[JulieRN]

This started Saturday and really became noticeable on Sunday...and has progressiveably become worse.

My head is killing me...my eyes are tearing and I truly feel like someone hit me full force in the back of my skull with a shovel.

My vision is skewed, and it's scary. As I type, the letters start to change shape so that the font looks different and parts of the letters are actually missing.

And the tears...intermittent crying jags...then anger.....

And guess what? I have to be at the Neuropsychologist's office in an hour to resume the testing I have been waiting so desperately for...I have no one available to drive me and I'm scared to death....

Has anyone experienced these type of headaches with visual disturbances? I have A LOT of stress going on right now....but I feel exactly like I did post injury....:'(

[Soccergal]

Hi JulieRN, I'm sorry to hear you are having such a terrible time. I think you should see your doctor to be safe and thorough.

Although I have not had the exact symptoms you are having, I am just coming out of a terrible type of regression of symptoms (2+ weeks). My injury was over 2 years ago and these symptoms were as bad, if not worse than ever. I was quite devistated as I had been doing well for a few days.

I think stress is a very strong trigger on top of what you are trying to accomplish in a day. I was trying to go back to work (very part time) and was giving it 100% - probably like you were on your neurophsyc tests... and - it was too much and - CRASH. The good news is that this might be the perfect time for your tests as it will help them analyze the issues.

I hope you are able to get to your appointment safe and sound. Please let us know how you made out.

Soccergal

[Eowyn]

Did anything *physically* happen over the weekend? Bump to the head? Or I suppose it is possible that the stress you're under caused your symptoms to recur.

When I did my vision testing, the doctor said that problems with field of vision can indicate brain damage AND actually what location in the brain is damaged.

It really sounds to me like you should get checked out and not try to push through this. If you don't feel safe driving to your doctor's office, and there is no one at all to help you get there, consider calling an ambulance?

Hope you're feeling better soon. I'll be thinking of you.

[SpaceCadet]

I haven't had headaches in months, but I get the exact same visual disturbances you described from time to time.

I'm gonna put the blame for your sudden symptoms on stress. When I get stressed, my symptoms flare up. It doesn't always happen right away...sometimes it will show up the next day or two.

I hope things get better for you.

[ShellyK]

Julie,

I am so sorry that you are having such horrible symptoms.

I get horrible headaches, and what has helped me the most has been acupuncture. If you can find a GOOD, experienced acupuncturist, s/he should at least be able to help you with that problem.

Of course, I am assuming that you have been checked out by your doctors. (My memory is not always the best. I know that you have written before, and I don't remember what you said about doctors.)

If, for some reason, you haven't been checked by a doctor, then that would be first, of course, to rule out other things. Once you know that it's from PCS, an acupuncturist who also can give you Chinese herbs could help with the headaches.

I wish you feel better soon. Let us know how you are doing.

ShellyK

[JulieRN]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I'm going to keep this brief because my head is still hurting and I don't want to put any more stress on my eyes..

I made it to my appt. I gave myself and hour for a 30 minutes drive, to be safe...it was basically all highway and I stayed in the slow lane...

I told the MD how I was feeling and he suggested rescheduling...obviously, I said NO because it's taken FOREVER to get to this point...I told him if I felt gravely ill we would stop...he also recommended F/U with my primary...

Interesting...the testing was going fine until he placed a sheet of paper in front of me with all small numbers and told me to place lines through all of the number 6's....I thought I was going to vomit just looking at that paper! The sight of all of those numbers was immediate brain overload for me...

Nothing physical happened to me over the weekend...I haven't exercised in sometime now because I just haven't felt up to it...I have been under A LOT of stress lately and I think it's taking it's toll....(I hope it's just stress)...

I will go to the ER tomorrow if I am not feeling significantly better...really, really, REALLY scaring myself over here...my oldest Sister died at 32 of a subarachnoid hemmorhage...and being a Nurse, I always tend to think the worst...

I'm going to go rest but can't thank everyone enough for taking the time to respond....knowing that someone else has experienced some of this makes me feel less freaked out....

[EsthersDoll]

Just think how your patients will feel when they know you've gone through what they're going through!

I'm glad you made it to your appt.

Try to rest and relax so you can have a better tomorrow.

[nightnurse30]

Oh Julie....Im so sorry you are having a setback and such terrible headaches and vision disturbances. Praying that you find relief soon. And i agree with the other post about acupuncture....especially with acute pain, i have found it was the fastest and longest lasting pain relief i found that didnt include heavy doses of pain meds. And i totally understand your "being a nurse"....its only natural for us to take our symptoms as serious as we've seen in our careers with others. Take good care of yourself girl.