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Eye Update: Bad News and Badder News (warning needle talk)
10 years ago
- favorite fuzzbutts -
I went to the ophthalmologist.
The optic nerve in my right eye is the source of the problem. I have what is called blurred margins, meaning there are spots and cloudiness on/around my optic nerve/disc. This can have two possible causes: inflammation or increased cranial pressure.
Tomorrow (if I can find a ride) I'll be going in to get a visual field test. This will basically be a comprehensive map of all my vision, and this will tell the doctors whether there is an injury in my eye that they couldn't see that could be causing inflammation. When I was put on prednisone a few weeks ago it helped a little bit, so I'm trying to be optimistic about it being an inflammation problem.
The reason I want it to be inflammation is that pursuing the increased cranial pressure (ICP) diagnosis involves getting a lumbar puncture (aka spinal tap). For those of you who don't know, this is where a hollow needle is inserted between the lumbar vertebrae to drain a sample of spinal fluid. It is an extremely painful and uncomfortable procedure that laves most people bed-bound for at least a week.
For those of you that don't know, I'm TERRIFIED of needles. Absolutely terrified. Not only is this large needle involved, I would also need several blood tests before I would be eligible to have this procedure. As an adult, I might not be able to be fully sedated for the process. In addition, I have a slipped disc in my lower back so I would likely be wheel-chair bound for a significant amount of time, and I do not have the time.
The doc said that I don't have to do the spinal tap unless I want to, and I don't think I'll be able to. I understand it's my health but I cannot handle this. Even the idea of it being a possibility made me almost have a panic attack right there in the office.
I dunno guys. I'm very scared about the coming months. He did a very intense light test and my eyes are all blurry and they hurt. I don't know what to do.
The optic nerve in my right eye is the source of the problem. I have what is called blurred margins, meaning there are spots and cloudiness on/around my optic nerve/disc. This can have two possible causes: inflammation or increased cranial pressure.
Tomorrow (if I can find a ride) I'll be going in to get a visual field test. This will basically be a comprehensive map of all my vision, and this will tell the doctors whether there is an injury in my eye that they couldn't see that could be causing inflammation. When I was put on prednisone a few weeks ago it helped a little bit, so I'm trying to be optimistic about it being an inflammation problem.
The reason I want it to be inflammation is that pursuing the increased cranial pressure (ICP) diagnosis involves getting a lumbar puncture (aka spinal tap). For those of you who don't know, this is where a hollow needle is inserted between the lumbar vertebrae to drain a sample of spinal fluid. It is an extremely painful and uncomfortable procedure that laves most people bed-bound for at least a week.
For those of you that don't know, I'm TERRIFIED of needles. Absolutely terrified. Not only is this large needle involved, I would also need several blood tests before I would be eligible to have this procedure. As an adult, I might not be able to be fully sedated for the process. In addition, I have a slipped disc in my lower back so I would likely be wheel-chair bound for a significant amount of time, and I do not have the time.
The doc said that I don't have to do the spinal tap unless I want to, and I don't think I'll be able to. I understand it's my health but I cannot handle this. Even the idea of it being a possibility made me almost have a panic attack right there in the office.
I dunno guys. I'm very scared about the coming months. He did a very intense light test and my eyes are all blurry and they hurt. I don't know what to do.
