Brief moment of double vision ...

I had a weird onset of double vision yesterday morning and it has me worried ... since it is around christmas time I did not want to rush to the E.R and spend christmas there ... I was on my computer when my eyes just started seeing double . I asked my husband it my eyes were crossed and he said they were fine , If I closed one eye my vision would be normal but if both my eyes were open I could bot see the image was all over the place. It only lasted about 4 minutes Max... and as soon as I laid down it went away ??? Any ideas on what could have happened ??? I tried to call my cardiologist today but it is christmas eve and no one is working !

Oh an Merry Christmas to all ! I wish you all lots of health and happiness this holiday season !

3 Comments

I Think You Should Call Now....

by Many Blessings - 2012-12-24 08:12:13

Hi mantarie,

I think you should call or go to the ER tonight. I don't think you should wait until Wednesday. After I posted the above comment, I wished I would have told you to call or go to the ER now. Better safe than sorry, and you don't want to run into any more trouble just in case it is something serious.

Still feel free to private message me, and keep us all posted on how you are doing.

Neurological Episode or TIA Maybe?

by Many Blessings - 2012-12-24 08:12:43

Hi mantarie,

I'd follow up with your doctor on Wednesday, or you might even want to call your local ER to see if they think you should come in and get checked out. It could be nothing, but it sounds like it might be neurological. I'm not sure what your cardiac history is, but because of my experiences, I'm a little worried about what you described. Are you in A-fib by chance?

I had a full brain stem stroke when I was 27 from A-fib. I was on Coumadin from having a mechanical valve, but my INR dropped too low and I threw a clot. It hit the part of the the brain that controls the optical nerve.

When it first hit, I saw double vision which went away after I closed one eye. I also saw a big black blind spot, got very dizzy, and couldn't walk. After a couple of hours at the hospital, I lost my vision to wear it looked like I was looking through wax paper. With treatment, my vision came back after about 9 days with nystagmas being the only permanent damage. Did you have any other symptoms other than the double vision?

I now have frequent TIAs, which all but once, follow the same path to the damaged optical nerve. When I have the TIAs, they start with double vision like you described.

One thing that differes with my double vision is when I have it from the TIAs, my double vision is stacked one on top of the other, versus a side by side double vision. Did you see your double vision side by side? Or, stacked one on top of the other? I'm not sure if that really matters or not, but it was something my neurologist mentioned he knew to be different from less serious double vision issues when I first had the stroke and even afterwards with my TIAs.

Don't panic, but I do think it would be a good idea if you called to see if they think you should be seen. The can do a quick EEG and CT scan. If it is a TIA, or you do have A-fib, you may need to go on a blood thinner like Coumadin / Warfarin to keep from having a full blown stoke. If you're on Comadin, when was the last time you had your INR checked?

Feel free to private message me any time, and please let us know what you find out.

I second the motion

by donr - 2012-12-25 12:12:22

Made by Many Blessings.

Double vision is a symptom of stroke & not to be ignored.

Also - the further in time you get from the stroke, the harder it is to confirm via MRI, etc. - unless you have residual effects. You talk like you have none - that's to your advantage, but they can come in waves, not necessarily as single events.

Give yourself a simple 4 part test.

1) SMILE - If it's not symmetrical, you are probably having/had a stroke.

2) Close your eyes & raise both arms simultaneously to the side till they are level. If they aren't level, possible strike.

3) Say a simple sentence - like "I like apples cooked in turpentine." If you scrfew it up - possible stroke.

4) stick out your tongue - if not straight out, possible stroke.

5) last & a classic - close your eyes, raise your hands in front of you, touch your fingertips together; also, touch index fingers to tip of nose. If you can't - possible stroke.

OH! If you have had double vision - you potentially have had a stroke.

Go to the ER - RIGHT NOW!

Don - BTDT

You know you're wired when...

A thirty-day guarantee is not good enough.

Member Quotes

I just had this miracle implanted two weeks ago and I’m feeling better.