Light sensitivity and vision problems

I’m doing great with one tms equivalent but now I’m battling another one. I’m looking for some reassurance because I googled myself into a panic thinking I have MS or something really wrong. My vision is quickly deteriorating, I’m seeing lots of flashes after bright lights- driving at night is hard, halos, terrible light sensitivity, crazy floaters, and flashes of lights. I’m looking for some reassurance that this is tms and will go away. I’m wearing sunglasses all day, even inside. I used to find some relief at night but now I have such terrible halos and flashes from any lights (led are the worst) that I’m suffering all the time. Any hope to offer from someone with similar symptoms?

 

Yep, this one's trouble for me. I've overcome other symptoms as well and this one is just driving me nuts. Seems to bring on other things as well since I start to worry about migraine aura and such. But when I checked the internet for flashers and floaters and expected the worst, it basically said that lots of people get them and they are normal (unless they increase very suddenly)! How often do you go to WebMD and end up calmer? I had a respite from it a while back even before I knew about TMS so I'm pretty sure it's not something horrible, but it sure does mess with your head. The thing for me is that I can get the same fear from just my eyelashes getting stuck together for a moment or just a smudge on my glasses (I've never kept my glasses cleaner than when I started to get this crap....) I don't really have strong fears of losing my vision, I just think it's a particularly annoying and effective way for my mind to distract me. And then my stomach acts up! The nuttier and more diverse the issues get, the more you can suspect it's TMS! I feel like this is the tail end of this s--t. Good luck to you and all of us.

 

Thank you for your reply! You know, this all started because I get ocular migraines which scare the sh$t out of me. I’ve been so hyper-vigilant, always alert and on guard, watching for those initial symptoms that signal the start of one. I’ve thought the hyper vigilance would somehow protect me, but I’ve just created more symptoms/vision issues. This should tell me it’s TMS but it’s so difficult to believe when it’s all so real. Best of luck to you too!

 

You should get this checked from a neurologist.
As any TMSer or TMS doctor would tell you, get a complete physical evaluation before determining it’s a TMS issue.
I, actually had aoras, went to a neurologist, he prescribed a daily dose of aspirin & that took care of the problem. He wanted to make sure there was not something sinister going on.

Best to you

 

Yes, I fully understand that. We all do. But in the meantime, it’s nice to hear from others with similar symptoms that turned out to be TMS to help alleviate the anxiety. As you know, anxiety is a big part of this mess we’re in. Being reminded you need to go to a neurologist just fuels the fear. But thank you for taking the time to reply.

 

Best of luck to you. You're not alone.

I'm in a similar situation too currently. I experienced a very stressful incident earlier this year which set off a few physical symptoms - basically the flare-up of an old back problem, IBS, a skin complaint and this issue with my vision all came up at the very same time - as well as quite strong anxiety. Having read Sarno's book a few years ago, the back complaint cleared up after a couple days. The skin issue and IBS took a bit longer but eventually cleared up too. But the vision issue is still there. Maybe because it's the one that provokes the most fear. Basically the main symptoms are sort of having something similar to TV interference in my vision, and occasionally the odd flash of light. It is worse when I am particularly stressed, anxious, depressed, exhausted or sleep-deprived. And the less anxious I am, the more I'm getting on with my life as usual without thinking about it, the better it is. All this makes me quite hopeful its TMS.

I was also scared about going to a neurologist and still am. But I'm at a point now where leaving it unchecked is quite scary too. So I have an appointment for next week. I figure if they run some basic tests that all come back ok, then that will make me feel better about the whole thing. I found a doctor whose reviews indicate that she is honest and trustworthy so hopefully I'll be in good hands. I'm going to get my eyes tested next week too.

I find it helpful reading stories of other TMS sufferers who all kinds of crazy symptoms that got better. It gives me hope.

I also agree with AnonymousNick on 2 points. Firstly, this seems to be a really effective way for the brain to distract us from our emotions because it provokes so much fear. Secondly, I do a lot of googling when I'm anxious about health problems and it NEVER makes me feel better. I still do it though

 

Yes, the blessing and curse of google! Best of luck to you, too. Let us know what you find out at the doctor!

