out what was wrong. My blood pressure was also, high. This happened before the series of small CVA's.

Finally, one eye doctor had discovered that I had developed an 'over action of the 'inferior oblique muscle'. It had been due to the TIA.

My doctor's had said to me that not all TIA's will show on MRI....if they are small enough. It took other MRI's to show, down the road.

I have never taken 'excedrin for migraine. I was diagnosed 'complicated migraine' but none of the regular meds worked for me. Liquid tylenol took the edge off so I didn't want to kill myself. Mine were pressure pain, one side. Finally, I was put on 'topamax'. I know some people don't like the drug, and it took some getting used to....but for me, it was a miracle drug. I could never plan an event, never knowing when the headaches would strike.

I hope your doctor's can get to the bottom of things. Take care.