 

I to get this. But what a surprise that this came on after I saw a private Neuro last week. He did tests on me and said it is more likely fibromyalgia. He was a really nice bloke who said. Its like the body becomes the headache when you have had a bad stress response . I'm looking into dnrs as well as incorporating tms approach.... I might be getting the dvds soon

 

Kudos for you getting it checked out. Now, since you know there is nothing sinister going on, TMS approach is awaiting your arrival. I tend to view fibro... as a cop out. I had someone tell me the same and I looked past them as someone who did not want to get to the basics of my issues. Agreed very much, body becomes the headache, great appropriate line.

I have had many TMS issues and have done very well in dealing with all of them.

In my humble opinion fibro... can be dealt with incorporating TMS theories very well. I look forward to hearing your recovery story.

Best to you

 

@readytoheal you don't say whether you saw an eye doctor for this sudden onset of symptoms. A sudden increase in floaters, combined with flashes, especially at the periphery of your vision, could actually indicate a detached retina, and it should be examined by an ophthalmologist (MD). If you experience any sensation of a dark area encroaching on your vision, like a curtain being drawn, that's an immediate emergency.

The floaters with flashing has happened to me twice, and the first time, I called the 24-hour consulting nurse (Kaiser), who got me an appointment first thing the next day - and left me with overnight instructions to go to the ER if I experienced the "curtain" effect. Fortunately, what I have is normal age-related breakdown of the ocular fluid - not pleasant, but not dangerous. Nonetheless, because of the sudden onset and the peripheral flashing, they required a 30-day followup with the MD both times.

That being said, a detached retina is probably only going to occur in one eye, not both at once.

My feeling is that any brand-new symptom which scares you, needs to be checked out. You'll never be able to accept that it might be TMS unless you've ruled out a physiological cause. Things happen, folks.

~Jan

 

Hi RTH! For me there is no blessing in Google, just the curse

So I've been checked out. My eyes were tested by an optometrist. Pretty much perfect, or in the top 2-3% for my age range apparently.

went to a neurologist today too. She ran some tests, all fine. She wants to do a MRI too just to be safe but she's pretty sure it won't show anything up. She said an episode of stress caused a change in the functioning in a certain part of my brain but not no structural problem. She said just as my reactions caused the issue, so can I reverse it, so it's not necessarily a permanent condition and could go away again. So overall I'm quite relieved. At least I will be once I've internalised it. I'm still feeling quite anxious because I was very worried about going to the doc about it.

 

You have received a brilliant gift from this neurologist. You just need to make up your mind to change the word "could" to "will". It's up to you now.

 

I never use the word "could" or "will". Always use the word "am"
As "I am having a good day "
"I am healthy "
"I am safe"

If you use the word "will" etc. You are still hoping for change . I'm not saying Jan is in anyway wrong . But a good friend explained it to me in a way sort of how I've put it ...
And tbh yesterday was a flare day and so is today. I also saw a private Neuro but I still want MRI head again and also spine this time so I'm booking another visit for a private scan tomorrow . This week I've starting having head surge of feeling also noticed I was dizzy past few days and booked Drs who looked inside my ear as it felt full like water and had an infection in it. Head surge maybe from me stopping my dulaxatine? .

 

Thank you! Yes this is the issue for me. I'm not the most positive of souls. But hopefully working through the recovery programme will help with that. And I'm trying to tell myself I can live with it anyway if it doesn't go away.

 

I have exactly the same signs and my neurologist said the same. Caused by stress and my brain is no longer filtering floaters and other things it should. Did your signs improve? I’m so hyper vigilant to my eyes now I can’t imagine it going away

 

I've recently had an uptick in certain symptoms due to stress, and have had the 'no longer filtering floaters' experience. It's happened before and I know it will fade away when I get my nervous system under control. It's all on what we focus on, but sometimes the brain is so insistent that we look at silly things like floaters...

 

At my annual eye exam I asked the ophthalmologist if more floaters is related to more stress, because I was under the impression that they came and went with my stress level, and he said absolutely, that it's a well-known phenomenon relationship.

 

I didn't realize it was a "well-known" phenomenon! It started for me during a time of extreme stress but I didn't make the connection at the time. I was in my 20s, had just lost my mom, recently embarked on a difficult marriage and was trying to deal with my dad, who pretty much rode off the rails when Mom died. I can look back now and see what a survivor I am but at the time? Life was just hard.

 

And I edited my post to "relationship" rather than "phenomenon", which I think better reflects our commitment to TMS concepts - plus I think I came up with that, not the eye doc - he probably just said "yes, there's a connection"

 

Good edit, but it works either way.